For parents
If you are concerned about your child, we can offer a 1:1 counselling and in-school support.
Knowing how to support your child with their emotional wellbeing can be tough. Our trained practitioners are on hand to give advice when you need it.
Inverclyde Children and Young People’s Wellbeing Service supports all children and young people aged 5 to 18 through classroom-based groups and targeted one-on-one, person-centred counselling. Our goal is to help young people increase their resilience and manage their emotional health and wellbeing.
Our counselling service is open to children and young people who wish to self-refer. Parents and carers or education professionals can also support referrals, with the knowledge and consent of the child.
Important note
If the reason for referral relates to a young person’s concerns about home, carers or family and the referrer has already assessed that the young person has capacity to agree with the referral being made, then we do not have to inform parents or carers if that will cause further distress or concern to the young person.
Once we receive a referral, we will confirm its receipt. When a vacancy with a counsellor becomes available, we will conduct an assessment with the child or young person to ensure we can offer the right service for them.
We can offer up to eight sessions of counselling. If the sessions take place during the school day, we will work with each school to minimize any impact on timetables, ensuring that counselling sessions fit into the school week. The sessions remain confidential, unless the practitioner has safeguarding concerns.
Someone will get back to you within a week to discuss the support your child might need.
If you or your child is in urgent danger, please call 999.
Expand the box below to check if your young person is eligible for our service.
This service is designed for children and young people aged 5 to 18 years who live in the Inverclyde postcode areas. It is available to all six secondary schools, 20 primary schools, two additional support needs (ASN) schools, and two independent schools in Inverclyde. The service supports children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties that are causing distress and impacting their daily lives.
Examples of these difficulties include, but are not limited to, anxious thoughts and feelings, mild depression, distress, phobias, mild self-harm, mild obsessive-compulsive behaviors, and issues related to relational disconnection and trauma. This can encompass challenges such as transitions, bereavement and loss, friendship problems, self-esteem issues, loneliness, school pressures, and social and family concerns.
Children and young people should be suitable for short-term counselling support, as the service follows a model of eight weekly sessions. Additionally, they should not be receiving any other counselling support while accessing this service.
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Someone will get back to you within a week to discuss the support your child might need.