Frequently Asked Questions

---

Our current fees are:

• Sessions with a trainee practitioner: from £10
  Available to adults aged 18 and over only.
• Therapy for children and young people with a qualified professional: £75 per session
  Available online or in person.

We will always confirm the fee before any sessions are arranged.

Supporting children and young people with complex emotional, developmental or neurodivergent needs requires specialist knowledge, experience and careful preparation.

The fee reflects much more than the time spent together during the appointment. It also contributes towards:

• Planning and reviewing therapeutic work
• Maintaining appropriate records
• Safeguarding responsibilities
• Professional supervision
• Ongoing training and specialist development
• Insurance, professional memberships and administrative costs
• Communication with parents, carers or other professionals where appropriate

This work requires practitioners to remain emotionally and professionally available to each child or young person. For that reason, we deliberately limit the number of clients each practitioner works with. A manageable caseload enables us to think carefully about every client, prepare properly and provide consistent, individualised support.

Reduced-cost sessions help trainee practitioners develop their experience while making support more accessible.

Trainees work within the boundaries of their training and receive regular professional supervision. These sessions are currently available to adults only and may not be suitable for every presenting need.

We will consider whether the service is appropriate before offering a placement. If we believe that you require a qualified or more experienced practitioner, we will explain this honestly.

 Yes. Sessions with qualified professionals may be offered online or in person, depending on the practitioner, the client’s needs and current availability.

Online therapy can be particularly helpful for children and young people who feel safer and more comfortable in their own environment. It can also make specialist support accessible to families who do not live locally. Online can also mean via text or email, if appropriate.

We will gather some initial information about the person seeking support, their current difficulties and what they hope may change.

This helps us consider:

• Whether our service is suitable
• Which practitioner may be the best match
• Whether online or in-person work is most appropriate
• Whether any adjustments may be needed
• Whether another service would be better placed to help

We do not expect children or young people to arrive ready to talk openly. Building trust and creating a sense of safety are important parts of the therapeutic process.

Many of the children and young people we support have previously found direct questioning or conventional talking therapy difficult.

We may use play, creativity, shared interests, video games or other child-led approaches to support engagement. The relationship develops at the child or young person’s pace, without pressuring them to disclose or discuss feelings before they are ready.

There is no single answer because every person and situation is different.

Some people benefit from a short period of focused support, while others need longer to build trust and work safely through more complex difficulties. Progress is reviewed regularly, and we will discuss the ongoing need for therapy with you.

Yes. Parent and carer involvement will depend on the child or young person’s age, needs, preferences and the type of therapeutic work being offered.

We recognise that parents and carers often hold important information and may also need support in understanding their child’s needs. At the same time, children and young people need an appropriate level of privacy for therapy to feel safe and meaningful.

Confidentiality and its limits will be explained clearly before therapy begins.

Where possible, yes. We recognise that a familiar animal can help a child or young person feel safer, regulate and engage with therapy.

Please discuss this with us before attending so that we can consider the animal’s needs, the suitability of the therapy space and the safety and comfort of everyone using the premises.

If bringing the animal is not possible, we can explore other ways to help your child feel safe and supported during their session.

Availability varies between practitioners. Because we limit caseloads to protect the quality and safety of our work, there may sometimes be a wait for a suitable appointment.

We will be honest about current availability and will not take on more clients than we can support properly.

Please contact us with your child’s age, a brief description of their needs and whether you are looking for online or in-person sessions.

We will discuss the most appropriate option and let you know about availability and costs before you make any commitment.

For Parents/Carers low-cost counselling appointments please book online.