FAQ - Parents and Guardians

Alongside this page, which is specific to parents and guardians of younger clients, please also see the main FAQpage, which contains general information that’s relevant to clients of all ages.

  • If your child is aged 16 or over, they have the legal right to receive counselling without your knowledge or consent.

 

  • If your child is under 16, they usually need to have the consent of their legal guardian. However, it is possible for children under 16 to have counselling without the knowledge or consent of their legal guardian if they are deemed to be ‘Gillick competent’. Gillick competence is a measure of a young person’s maturity and their understanding of the decision they’re about to make, along with any potential consequences of that decision. https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/child-protection-system/gillick-competence-fraser-guidelines#heading-top

 

  • If a child under 16 wants to have counselling without the consent of their parents / carers, I will discuss this with them before counselling begins. I will always seek to act in the best interests of the child and, in the majority of cases, I would encourage them to talk to you about their mental health and seek your consent for any therapy. However, if your child wants to go ahead without your consent, I will make a professional assessment of their Gillick competence and proceed accordingly.
  • As a rule, no. Not only is counselling confidential, but children will often hold back if they fear they might upset a parent or carer. Counselling is most effective when it is just the client and the counsellor in the room.

 

  • For younger and particularly anxious children or young people, it may be possible for a parent or carer to sit in on the first few minutes of the first session, to settle and reassure them This is something I’m happy to discuss.

 

  • There is opportunity in the first session to have an open discussion together on what we all might expect and to ask questions
  • Counselling sessions are confidential. I follow a strict code of ethics and cannot disclose anything discussed during counselling sessions. Your child is free to discuss their counselling sessions with you if they wish, but I would encourage you to respect their privacy if they don’t . There is the possibility of review sessions with a parent or carer if the young person is in favour of this, this is generally something I will raise and discuss with them as support and understanding of parents and/or family can be helpful and sometimes key to a young person’s wellbeing. With younger clients 4-10 years I would anticipate a greater level of more regular communication.

 

  • As a parent myself, I understand the desire of parents and carers to be involved in their children’s lives – to support them on their mental health journeys, and I understand how frustrating it is to be kept in the dark. I always strive to support healthy family relationships to the best of my ability and ask that you trust me to act in the best interests of your child. I always encourage children to talk to their parents or carers to the extent they feel able to.
  • I would encourage you to talk to your child about their experience of counselling. Even if they don’t want to discuss specifics, they may well be able to tell you whether they’re benefiting from therapy or not.

 

  • And please be assured that I practice with integrity: if I feel a child isn’t benefiting from my approach, I will explore this with them; I’ll ask if they want to continue, stop, or possibly try a different counsellor.
  • Counselling is most effective with clients who really want to make progress, are willing to talk openly and honestly and are willing to make changes. Encouraging your child to engage fully with the process and to be honest about their feelings will help them get the most of out of their counselling journey. Your support and facilitation also go a long way to encourage their progress – be it through finances, transportation to sessions or just making it clear you are available to talk things through or consider changes if required.

 

  • I will usually meet with the young client and a parent/carer for the first portion of an initial session to explain what is expected so we all understand and can have questions asked and answered.
  • I am committed to providing a safe environment for my counselling practice, and recognise the particular welfare and safeguarding needs of children and young people under the age of eighteen.

 

  • I hold a current Enhanced DBS certificate, have a safeguarding policy and attend regular safeguarding training.

 

  • There are some exceptional circumstances when I am duty-bound to break client confidentiality. These will be discussed in detail during the first session; they are also delineated in Heartseed’s GDPR policyand Client Contract. If your child or someone else is at risk of serious harm, I will break confidentiality in order to protect them.
  • Possibly.
  • Some of my young clients’ sessions are paid for by their parents’ private medical insurance. However, it will depend on your insurance provider and the specific policy you (or your employer) have with them.
  • You will need to contact your insurance company directly and ask the question; I am not able to contact them on your behalf. When you get in touch, they will probably ask about my qualifications and professional memberships. I have an MA in Counselling (Level 7) and I am a member of the ACC and an accredited member of the BACP reg 00924721 I am on the Healthcode PPR which covers a number of medical insurance companies.

 

  • Please note that payment for counselling sessions remains the responsibility of the parent / carer. If, for any reason, the insurance company doesn’t pay for a session, it is the responsibility of the parent(s) / carer(s) to pay.  This includes payment for sessions missed or cancelled at short notice, which may not be covered by insurance.

 

  • I can e-mail invoices to you to forward to your insurance company, or I can e-mail the company directly if they offer that facility: I do make an additional charge depending on the time and cost of this to me.
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