Parent and carer
counselling service
A free confidential counselling service for all
parents and carers of children in Camden schools
and children’s centres
Parent and carer counselling service
Being a parent or carer is a uniquely demanding and important task. Most
parents and carers have times when they are troubled by personal or family
problems. Counselling sessions are a private space to talk and think about
worries and move towards finding solutions.
The parent and carer counselling service offers 12 counselling sessions
which take place in a confidential room in your child’s school or children’s
centre. A counsellor from the service comes into the school to meet with you
there, or you can have counselling sessions at our council office. The service
is free.
What is counselling?
Life is complicated and it can sometimes feel like an uphill struggle. We may
turn to friends and family to support us, but sometimes we need more than this.
That’s when it may help to talk to a counsellor.
Your counsellor will listen to you and help you untangle your feelings and
thoughts. Some people say counselling helps because they can talk about
anything they want in a safe and non-judgemental environment. When people
talk with their counsellor over time about the things that feel overwhelming they
often find things feel more manageable.
Each counselling session lasts 50 minutes and sessions take place once a
week during the school term in a private room during school hours. Regular
attendance is important to get the most out of counselling.
Who uses the parent and carer counselling service?
Mothers, fathers, foster carers and other carers of children in Camden
schools and children’s centres use the service.
Who will I see?
Counsellors are carefully selected for their experience and they are
professionally managed and supervised. All of our counsellors work within
the code of ethics and practice set out by the British Association for
Counselling and Psychotherapy. Counsellors are trained to listen without
judging. They can help you sort out your thoughts and feelings about what is
worrying you.
Who will be told about what I say in the sessions?
Our counsellors are not part of the school and are separate from the school’s
counselling service. What is discussed during counselling sessions isn’t
shared with school staff or other agencies. However, if your counsellor thinks
that you or someone else may be at risk or in danger there may be a need
to get help from others to keep you safe. If this happens your counsellor will
talk with you about this.
The school receptionist and headteacher or link person in the school will
know that you’re seeing a counsellor but we won’t tell them any other details.
What happens next?
Within two weeks of receiving your application form for counselling we will
contact you by telephone to find out when you can meet for counselling
sessions.
Application form for counselling
Name of parent or carer:
Date form completed:
Telephone numbers:
Email address:
Home address:
Where you heard about the counselling service (e.g.
I picked up a leaflet in school):
Child’s school or children’s centre:
Link contact in school or children’s centre:
Days and times you are available for counselling sessions:
Please use this space to tell us about the main issues you’d like to
discuss with your counsellor:
The service has male and female counsellors. You will be allocated
to a male or female counsellor with a current vacancy. Please state
only if you have a particularly strong preference for a male or female
counsellor:
PLEASE TURN OVER
!
!
!
!
Please tick your ethnic group below (this information is requested
to ensure we are working within our equal opportunities policy):
White:
White British
White Irish
Any other white
background (please
specify):
Mixed:
White and black Caribbean
White and black African
White and Asian
Any other mixed background
(please specify):
Asian or Asian British:
Indian
Pakistani
Bangladeshi
Any other Asian
background (please
specify):
Black or black British:
Caribbean
Somali
Any other black African
background (please specify):
Any other black background
(please specify):
Chinese or other
ethnic group:
Chinese
Any other group (please
specify):
Do you consider yourself
to have a disability?
Yes
No
If you would like to have this leaflet or application form in another
language, large print or Braille, please call 020 7974 6649.
Post to: PCCS co-ordinator
Special Education and Inclusive
Intervention Service
Early Intervention and Prevention
Supporting People
Postal address only:
Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE
Application form for counselling continued...
Or email:
pccs@camden.gov.uk
Website: Fill in
this form online at
camden.gov.uk/eps
!
!
!
!
The kind of things you might talk about
You can use your counselling sessions to talk about whatever is on your
mind: problems, decisions, worries or changes in any area of your life.
Talking about your worries and problems can be the start of sorting them out.
Creative Services 2018. 1472.5 Tel. 020 7974 1985
How do I arrange to start seeing a counsellor?
By completing the application form in this leaflet
(either on your own or with a member of staff) and sending it to:
PCCS co-ordinator
Special Education and Inclusive Intervention Service
Early Intervention and Prevention
Supporting People
(Postal address only:)
Camden Town Hall
Judd Street
London WC1H 9JE
You can also fill this form in online at camden.gov.uk/eps or contact
us by telephone on 020 7974 6500 or email pccs@camden.gov.uk