Weekdays in School
Students can self-refer to our counselling services by asking their Head of House or a Designated Safeguarding Lead. Alternatively, parents/carers can contact school and ask for a referral. We must have parental consent for all referrals.
We have three options on-site. Pupils will be assigned to a waiting list, initially and there are fortnightly triage meetings where we allocate students when there is availability.
Counselling in school can support the following: low mood and depression, worry and anxiety, controlling anger and emotions, bereavement and loss; bullying; self-harming behaviours; healthy relationships; family difficulties; building self-esteem; developing resilience.
Counselling in school occurs in confidential, dedicated rooms and students are notified of their appointment times in advance.
We have several strong support mechanisms in school, including:
- Bishop Chadwick Catholic Education Trust Counsellors (Diane and Laura): our own internal counsellors who provide counselling on a one-to-one basis to offer emotional support and work with the specific needs of each individual. Monday
- The Healthy Minds Team (Aaron and Niamh): a confidential NHS service for young people to improve mental health outcomes. Tuesday and Thursday
- The Road Centre (Marilyn): an established, professional counselling service in school providing a bespoke service to meet the needs of each individual. Wednesday and Thursday
- Peer Support Mentors: trained, older students who are able to support and mentor students and build resilience. Our Peer Support Mentors can enhance emotional well-being and help students to succeed. Available when required
Weekdays out of School
We can also offer specific emotional and mental well-being support to students remotely (online) through a video call at home with the Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families if students prefer not to meet in person or during the school day. These sessions occur 6-8 times and are 45 minutes long – an opportunity to talk with a practitioner who can support you and offer guided self-help strategies to help you work towards your goals. The Anna Freud Centre usually requires one short meeting online with a parent/carer before the counselling sessions begin.
Weekends and Holidays: Kooth
The Kooth website allows young people to gain anonymous access to advice, support and guidance on any issue that is affecting their wellbeing. From friendship or relationship issues, family disagreements or difficult home lives, to concerns around eating, anxiety, stress, depression, self- harm, suicide.
Our qualified counsellors are here to provide young people with the support they need, when they need it. Kooth.com’s live chat service is available from Monday to Friday 12 noon – 10pm, Saturdays and Sundays 6pm – 10pm and is accessible through mobile, tablet and desktop, completely free of charge.
As well as being able to talk to our counsellors, at Kooth young people can also connect with other young people in monitored forums or access self-help materials through our online magazine. The large variety of forum categories allows young people to anonymously share their issues and receive positive messages of advice and support from young people across the country. As our forum posts are all checked before they go live on the site, we can guarantee every young person a safe and helpful experience.
Staff Supervision
Members of the Pastoral Team and our Designated Safeguarding Leads meet with a skilled counselling supervisor, Oonagh, from The Road Centre once per half term for supervision. Supervision ensures work with young people is effective, safe and follows procedures.