Child & Youth Counselling Service
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The award winning Child & Youth Counselling Service provides free and confidential counselling to young people who live and/or work in Bridgend and who are aged between 4-25 years.
What is Counselling?
Counselling is talking about problems or issues that are bothering or upsetting a young person. You can compare it to looking in a mirror – it allows a person to see themselves and their lives more clearly. What is talked about depends on the individual and include:-
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Self-esteem and self harm |
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Problems with partners, friends, families and/ or teachers |
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Bereavement |
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Bullying and depression |
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Abuse |
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Suicidal thoughts |
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Drug and alcohol problems |
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Sex and sexuality |
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Anxiety and stress |
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Crisis and trauma |
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Eating disorders |
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Health and development concerns |
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Life direction, choices and changes |
What will happen in the counselling session?
The counsellor will listen to a young person's view, experiences and feelings without passing judgement in an atmosphere of respect, honesty and empathy, allowing the opportunity for the young person to understand their own problems and increase their self awareness. Counsellors employ a wider range of therapeutic techniques to engage younger children. A typical session can last up to 50 minutes and is voluntary on the part of the young person. The counselling provided is free of charge and there are usually no limits on the number of sessions a young person can access. Attendance can stop at anytime.
Can anybody find out what is discussed?:-
Confidentiality is an essential part of counselling - it means that whatever is discussed at a counselling session stays strictly between the counsellor and young person unless there is a risk of significant harm to the young person from others or from themselves, in which case some information may have to be passed on to other people so that more protection, help or support can be given. The counsellor will always try to discuss any referral needing to be made with the young person first and only specific information that needs to be shared will be passed onto the relevant people within other organisations.
Where and how can I get counselling?:-
There are a team of counsellors available in the following areas within BCBC:-
Schools Counselling Service - This service is available to children & young people currently in education aged 4-18 years who are currently attending BCBC schools.
Appointments & referrals - Referrals can be made by any interested party and include young people themselves, parents and other family members, school staff, social workers, GP’s, youth workers and other health and welfare professionals. Appointments can be made through child protection teachers, heads of year and other schools pastoral staff. A pupil will be excused from a lesson in order to attend the counselling session in school.
Download a primary referral form here
Community Counselling Service - This service is available to young people aged 14-25 who are currently living and/or working in BCBC. The service is also available to young people 4-16 who are not currently attending full-time education in BCBC.
Counsellors are available in selected venues across Bridgend County Borough. There are usually day and evening appointments available according to venue, availability and location as and when required.
Frequently asked questions about counselling are:-
If I have counselling, does this mean that there is something wrong with me – am I mad or stupid?
Just because you have things happening in your life, either within yourself or through external events, doesn’t mean that you are mad or stupid. It just means that it may help you to talk things though with someone that is independent and who gives you time once a week so that you can discuss whatever is on your mind. The counsellor is not meeting you to judge or tell you what you should be doing – they are simply there to help you work through what is bothering you and to help you build up a ‘toolkit’ which you can use when you need it, for now and for the future. This could include ideas of how to communicate better with parents and teachers, some practical things you can do if you are feeling down and how to help you help yourself in making and sustaining changes in your life.
Many people around me say that I should go to counselling – I don’t really want to go and I don’t know what it involves. What should I do?
If friends, parents and/or teachers think that it might help you to see a counsellor then perhaps they can see that you might be upset, bothered and anxious on times and that you need time and space to work through these issues. Obviously no-one can make you go to see a counsellor and talk to them. Counselling generally means talking about personal stuff that is bothering you and if you don’t want to do it then that wish must be respected. However, you might want to consider trying out one session with a counsellor to see what you make of it. You can then make up your own mind if you feel comfortable with the counsellor and whether you think having a weekly session might be of use to you. You can take some time to make this decision and let the counsellor know at a later date if this suits you.
What will the counsellor be like and how long will I need to see them for? How will I know when my problems are sorted?
All counsellors are qualified in counselling and are experienced in working with children & young people and the issues that they may be facing in their lives. Each counsellor is a different person and may work in slightly different ways but you should always feel that you are being listened to, that your counsellor understands how you feel and doesn’t judge you but one who will be honest with you when it is needed and will help you find ways to feel good about yourself. You can choose to go for as long as you feel it suits you or if you feel that you have resolved some issues in your life and no longer need the time. Remember, the counselling service is always open to children & young people who wish to return to see a counsellor, as long as you are still within 4-25 years age range and still live/work in BCBC.
The Child & Youth Counselling Service wishes to acknowledge the financial support that it receives from various organisations which allow it to carry on its activities. This includes:
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Welsh Assembly Government |
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BCBC |
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Bridgend Schools |
BACP Award
The BCBC Child and Youth Counselling Project recently won an Excellence in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice award from the British Association of Counsellors and Psychotherapists (BACP). This is a UK-wide award and therefore serves to underline the high quality of therapeutic support available to the children and young people of Bridgend via the project.
Please contact:-
Julie Armytage – Child & Youth Counselling Manager
Tel: 01656 754920
Email: julie.armytage@bridgend.gov.uk
- Last Updated: 14/12/2011
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