Child Mental Health Support FAQs

---

Our current fees for mental health services 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, part of our parent support services. 

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, particularly when providing therapy for children. The fee reflects much more than the time spent together during the appointment; it also contributes towards essential aspects of mental health services, such as: planning and reviewing therapeutic work, maintaining appropriate records, safeguarding responsibilities, professional supervision, ongoing training and specialist development, insurance, professional memberships, and administrative costs, as well as communication with parents, carers, or other professionals where appropriate.

This work demands that practitioners remain emotionally and professionally available to each child or young person. For this 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, individualized parent support services.

Reduced-cost mental health services 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 therapy sessions are currently available to adults only and may not be suitable for every presenting need, including those who might benefit from parent support services or therapy for children. 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. These mental health services can be tailored to best support each individual. 

Online therapy can be particularly beneficial for children and young people who feel safer and more comfortable in their own environment. This approach to therapy for children also helps make specialist support accessible to families who do not live locally. Furthermore, online communication can also occur via text or email, if appropriate, enhancing parent support services.

We will gather some initial information about the person seeking support, their current difficulties, and what they hope may change, particularly in relation to mental health services. 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, including parent support services.  

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, especially in therapy for children.

Many of the children and young people we support through our mental health services have previously found direct questioning or conventional talking therapy difficult. To enhance engagement, we may use play, creativity, shared interests, video games, or other child-led approaches. This allows us to provide effective therapy for children while developing the relationship at the child or young person’s pace, without pressuring them to disclose or discuss feelings before they are ready. Our parent support services are also available to help families navigate these challenges.

There is no single answer because every person and situation is different. Some individuals benefit from mental health services that offer a short period of focused support, while others may require more extended therapy for children to build trust and safely navigate complex difficulties. Progress is reviewed regularly, and we will discuss the ongoing need for parent support services and therapy with you.

Yes. Parent and carer involvement in mental health services will depend on the child or young person’s age, needs, preferences, and the type of therapy for children being offered. We recognise that parents and carers often hold important information and may also need support through parent support services in understanding their child’s needs. At the same time, children and young people require 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 recognize that a familiar animal can help a child or young person feel safer, regulate, and engage with therapy for children. 

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. As part of our mental health services and parent support services, we want to ensure a positive experience for all. 

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

Availability of our mental health services varies between practitioners. To ensure the quality and safety of our work, we limit caseloads, which may occasionally lead to a wait for a suitable appointment, especially for therapy for children and parent support services. We commit to being transparent about our current availability and will not take on more clients than we can adequately support.

Please contact us with your child’s age, a brief description of their needs, and whether you are seeking online or in-person sessions for our mental health services. We will discuss the most appropriate therapy for children and let you know about availability and costs before you make any commitment. For parents and carers, we offer low-cost parent support services, and you can easily book your counselling appointments online.