Cost: £300
All students registering for this course should read our course cancellation policy.

Who is this course for?
This course is for:
* Trainee counsellors on adult-focused, counselling/psychotherapy core training courses who wish to undertake some of their practice hours in a placement working with young people
* Counsellors already qualified to work with adults who want to extend their scope of practice to counselling young people and work towards a formal award in Counselling Young People.

Course Aims:
Upon successful completion of the Introduction to Counselling Young People, participants will be able to:
* Demonstrate knowledge of ethical and professional principles and guidelines that underpin the content of the Introduction to Counselling Young People
* Evidence the ability to identify and critically appraise ethical conflicts in relation to confidentiality, information sharing, capacity and consent
* Demonstrate an understanding of how to identify and respond appropriately to child protection and safeguarding concerns
* Demonstrate an understanding of child and adolescent development and transitions and the impact on the client, their presentation in counselling and any implications for therapeutic work
* Evidence knowledge of the different ways young people communicate and express themselves depending on their age and developmental stage
* Demonstrate the skills required to communicate with, and engage clients of different ages and developmental stages
* Demonstrate the skills required to be able to contract, establish and agree therapeutic focus/goals for counselling with young people, and how to bring the work to a close
* Evidence the ability to identify and assess potential risk, and know how to act if a young person is at risk
* Demonstrate an understanding of how mental health difficulties can emerge and present in young people
* Demonstrate an awareness of own limits of competence, and knowledge of how and when to make an onward referral
* Evidence the ability to critically appraise the impact that different organisational contexts can have on young people’s counselling services and know how to manage any ethical tensions
* Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of working collaboratively with other professionals
* Evidence self-awareness in relation to the content of the Introduction to Counselling Young People and a readiness to begin practice with young people

Course Dates/Times:
*Unit 1: 30th and 31st January 2021
* Unit 2: 26th and 27th February 2021

Each training day starts at 930am and ends at 500pm.
There will be morning, lunch and afternoon breaks during each training day.

Course Content:
Unit 1:
* Child and adolescent development and transitions
* Communication with young people
* Mental health and young people
* Risk assessments

Unit 2:
* Working within the context of the counselling setting
* Beginnings and endings with young people
* Child protection and safeguarding
* Ethical and professional practice

The course content is based upon BACP’s Counselling Young People (4–18 years) Training Curriculum.  It can be accessed at: https://www.bacp.co.uk/media/8878/bacp-counselling-young-people-training-curriculum-jun20.pdf

Course Philosophy:
The humanistic course philosophy will be based upon the therapeutic relationship between the child/young person and the practitioner.

Course Teaching:
Each training day will consist of teaching using case studies, creative exercises, large group discussion, theoretical input, skills practice, work in pairs and experiential learning.

Training Hours:
This course counts as 24 training hours. Please consult your own professional body regarding their continuing professional development (CPD) criteria.

Entry Requirements:
*Minimum of diploma level 4 counselling/psychotherapy qualification or equivalent, to include a minimum of 100 hours supervised counselling/psychotherapy practice in line with recognised practitioner training,
* Or currently studying for a counselling/psychotherapy qualification, and has completed a substantial number of counselling practice hours with individual adults and has been assessed as suitable for working with young people

Course Application:
* Completion of Application Form, Equality & Diversity Form, and 2 Satisfactory References
* Payment of Course Fees

2021 Intro CYP Reference Form

2021 Intro CYP Equality & Diversity Form

2021 Intro CYP Application Form

Course Requirements:
1. Attendance at both units (If you are not able to both units, you may be asked to complete an additional assignment to make up for missed training hours. This will be discussed and agreed with the course facilitator.)
2. Completion of course assessment
3. Payment of course fees

Course Assessment:
* Essay: 2000 word self reflection about counselling young people to consider the following areas:

1. Child Protection and Safeguarding

2. Ethical and Professional Practice

3. Risk Assessment
* Skills Practice session: feedback from course facilitator
* Individual Tutorial: Discussion with course facilitator regarding student’s readiness to work with children and young people clients

Course Facilitator:
John Bradley

John is a person centred counsellor, supervisor and trainer. He is a BACP Senior Accredited Counsellor/Psychotherapist (Children and Young People) and a BACP Senior Accredited Supervisor (Individuals). John has a Diploma in Person Centred Counselling and a Diploma in Adolescent and School Counselling.  He also has Certificates in Counselling Supervision, Therapeutic Play and Group Facilitation. John has worked as a counsellor with children and young people (aged 10 to 25) for over 15 years with local authority counselling projects in East Yorkshire and Hull, and also for Lincoln University’s Counselling Service (offering counselling to students aged 18 years upwards). For 9 years John offered basic listening skills training to gap year young people (aged 16 to 19) in a retreat centre in Kent. For the last 7 years, John has worked as a counsellor with children, young people and adults (clients aged 7 upwards), supervisor and trainer in private practice based at the Ellesmere Centre. John also offers counselling in two secondary schools in Hull.