Counselling Children & Young People

6 Day Foundation Programme

Trainer

Sarah Barker is an MBACP registered counsellor working with children and young people within school settings and other services. She is also the Children’s Services Manager at The Counselling & Family Centre and has over 20 years’ experience working in Human Resources.

Delivery

This course is combines the learning of theory and practice through a mix of direct teaching delivery, group discussions and experiential exercises such as role play / skill practice sessions. The whole course for 2021 is now in September and is delivered entirely face-to-face.

Pre Requisite

Recognised Counselling Qualification

Course Details

The course content outline is presented below. Please note the day structure/content may vary slightly depending on needs of attendees and flow of the days

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Day 1

Understanding the differences in CYP work to adult work and child development theory

Aims

Understand the differences in children’s work to adults work
Explore the differences in working with young children and adolescents
Know the competencies required in counselling children and young people
Understand the history of child development

Topic

BACP competency framework for working with Children and Young People
Historical context and development of theoretical approaches

Day 2

Attachment theory, assessments and introduction to creative media

Aims

To understand attachment styles
To reflect on own self and attachment
To understand how to work with attachment when working with CYP clients
To understand a best practice approach to beginning the work and assessing the needs of the CYP client
To explore creative ways of working with CYP clients including online

Topic

Attachment theory
Self-reflection
Approach to assessment
Use of assessment tools
Creative media, the benefits and how to integrate into the therapy

Day 3

Approach to working with grieving and traumatised children and adolescents

Aims

To be able to use a specific model to work safely with traumatised and grieving children and young people
To understand and be able to apply the key principles and concepts of the model

Topic

Working safely
Non-language activities
Using trauma specific questions
Using curiosity
Use of reframing
Building resilience and the Circle of Courage

Day 4

Our adolescent selves, safeguarding/ ethical practice, common issues and working in an organisational context and skills practice 

Aims

Be able to connect with your inner adolescent self
Reflect on how your own experiences in childhood may impact your work with CYP clients
Be clear and confident in making appropriate safeguarding referrals
To have explored common presenting issues in CYP work
To understand how to work in schools
Be ready to hold counselling sessions with CYP clients

Topic

Group reflections on adolescence
Self-reflection
Safeguarding and ethical practice
Common presenting themes e.g. anger, anxiety, low self-esteem, bullying, eating disorders, identity, trauma / abuse
Counselling in schools
Skills practice

Day 5

Creative approaches to use when working with children and young people

Aims

To be able to use creative techniques in CYP work

Topic

Drawing & Talking
Mood Board
Working creatively online

Day 6

Creative approaches to use when working with children and young people

Aims

To be able to use creative techniques in CYP work

Topic

Sand Tray Therapy
Use of Miniatures