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Certificate in Counselling Children and Young People

This course is a six day, introductory training for trainee and qualified counsellors who are preparing to go into placement with clients aged 4-18. It will be held online over three weekends.

The course is designed to be an enjoyable first step into working with children and young people, with students assessed on an ongoing basis and at the conclusion of the course via a short presentation.

Course content

The course includes both experiential learning and didactic teaching. There will be practical elements, group work, and opportunities for reflection and discussion, providing opportunities for the development of skills, learning of new information, and increasing of insight and awareness.

The Certificate in Counselling Children and Young People includes opportunities to gain basic play and creative interventions to support engagement and effective working with children and young people; it aligns with the BACP’s Stage 1 curriculum for children and young people which includes:

Ethical and professional practice
Child protection and safeguarding
Child and adolescent development and transition
Communication with children and/or young people
Beginnings and endings with children and/or young people
Risk assessments
Mental health and children and/or young people
Working within the context of the counselling setting

The BACP state:

‘The first stage of the training curriculum gives counsellors the basic skills and competences to begin working with children and/or young people.’

‘All students must successfully complete Stage 1 of the training curriculum before beginning work with children and/or young people in placement.’

‘A great overview/introduction to working with children and adolescents. Claire provided a wealth of experience and created a warm and safe learning environment. I loved it!’ – Jen, Course Participant November 2024

Training hours: 30 hours across 3 weekends. Live and interactive via Zoom. Sessions will not be recorded.

Participant numbers: Spaces are limited to 12.

Pre-Course Requirements: Participants should be qualified or trainee Counsellors or Psychotherapists.

Missed Session: To meet the criteria of the course participants can only miss one session due to unavoidable circumstances. If a session is missed the participant will need to arrange a catch up over Zoom at the cost of £55 per session.

Recognition: A Link Centre Certificate will be presented.

Tutor: Claire Ward

Claire is a therapist, tutor and supervisor working with adults, children and young people. She completed her psychotherapy training at The Link Centre and did her under 18s core training at the specialist London institutes: Terapia and The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education; she added to this with further training at The Berne Institute. Claire works with a range of vulnerable children and young people in school and private practice, supporting difficulties experienced by children in the care system, with difference and disability, and those experiencing significant loss or trauma, for example. Claire has tutored at The Link Centre and in Kent, where she lives.

Image of Certificate in Counselling Children and Young People Tutor Claire Ward

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