Mental health in young people and children is increasing with parents and carers bearing the weight of the pressure as children’s mental health services struggle to keep up with demand. It can be increasingly difficult to access the appropriate support when its needed most as services, schools, colleges and universities find their budgets being cut or the mental health services being stretched from demand.
This leaves parents and carers frustrated and struggling to get advice and guidance with the option of being on a waiting list and watching the young person deteriorate in front of us or paying privately for support. If you decide to pay privately then again the difficulty begins with finding someone who is suitable trained and is effective in the treatment they offer.
I would recommend looking on children’s mental health counselling associations website such as the BACP where they list the trained counsellors in your areas and then contacting at least two or three to discuss their experience, fees and availability with them. I would also encourage you to ask to meet with them in a free initial consultation so that your son or daughter can meet them and you can discuss how they are going to support them.
If the fees for private therapy are difficult then look and see if there are any charity or community interest companies that offer counselling at reduced rates in your area.
We always offer a free initial consultation with our therapists to enable you to ask questions and find out all the information you need to make a decision about the therapy and if it is right for your son or daughter.
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