Children and Young People’s Counselling Service

The Children and Young People’s Counselling Service offers counselling to support your emotional health and wellbeing. Accessing support to explore, manage and understand difficult feelings can be helpful. You might need more support if you have noticed you are struggling with:

  • nervousness or anxiety
  • difficulty concentrating
  • difficultly sleeping
  • avoiding school or activities
  • feeling low and not good about themselves
  • loss of appetite, or sometimes increased appetite
  • not wanting to be with friends or family.

We offer up to six counselling sessions to help you gain understanding and develop strategies to help you feel better.

What to expect

We offer a safe and confidential space for you to talk about how you are feeling with a qualified counsellor.

Listening to you and your needs

The counsellor will listen to you and how you are feeling, and together you can agree what you would like to focus on in sessions. Developing a good understanding and trust between you and your counsellor is key.

Consent and confidentiality

All children and young people, regardless of age, are asked to consent to their counselling sessions. The counsellor will not share details of the sessions with anyone unless they are worried that you or someone else maybe at risk of harm.

Consistency

After your initial assessment you may be offered further sessions. Sessions usually take place in a clinic. Your appointments will be prearranged and it’s likely you will need to take time off school to attend. To get the most out of your sessions, you are encouraged to attend all booked appointments.

When sessions come to an end

Your counsellor will discuss with you, your counselling journey and any further support you may need which will be followed up with an end letter and any recommendations made.

I still need support

We encourage you to try the strategies and techniques you’ve learnt during your counselling for three months.  If after this time, you feel you need more support, you can make a new referral via the Kent School Health Team.

If you feel you are unable to keep yourself safe please contact your GP or local emergency services for support.

Your counsellor will be happy to answer any other queries you have.

Contact us

You can contact us at any time.

Phone 0300 123 5205 and select option two. kentchft.kentschoolhealth@nhs.net

Complete our online referral form.

We take referrals directly from young people. You will receive a confirmation email that your referral has been submitted. If you don’t get an email within a few minutes, check your junk folder in case it has gone there.