At Pelican Arts, our commitment to your privacy is paramount. We adhere strictly to the Information Privacy Act 1988, ensuring that all personal information is handled with the utmost care and confidentiality.

We keep your name and contact details on your consumer record. Other details such as case notes, care plan, and information about the services you receive, and low-resolution images of artworks are recorded in a secure file each time you visit. We are required to keep this information for 7 years after you finish therapy or until you turn 25. Your information can only be seen by the professionals in this service involved in your care.  Aspects of your therapeutic process may be discussed with your therapists clinical supervisor.  You can request access to this information by contacting us in writing.

We  only release information about you if you agree or if required by law, such as in a medical emergency or if we believe you or another person is at risk of serious harm.

Any artwork you create belongs to you. It will not be photographed (other than for case notes), published or displayed without your consent. You may keep your artwork at Pelican Arts while you are a client of their service. Reasonable care will be taken to ensure the work is kept confidential and safe from damage. We will not be able to store artworks after you cease to be a client of Pelican Arts and request that clients take their artwork with them at their last session.

You have a say in what happens to your information. We rely on the information you give us to help provide the right care for you. If you decide not to share some of your information or restrict access to your consumer record, this is your right, but it may affect our ability to provide you with the best possible services. Talk to us if you wish to change or cancel your consent.

You have a right to request access to your information and to ask for it to be corrected if necessary. Please talk to one of our staff if you have any other questions or complaints about what happens to your information while you are our consumer, or if you wish to access your record.

Child safety

Pelican Arts believes all children  should be safe, happy, and empowered. We are committed to preventing child abuse and identifying risks early. The safety  of children and young people is everyone’s responsibility.

Equality

Pelican Arts values the  contribution that all people make to society regardless of their background. If you think you are being ignored, made to feel uncomfortable or discriminated against because of your age, gender, sexuality, culture,  religion or abilities please bring it to our attention so we can address the issue.

Complaints and suggestions

It is important to us that we provide the best service possible to our clients and we will always listen to you no matter how big or small the problem is. You can  speak with us directly, through a support person, in writing, or you can ask for a feedback form. We will try to keep you informed about what we are doing about your suggestion or problem and may ask for more feedback from you. You also have the right to  make a formal complaint to the ANZACATA, the Mental Health Complaints Commissioner in your state or the NDIS. 

The NDIS Quality and Safeguard Commission can be contacted by phoning: 1800 035 544 (free call from landlines) or TTY 133 677 or by completing an online complaint from their website https://www.ndiscommission.gov.au/   Interpreters can be arranged.

 

To become a professionally registered Art Therapist one must complete a post graduate Masters Degree in Art Therapy. This means, in order to study art therapy at an industry recognised level one needs to have first completed a Bachelor Degree in a related profession. All professionally registered art therapists have experience and qualifications in another profession prior to becoming an Art Therapist.

Kate Cotching is also a Social Worker (BSW) and an Artist (MFA). This background is what Pelican Arts is built upon. Kate regularly brings social work knowledge and skill base into her practice by working with the client on interpersonal or social issues.

Social workers have a crucial part to play in improving mental health services and mental health outcomes for participants. They bring a distinctive social and rights-based perspective to their work. Their advanced relationship-based skills, and their focus on personalisation and recovery, can support people to make positive, self-directed change.

As well as her membership with the Australian, New Zealand, Asia Creative Arts Therapist Association (ANZACATA),  she holds a membership with the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).

Social Workers and Art Therapists have so much in common, both take a psychosocial approach to their practice and both are concerned with social justice and equality.

“Social workers are trained to understand and assess that the mental illnesses experienced by individuals, families, groups and communities are not caused or determined by a single factor.”

“Social workers maintain a dual focus in both assisting with and improving human wellbeing; and addressing any external issues (known as systemic or structural issues) that may impact on wellbeing, such as inequality, injustice and discrimination.” (AASW, Scope of social work practice)

Language is no longer a barrier to accessing art therapy.  Pelican Arts now has access to telephone interpreters.

We welcome non-English speakers to contact us to find out more about art therapy.

If you need an interpreter, please call TIS National on 131 450 and ask them to call Pelican Arts on 0410772058.

You can also visit the TIS National website for translated information about the service TIS National provides. Visit: www.tisnational.gov.au

 

Kate Cotching 

Lead Art Therapist, Mental Health Social Worker and Business Owner.

Kate has completed a Masters in Mental Health (Art Therapy) from the School of Medicine at University of Queensland, a Bachelor of Social Work at La Trobe University and a Masters in Art (Visual Art) at RMIT University. She has a passion for bringing visual arts to the community. Kate has been privileged to work with people from a diverse range of backgrounds in the Mildura area, including newly arrived refugees, young families, people recovering from mental illness, students of all ages, and people with disabilities. She has exhibited her artwork throughout Australia and internationally and was a founding member of Gallery F and whitecubemildura.

Kate is a professional member of the Australian, New Zealand, Asia Creative Arts Therapist Association (ANZACATA), the peak professional body for the creative arts therapies in Australia, New Zealand and the Asia/Pacific region. She is also an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker and member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW).