Child in Mind
"If the rainbow is in the clouds, then in the worst of times,
there is the possibility of hope"
Maya Angelou
School-Based Therapy Service
Child in Mind has been operating a school-based therapy service throughout the North West for over ten years. Schools are frequently struggling to cope with increasing numbers of children suffering with social, emotional and mental health problems. We know from experience that teachers are often the first professionals to identify these difficulties in the children in their class. For some children, without specialist therapeutic intervention, the level of distress they are experiencing can mean their behaviour begins to deteriorate, at times to unmanageable levels. With CAMH services overstretched, schools are often left with no option but to support these children alone. Our school-based therapy service is able to respond quickly to the emotional needs of children, supporting them as they work through inner turmoils and difficult life experiences, enabling them to access learning again.
What our school-based therapy service can offer to your school
One-to-one Therapy
Weekly therapy for children in need of individual therapeutic support. This is tailored specifically to the age-range of the children and young people in your school. In primary schools a play therapy approach will be adopted, whereas in high school, as young people are more able to talk about their problems, a combination of creative and talking therapies is usually more appropriate.
Space to Talk
Our popular drop-in support session. This is perfect for children who don't necessarily need counselling but do need to talk about a particular problem they may be having at the time. Quite often the opportunity to talk things through in this way is enough, although sometimes it can highlight a need for further individual counselling support.
Group work
Weekly group support for children who share a similar problem. It can be helpful for children and young people to know they are not the only one struggling with a particular problem. These groups are kept intentionally small to facilitate a confidence in sharing with others in a supported space.
Parent support
Our belief in a systems approach to child mental health informs our work with parents. Our therapists will endeavour to form positive relationships with the parents of children we are working with in your school. Advice and support around parenting as well as signposting, where needed, to other services forms part of this work.
Staff support
We know that the pressure of teaching in today's society, and the requirement to wear a multitude of different hats, can begin to take its toll on wellbeing. That's why we also offer space for your staff to seek support and talk through some of the difficulties they may be experiencing.
SLT support
Off-site support and supervision for Senior Leaders has been a crucial element of the services we provide to schools, and one that is valued highly on all feedback. You have let us know that the space to stop, think, and reflect on the many difficult decisions facing you on a daily basis has enabled you to remain balanced in your role and in your own wellbeing.
Training
The development and nurturance of a whole school approach to positive mental health for both staff and pupils takes time to embed. We are there to support you with the delivery of bespoke training at the right time for the right staff as we move throughout the academic year.
Consultancy
Our mental health consultancy service for schools is useful in identifying the social, emotional and mental health needs of individual pupils. We can help teachers and support staff think about the behaviour the child is displaying, deepen their understanding of what the behaviour might be communicating, and reflect on what might be useful in the classroom to enable the child to become better regulated and more able to access learning.
