Client Service Agreement & Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
Your privacy is important
This statement outlines the Motherhood Village's policy on how Motherhood Village uses and manages personal information provided to or collected by it.
Motherhood Village is bound by the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Commonwealth Privacy Act and is compliant with the Privacy Amendment (Enhancing Privacy Protection) Act 2012 and by the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).
Motherhood Village may, from time to time, review and update this Privacy Policy to take account of new laws and technology, changes to the Motherhood Village’s operations and practices and to make sure it remains appropriate to the changing legal environment.
This privacy policy assumes that you are resident in Australia. If you are resident in the UK or Europe, please contact us for more information regarding how we treat your personal information.
The type of information Motherhood Village collects and holds includes (but is not limited to) personal information, including sensitive information, about:
● Name & contact (email & phone)
● What stage of the Perinatal Period or Early Parenthood Years
● Reasons you are seeking the mental health peer support services of Motherhood Village.
Personal Information you provide:
Motherhood Village will generally collect personal information held about an individual by way of phone calls, forms, direct submission forms. You do have the right to seek to deal with us anonymously or using a pseudonym, but in almost every circumstance it will not be practicable for us to deal with you or provide any services to you except for the most general responses to general enquiries, unless you identify yourself.
Personal Information provided by other people:
In some circumstances Motherhood Village may be provided with personal information about an individual from a third party, for example overview of reason for referral to Motherhood Village from clinical or treating specialist.
In relation to employee records:
Under the Privacy Act the Australian Privacy Principles do not apply to an employee record. As a result, this Privacy Policy does not apply to Motherhood Village’s treatment of an employee record, where the treatment is directly related to a current or former employment relationship between the Motherhood Village and employee. However, Motherhood Village must provide access and ensure compliance with the Health Privacy Principles
Motherhood Villag] will use personal information it collects from you for the primary purpose of collection, and for such other secondary purposes that are related to the primary purpose of collection and reasonably expected, or to which you have consented. (Providing you with care and empathetic mental health peer support)
In relation to direct marketing, Motherhood Village will use your personal information for direct marketing where you have provided that information, and you are likely to expect direct marketing: only then you will be sent direct marketing containing an opt out. If we use your personal information obtained from elsewhere we will still send you direct marketing information where you have consented and which will also contain an opt out. We will always obtain your consent to use sensitive information as the basis for any of our direct marketing.
We may use video surveillance for security purposes and the footage will be used only by Motherhood Village and by the providers of our security services for security purposes. Surveillance videos are not used by the Motherhood Village for other purposes and the footage is not publicly available. Surveillance cameras are not located in any bathrooms or change room facilities.
Job applicants, staff members and contractors:
In relation to personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors, Motherhood Village’s primary purpose of collection is to assess and (if successful) to engage the applicant, staff member or contractor, as the case may be.
The purposes for which the Motherhood Village uses personal information of job applicants, staff members and contractors include:
● for insurance purposes;
● for ATO and Superannuation reporting
● for background and reference checks
● to satisfy Motherhood Village’s legal obligations,
Where the Motherhood Village receives unsolicited job applications these will usually be dealt with in accordance with the unsolicited personal information requirements of the Privacy Act.
Volunteers:
Motherhood Village also obtains personal information about volunteers who assist Motherhood Village in its functions or conduct associated activities, such as to enable the Motherhood Village and the volunteers to work together. [Art Therapy Mental Health Peer Support Sessions & more)
Marketing and fundraising:
Motherhood Village treats marketing and seeking donations for the future growth and development of the Motherhood Village as important. Personal information held by the Motherhood Village may be disclosed to an Motherhood Village that assists in the Motherhood Village’s fundraising, for example, the Motherhood Village’s Bridging the Gap in Perinatal Care campaign for Motherhood Village.
Motherhood Village may disclose personal information, including sensitive information, held about an individual to:
● government departments;
● people providing services to Motherhood Village,
● treating / referring clinical specialist
● anyone you authorise Motherhood Village to disclose information to.
Sending information overseas:
Motherhood Village will not send personal information about an individual outside Australia without:
● obtaining the consent of the individual (in some cases this consent will be implied); or
● otherwise complying with the Australian Privacy Principles or other applicable privacy legislation.
We do/do not use overseas providers of IT services including servers and cloud services.
In referring to ‘sensitive information’, Motherhood Village means:
“information relating to a person’s racial ethnic origin, political opinions, religion, trade union or other professional or trade association membership, sexual orientation or criminal record, that is also personal information; and health information about an individual”.
Sensitive information will be used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was provided or a directly related secondary purpose, unless you agree otherwise, or the use or disclosure of the sensitive information is allowed by law.
Management and security of personal information
Motherhood Village’s staff are required to respect the confidentiality of personal information and the privacy of individuals.
Motherhood Village has in place steps to protect the personal information the Motherhood Village holds from misuse, loss, unauthorised access, modification, interference or disclosure by use of various methods including locked storage of paper records and passworded access rights to computerised records.
We have a data breach response plan, which we would follow in the unlikely event of a privacy or data breach.
When you use our website, having your cookies enabled will allow us to maintain the continuity of your browsing session and remember your details when you return. We may also use web beacons, Flash local stored objects and JavaScript. If you adjust your browser settings to block, reject or delete these functions, the webpage may not function in an optimal manner.
Updating personal information
Motherhood Village endeavours to ensure that the personal information it holds is accurate, complete and up-to-date. A person may seek to update their personal information held by Motherhood Village by contacting the CEO of Motherhood Village at any time.
The Australian Privacy Principles and the Health Privacy Principles require Motherhood Village not to store personal information longer than necessary. In particular, the Health Privacy Principles impose certain obligations about the length of time health records must be stored.
You have the right to check what personal information the Motherhood Village holds about you.
Under the Commonwealth Privacy Act and the Health Records Act, an individual has the right to obtain access to any personal information which Motherhood Village holds about them and to advise the Motherhood Village of any perceived inaccuracy. There are some exceptions to this right set out in the applicable legislation. To make a request to access any information Motherhood Village holds about you, please contact the CEO in writing.
Motherhood Village may require you to verify your identity and specify what information you require. Although no fee will be charged for accessing your personal information or making a correction, Motherhood Village may charge a fee to retrieve and copy any material. Motherhood Village If the information sought is extensive, Motherhood Village will advise the likely cost in advance.
Under our destruction and de-identification policies, your personal information that is no longer required will be de-identified or destroyed. In many circumstances, however it will be kept for marketing purposes, as you will have consented to that in writing with us.
Enquiries and privacy complaints
If you would like further information about the way the Motherhood Village manages the personal information it holds, please contact the CEO. If you have any concerns, complaints or you think there has been a breach of privacy, then also please contact the CEO who will first deal with you usually over the phone. If we then have not dealt satisfactorily with your concerns we will meet with you to discuss further. If you are not satisfied with our response to your complaint within 30 days from this meeting then you can refer your complaint to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner via:
● email: enquiries@oaic.gov.au
● tel: 1300 363 992
● fax: +61 2 9284 9666
1. Client Service Agreement - Introduction
We are so excited to welcome you as a client! It is very important that you read this document carefully before you accept it as sets out the terms of our relationship so that we may both benefit from clear boundaries and knowing what our obligations are. By accepting this Agreement, you are entering into a legally binding contract, so please consider carefully whether our services are right for you and contact me before you sign if you have any concerns. If anything in this Agreement is unclear, I encourage you to seek independent advice to ensure you fully understand your rights and obligations, and to negotiate any clause which feels unfair. Our aim for Motherhood Village Ltd is to create accessible and emotional Perinatal Mental Health Peer Support service that can assist mothers and parents who are finding the early stages of parenthood difficult. This will by way of lived experience peer support, emotional support, mental support, or a combination of all three. We offer in person group peer support sessions for those experiencing Perinatal Mental Health challenges. We also offer educational brochures and referral pathways for other clinical and perinatal specialist support services. All of our care, education and support services offered at Motherhood Village Ltd are evidence based and provided for information purposes only.
Your sessions will be led by an experienced peer support worker who has lived experience with perinatal mental health. Our CEO and head peer leader is Tracey Tyley. Tracey is a mother of 3 little people and has a gentle, nurturing personality. Tracey is a certified Postpartum Care & Education Professional (Doula) as well as a Postpartum Mental Health Peer Support Worker. Tracey has Lived experience with postpartum depression, anxiety & intrusive thoughts. Tracey, along with all our peer leaders are certified with the Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE) as a perinatal mental health community leaders. Tracey Tyley is also COPE certified in Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health, certified with PANDA in managing Postpartum Mental Health, Responding to Risks and Awareness of Postpartum Mental Health Distress, and in Perinatal Mental Health Telehealth skills. All our peer leaders hold current Blue Cards, Police Checks and are fully immunised. Tracey Tyley is also a member of the Doula Network Australia. We welcome constructive feedback as an opportunity to review and improve our practices. Please feel free to contact us at tracey@motherhoodvillage.com.au to discuss any issues that arise. You will get the most out of working with Motherhood Village Ltd if you are a mother or parent, in any location, who is finding the early stages of Motherhood difficult and experiencing challenges with Perinatal Mental Health.
Motherhood Village Ltd services may not be right for you if you are looking for clinical specialist care such as psychology, counselling, midwifery, clinical lactation, or sleep specialist advice. Motherhood Village Ltd does not offer pregnancy or birth Doula services. Motherhood Village Ltd does not work with youth Mothers under 18 years old.
2. Parties to the Contract
This Client Service Agreement is between:
“Me” Motherhood Village Ltd
ABN: 81678127798
tracey@motherhoodvillage.com.au
My email is a quiet email - I balance work duties with being a Mother, so I only monitor emails during 9am -
2.30 pm Monday to Friday. I will do my best to respond back within 24hours to all email questions.
“You” Client attending Motherhood Village Ltd Peer Support Sessions
My services are offered in compliance with Australian Consumer Law.
3. Description of Services
(i) Perinatal Period and Early Parenthood Years Mental Health Peer Support.
(ii) Emotional support and a non-judgemental space for mothers to express their feelings, thoughts, and concerns. With lived experience in Postpartum Mental Health Challenges, our peer leaders can help validate and normalise your feelings and provide reassurance that you are not alone in your struggles. This can alleviate feelings of isolation, anxiety, and depression, which 1 in every 5 Australian Mothers may experience. Includes education and referral pathways for Clinical Medical Care.
(iii) We offer small group mental health peer support sessions. These are held as a small discussion group or as a gentle peer support art or yoga class for soft entry. All sessions are designed to encourage validation, connection, education, and support of a peer nature.
(iv) Each session will begin with exploring and gaining an understanding of your needs and concerns. Depending on your needs, we will then move into a learning or sharing phase. All learning is evidence based and I will provide you with all options and help support you to choose a direction that feels best for you and your family.
4. Payment Terms
(i) For private sessions Motherhood Village Ltd charges an hourly fee, with discounts applied if more than one session is booked up front.
(ii) For community funded sessions, these are provided free of charge.
(iii) We are a charitable service – We are not registered for the Medicare Rebate as Motherhood Village Ltd is peer support only, not a clinical specialist.
(iv) We are not Registered for GST. All prices listed are exclusive of GST.
(v) Prices are listed in Australian Dollars.
(vi) If Payment is required upon booking. You will be stepped through the payment process. Our booking system uses a third party payment platform, and no credit information is stored by Motherhood Village Ltd.
(vii) Consequences of late payment - I have the discretion to postpone future sessions. If there are overdue payments, then the sessions are put on hold until payment is received.
(viii) Debt recovery - You agree to pay all costs, including debt collection agency fees and solicitor’s costs, that I may incur in taking steps to recover any money that you owe to me, whether or not legal proceedings are issued in relation to the debt.
5. Expectations
(i) When we are working together, you can expect that we (Motherhood Village Ltd) will:
a. Have responsibility to you as our client – Peer Leaders and Postpartum Education and Care Professionals promote perinatal welfare and uphold the primacy of their client’s interests.
b. Have responsibility to babies – Peer Leaders and Postpartum Education and Care Professionals promote child welfare.
c. Have responsibility to the industry – Peer Leaders and Postpartum Education and Care Professionals uphold and advance the profession and treat all colleagues with respect and fairness.
d. Have responsibility to society – Peer Leaders and Postpartum Education and Care Professionals advocate for a variety of high-quality, publicly funded perinatal care of all kinds.
e. Not give advice or diagnoses, interpret medical information or clinical results, or administer or prescribe any treatments or medications.
f. Provide information based on scientific evidence, and referrals to relevant professionals and resources.
g. Provide practical, physical, and emotional support to new families, with the principal client being the parent who is experiencing mental health challenges in the perinatal period.
h. Respect the values of all clients, treating you with dignity and providing care that is non- judgmental.
i. Respect the privacy of all clients and keep all information gathered about you in confidence, unless concerns about the safety of the you or a family member arise.
j. Follow local laws and regulations, seeking appropriate clinical, legal, or financial advice when relevant.
k. Promote communication between the you and your healthcare team.
l. Foster your self-determination, supporting you to be informed and self-advocate.
m. Remain professional and reliable, and if the agreed services can’t be performed, I will provide reasonable alternatives, or offer a refund as per my refund terms.
n. Be committed to ongoing professional development and continually update my skills and knowledge.
(ii) When we are working together, I expect that you will:
a. Treat our team with respect and maintain boundaries, respecting their time and privacy.
b. We expect that you will declare any risks, or safety concerns.
c. We expect you to be mindful of our personal time when we are not at work.
d. We expect payments (if required) to be made on time.
6. Cancellations & Exceptions
(iii) Motherhood Village does not offer Midwifery, specialist Lactation or Sleep Consultations. There are specialists in these fields, and we can direct you accordingly.
(iv) We facilitate in person peer support. If you are unable to attend a session, then the option to change to a different time will be offered.
(v) If you are late by more than 15 minutes then the session will be cancelled, we ask that you kindly respect the other attendees and do not enter the room mid-session. If you need to reschedule a particular session, where possible we require 24 hours’ notice except in the cases where you or your baby may be ill or otherwise affected by unforeseen circumstances.
(vi) Because your health is our priority, if our facilitators are ill or otherwise unable to attend, the session will be rescheduled to a mutually suitable time.
7. Withdrawal from Contract
(i) You have the right under Australian Consumer Law to cancel this contract at any time. However, before you do, please email us so that we can discuss your concerns.
8. Refund Policy
(i) If you choose to cancel this agreement because it no longer suits your needs, there are several options that apply:
a. For fee paying services, we offer a full 100% refund guarantee to clients who change their mind within 48 hours of booking.
b. If you change your mind after this time but before your first session, we will offer a 75% refund. After your first session, we do not offer a refund for change of mind.
(ii) If you need to cancel due to circumstances beyond your control which prevent you from using Motherhood Village Ltd services effectively, we are happy to discuss offering a refund for any unused sessions. However, this refund will incur an administration fee of $50.
9. Termination of this Agreement
(i) Motherhood Village Ltd reserves the right to terminate this Agreement at our discretion if we determine that you are not a good fit to work with or circumstances beyond our control prevent us from delivering the services as agreed. If that happens, Motherhood Village Ltd will provide you with a refund for any unused sessions.
10. Important Information
(i) DISCLAIMER - Please be aware that the generalised information that Motherhood Village provides is not a substitute for specialist advice tailored to your individual circumstances. The role of a Mental Health Peer Support Worker is to provide support and empathy to a client from a lived experience background. Please note that Peer Support is not a replacement for Medical Advice or Professional Mental Health Clinical Care. A peer support worker uses personal lived experience of mental health to assist others going through a crisis. We communicate our stories skillfully and work with psychologists, counsellors, therapists, and other mental health professionals to aid your recovery.
(ii) Motherhood Village Ltd services are general in nature and evidence based for learning and education purposes only. I am not a psychologist, clinical specialist, counsellor, or medical professional.
(iii) The perinatal period can be a time of great emotional vulnerability. Motherhood Village Ltd is happy to work collaboratively with your treating team, if that is something you would like us to do. If we feel that your needs are beyond the scope of our peer support services, we may recommend that you seek support from an appropriately qualified medical or mental health specialist.
(iv) If you have any concerns about your physical or mental health, always seek the advice of your General Practitioner or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. If you are in an Emergency, please call 000.
(v) The information and services provided by Motherhood Village Ltd is not intended or implied as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content, including text, graphics, images, and information, contained on or available through our services, social marketing sites and website is for general information purposes only.
(vi) Results cannot be guaranteed due to the nature of services being care and education based. I can assure you that you will feel comforted, supported, and validated in our sessions.
11. Confidentiality and Privacy
(i) During our work together, our peer support leaders and other clients may share with you confidential information about their personal life or mental health experiences. This information is not intended for public consumption. You agree to respect the confidentiality of our team and other clients and not to discuss the information or the stories shared with anybody else.
(ii) Motherhood Village may collect the following personal information and sensitive data from you:
a. Name, Age, Address and Contact Details
b. Referring Doctor & Medical Diagnosis
c. Family details
d. Reasons for seeking Motherhood Village services.
(iii) This information will be kept confidential and only used for understanding and exploration of your needs.
12. Intellectual Property
(i) The content of client sessions and any materials provided to you are protected by copyright laws and treaties around the world, with all rights reserved.
(ii) The materials provided to you are solely for your own personal use. Selling them or using them commercially in any way is strictly prohibited.
(iii) Motherhood Village Ltd claims ownership of the name “Motherhood Village Ltd” as an unregistered trademark. This may not be used in connection with any other product or service without a licence, or in any way that is likely to cause confusion in the marketplace, or in any manner that disparages our business.
13. Limitation of Liability
(i) We at Motherhood Village Ltd want our relationship to be fair, and to take responsibility for our actions. As a result, any indemnities or liability outlined below will be reduced proportionately to the extent the liability was caused by our negligence. While we make all reasonable efforts to ensure that the services meet with the highest standards of best practice, if something does go wrong that is not a direct result of our negligence, misrepresentation or deliberate fault, you agree that, to the fullest extent permitted by law, Motherhood Village Ltd will not be liable for any loss or damage arising out of the services, irrespective of whether such damages were foreseeable, and regardless of the nature of the claim.
(ii) You take full responsibility for your implementation of any suggestions that our team may make while providing services. You understand that our peer support guidance is limited to providing you with options for your consideration, and that you are solely responsible for any actions that you choose to take. Always consult your own values and vision, do your own research, and check with appropriately qualified professionals before making major decisions. You agree to indemnify all parties related to Motherhood Village Ltd against all consequences arising directly or indirectly from your choices.
(iii) You expressly agree that if this indemnity is unenforceable for any reason, the total cumulative liability for all causes of action of any kind shall not exceed the amount that you have paid for the service.
(iv) Motherhood Village Ltd takes our obligations under Australian Consumer Law seriously and will strive to address any issues that arise. However, even if there is a major problem, my liability is strictly limited to:
a. replacing the goods or providing the services again; or
b. if we are unable to do so within a reasonable time, paying the cost of having the relevant goods or services supplied to you again.
(v) You expressly agree that if this limitation of liability is unenforceable for any reason, the total cumulative liability for all causes of action of any kind shall not exceed the amount that you have paid to Motherhood Village Ltd under this agreement.
14. Dispute Resolution
(i) If either of us have any concerns arising out of this agreement or provision of the services, we agree that we shall communicate with the intention of making a genuine effort to seek a win/win solution and resolve any dispute by negotiation and discussion.
(ii) You can contact tracey@motherhoodvillage.com.au to notify us of your concerns.
(iii) All information exchanged during this meeting or any subsequent dispute resolution process, shall be regarded as “without prejudice” communications for the purpose of settlement negotiations and shall be treated as confidential by everyone involved and their representatives, unless otherwise required by law. However, evidence that is independently admissible or discoverable shall not be rendered inadmissible or non-discoverable by virtue of its use during the dispute resolution process.
(iv) If we are unable to resolve a dispute by negotiation and discussion within 14 days, we agree to proceed to mediation with the assistance of an independent accredited mediator, seeking online dispute resolution or mediation by telephone if we are not both within 100km of each other.
(v) The mediator is to be appointed by agreement between us or, failing agreement within 21 days of the negotiation period ending, I will seek the appointment of a dispute resolution professional by the Queensland Small Business Commissioner or similar neutral authority.
(vi) We agree to share all the costs of mediation equally between us.
(vii) We agree that neither of us will commence legal action until, in the opinion of the independent mediator, the potential for negotiation and mediation have been exhausted.
(viii) Everyone involved in this agreement agrees that they will not publicly or privately disparage any other party, or anyone associated with them, and will act in good faith to refrain from any conduct or communication which might reasonably be expected to interfere with any other party’s business or personal interests.
(ix) This agreement is subject to the governing law of Queensland. Regardless of where you live in the world, you irrevocably agree that if the dispute resolution processes fail, the courts of Queensland, and the Commonwealth of Australia, will have exclusive jurisdiction.
General Disclaimer
On Motherhood Village Ltd sites you will find information on mental health during the perinatal period and early parenthood years. This information is provided solely for the purpose of imparting knowledge and education.
Please be aware that the information and services I provide are not a substitute for professional medical attention, examination, diagnosis, treatment, or advice. You are responsible for consulting a medical professional before using any of the information or materials contained or accessed through these sites, before commencing any new regimes, making alterations to your diet, trying any treatment, or taking any course of action that may directly or indirectly affect your health or wellbeing. Any testimonials and promised results I may display on these sites are based on my experience and those of my previous clients. They are not guarantees that anyone else will achieve the same results. I do not guarantee any specific results.
Links to Other Websites
I may provide links to other websites and programs. This does not necessarily imply sponsorship, endorsement, approval, or arrangement between Motherhood Village and the owners of those websites. I take no responsibility for any of the content found on the linked websites. When I link to a third party, I am making a recommendation only and I accept no responsibility for any information or advice provided to you directly by the third party. Content on social media linked to this website may be used as long as we are appropriately credited.
Updated November 2024