Primarily, we work with schools, but we understand that parents may want to know more about what we do, and so this page is intended to give parents more information and links to other sites which they might find useful.
Your queries answered
Do you tell anyone else about what they say to you? Do you tell their doctor?
Counselling is a safe environment
Counsellors make it clear to the children and young people they meet that counselling is a safe environment in which to talk about their feelings and experiences. If they are primary-aged children, the counsellor will already have received parental consent and, with their permission, will intend to include parents and teachers in the plans that are made.
If a young child tells us anything which is a danger to them or anyone else, it is be explained that we have to tell someone else to make sure they are safe. This can be their doctor or someone else who may be able to help. We always tell the child if this is going to happen, which is not very often.
Anything else in the counselling session is between the child and the counsellor. With secondary students who are deemed to be Fraser Competent, we do not require parental consent. But the same rule applies regarding any disclosure of information which endangers the young person or another child. Again, anything else is between the counsellor and the young person and, as such, is therefore confidential.
Can a child come back to see the counsellor again?
How the sessions work
Counsellors usually spend between one and eight sessions lasting 40/50 minutes with a child or young person.
It may be that they only want to come for two or three sessions and that is fine.
It may be that after their eight sessions, or even some time later, that they need to come and see the counsellor again, and that is fine, too. The counsellor talks to them and school staff when this is needed.
How long does it take to get started?
Setting up appointments at school
Counsellors in your school will have an appointment system where they prioritise children and young people who have been referred to them, or, in secondary schools, where they have referred themselves.
We are not an emergency service but we will try and see children as soon as possible, especially if the Link Person in school has highlighted there is a particular urgency.
Once an appointment is made, the child will have regular (usually 8 weekly) sessions, or until the counselling is complete.