Children's counselling

Who is it for?:

We work with children aged from 5 years upwards. 

How can counselling help my child?:

Children's social development and progress at school can be severely affected by emotional problems. These may include:

• anger and aggression
• anxiety and worries
• persistent sadness
• low confidence
• difficulties in friendships and family relationships , or
• becoming withdrawn

Difficulties may be triggered by events such as family conflict, parental separation, bereavement, bullying at school, or the effects of trauma, abuse and neglect - or there may be no clear 'reason' for the problem.

Counselling helps children:

•  to express and make sense of their thoughts and feelings, so that they are able to cope better with problems and develop greater self-awareness and self-confidence
• develop better relationships with those around them
• find new ways of managing difficult feelings and situations

What's involved?:

First of all, one of our experienced counsellors will meet with the parents or main carers to discuss the problem and assess how to help. The child will then meet with the counsellor for fifty minutes each week, at a regular time; the number of sessions will be agreed between the child, the counsellor and the parent/carer.

As children often find it hard to put their feelings into words, the counselling process often involves using play and art to communicate, as well as talking - each child finds their own way to express themselves.

The child's needs and wishes are central to the process. The counsellor's role is to develop a safe, respectful and trusting relationship where the child can 'tell their story', and problems can be thought about and coped with.

We will involve parents and carers in regular reviews of progress; the counsellor will discuss this with those concerned. 

Confidentiality:

We will not share information about your child with anyone outside the counselling service, unless we have your consent to do so. The only exception to this is if the child's safety is at risk. The counsellor will discuss this with you, and with the child, at the first appointments. 

Fees:

So that we can keep our services open to all, we do have to charge for counselling. We have a sliding scale of fees, dependant on ability to pay.   

How do I make an appointment?:

To make an initial appointment to discuss the problems, and to see whether counselling is right for your child, please contact your local centre: Bridge in Basildon on 01268 822800/ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , or Sycamore in Chelmsford on 01245 359353/ This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .