For professionals
If you are a professional working with a young person who would benefit from our services, please complete the referral form.
Action for Children has partnered with Inverclyde Education Department and the Health and Social Care Partnership to create a wellbeing service for children and young people aged 5 to 18 who live in the Inverclyde postcode areas.
To refer children and young people to our service:
- Download the referral form
- Fill in the form
- Email the complete form to: [email protected]
We support children and young people experiencing mild to moderate mental health difficulties that are causing distress and impacting their daily lives.
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.
Examples of the difficulties we can help with include, but are not limited to, anxious thoughts and feelings, mild depression, distress, phobias, mild self-harm, mild obsessive-compulsive behaviours, 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.
All requests for access to counselling require a referral form to be completed and submitted, to comply with Action for Children’s Safeguarding Policy.
- Always gain the young person’s consent when submitting a referral, as the young person may wish to access their referral information.
- Where possible, complete the referral with the young person.
- If the young person is deemed by the referrer to have the capacity to make an informed decision to enter into counselling, then parents or guardians do not need to be informed of the referral. The young person’s consent must be gained before sharing this information with parents or guardians*.
- If the reason for referral relates to a young person’s concerns about home/carers/family and the referrer has already assessed that the young person has the 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. Please contact the Wellbeing Service before making the referral if you wish to discuss for clarity.
- If the referral is missing information, a counsellor will discuss this with the referrer and be available to answer any questions before a referral is submitted.
- If the above is not possible, ensure the information is factual, objective, and accurate, as this information may be shared with the young person.
- If you have any questions prior to submitting a referral, please contact staff to discuss, as they are happy to assist.
*The rights of young people’s ability to make an informed decision about entering into a counselling agreement are protected under the Age of Legal Capacity (Scotland) Act 1991. In cases where the parents request the referral, it is still important to gain the young person’s permission to share the information with them.
Our service is provided by teams of specialist staff governed by robust clinical management. Staff will provide a range of direct, preventative and digital evidence-based solutions, which will be delivered with the aim to:
- Increase understanding of emotional health needs
- Ensure active participation
- Establish a platform for children and young people to support themselves and maintain good Emotional Health and Wellbeing
- Build positive emotional health and resilience in coping skills
- Reduce referrals to specialist services