Children and Young People
Free support available for children and young people living in Derby and Derbyshire:
Relate is one of a range of organisations working together to offer support during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our Safespeak team are offering 1:1 therapeutic counselling to support children and young people between 5 and 18 with low to moderate mental health needs at this particularly difficult time. These free sessions can help children and young people who are experiencing depression, low mood, bereavement, stress, panic or anxiety and our aim is to help them cope better and prevent things escalating This free counselling is available until September 2020. There is currently no waiting list and we can help straight away. Please contact us directly 01332 349177 or info@safespeak.org.uk.
16 - 18 years through IAPT service
We work with Talking Mental Health Derbyshire to provide free counselling for young people dealing with anxiety or depression. This service is called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). Please contact your GP and ask them to refer you to us for our IAPT service. or contact us directly to find out more.
Relate is one of a range of organisations working together to offer support during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Our Safespeak team are offering 1:1 therapeutic counselling to support children and young people between 5 and 18 with low to moderate mental health needs at this particularly difficult time. These free sessions can help children and young people who are experiencing depression, low mood, bereavement, stress, panic or anxiety and our aim is to help them cope better and prevent things escalating This free counselling is available until September 2020. There is currently no waiting list and we can help straight away. Please contact us directly 01332 349177 or info@safespeak.org.uk.
16 - 18 years through IAPT service
We work with Talking Mental Health Derbyshire to provide free counselling for young people dealing with anxiety or depression. This service is called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). Please contact your GP and ask them to refer you to us for our IAPT service. or contact us directly to find out more.
At Relate Derby we have been running Safespeak for over 17 years, and we recognise the importance of the emotional health of children and young people and the impact on the whole family when a young person is struggling. We have been providing counselling and other emotional health services to thousands of young people in Derbyshire and East Staffordshire from our Relate offices and in secondary and primary schools. We offer a safe place for young people to talk about their thoughts and feelings in private without making them feel judged. This can make a positive difference to their lives.
We also work closely with other organisations that support children and young people to help deliver local support appropriate for your child’s needs. If we can’t help, we will our best to find another specialist service which can.
We also work closely with other organisations that support children and young people to help deliver local support appropriate for your child’s needs. If we can’t help, we will our best to find another specialist service which can.
At Safespeak we normally offer all counselling either face-to-face or through Skype or Zoom, LiveChat and email. However, during this Covid-19 lockdown, we are providing counselling via telephone, Skype/Zoom, LiveChat or email. We also offer a range of services in schools around Derbyshire including individual counselling and group work, training, peer listening and staff clinical support.
Click here for school information.
School Information
School Costings
Click here for school information.
School Information
School Costings
For all enquiries, please contact us on 01332 349177 or info@safespeak.org.uk
Testimonials
Following are the comments made by some of our young people, parents and schools about our counselling support and therapists:
“They helped my daughter manage her problems which made her happier.”
“Your service and staff are fantastic and really works in building back up self-esteem and belief. I would recommend to anybody in need.”
“Very welcoming environment, staff are very helpful. Provided a safe environment for my daughter to be able to talk with a neutral person.”
“My child felt safe and comfortable here and always looked forward to her session my child really liked her counsellor and I felt like this was really important for my child to feel comfortable.”
“The sessions have really helped me, and I'm now a lot happier thanks to you, you have made my life much better…….I don't want to think about what my life would be like if I hadn't had these sessions” -14 year old boy
“Well live chat has helped me a lot when I first started this I was always tense, nervous all the time and didn’t feel that anybody understood me but now over the last year I have learnt how to control what I do for e.g yoga to relax and other ways of things. Also it has helped me loads with my personal feelings and now I feel much more confident to then. I will miss these sessions but I feel that I am ready to leave these sessions and if anything happens I know what to do……thank you, you have helped me loads to understand myself etc”- 15 years old girl
“…This was ultimately Debbie’s sensitive ad caring nature which has enabled students to feel a sense of relief and more confident in their ability to deal and approach life’s problems and issues……. Our teaching staff have also commented and have noticed a change in the majority of student’s behaviour, confidence and anxiety level which has made a big impact in their lessons. Students have been really pleased with teaching staff speaking directly to them on how their confidence is more evident.” - John Flamsteed Community School, Ripley, Derbyshire
Below are the comments of their students:
“If I did not have a counsellor in school I would probably wouldn’t have spoken to anyone about my feelings at all.”
“I have really improved. They help by giving you advice and figure out where the main source of your problem is.”
“Seeing Debbie helped me understand how I was feeling and think of way I could help myself not to feel anxious.”
Following are the comments made by some of our young people, parents and schools about our counselling support and therapists:
“They helped my daughter manage her problems which made her happier.”
“Your service and staff are fantastic and really works in building back up self-esteem and belief. I would recommend to anybody in need.”
“Very welcoming environment, staff are very helpful. Provided a safe environment for my daughter to be able to talk with a neutral person.”
“My child felt safe and comfortable here and always looked forward to her session my child really liked her counsellor and I felt like this was really important for my child to feel comfortable.”
“The sessions have really helped me, and I'm now a lot happier thanks to you, you have made my life much better…….I don't want to think about what my life would be like if I hadn't had these sessions” -14 year old boy
“Well live chat has helped me a lot when I first started this I was always tense, nervous all the time and didn’t feel that anybody understood me but now over the last year I have learnt how to control what I do for e.g yoga to relax and other ways of things. Also it has helped me loads with my personal feelings and now I feel much more confident to then. I will miss these sessions but I feel that I am ready to leave these sessions and if anything happens I know what to do……thank you, you have helped me loads to understand myself etc”- 15 years old girl
“…This was ultimately Debbie’s sensitive ad caring nature which has enabled students to feel a sense of relief and more confident in their ability to deal and approach life’s problems and issues……. Our teaching staff have also commented and have noticed a change in the majority of student’s behaviour, confidence and anxiety level which has made a big impact in their lessons. Students have been really pleased with teaching staff speaking directly to them on how their confidence is more evident.” - John Flamsteed Community School, Ripley, Derbyshire
Below are the comments of their students:
“If I did not have a counsellor in school I would probably wouldn’t have spoken to anyone about my feelings at all.”
“I have really improved. They help by giving you advice and figure out where the main source of your problem is.”
“Seeing Debbie helped me understand how I was feeling and think of way I could help myself not to feel anxious.”
FAQs for children and young people
What is counselling?
Counselling is the most common form of talking therapy. It gives you a chance to talk to a trained counsellor in private who is not connected with your family friends or school about what is bothering you.
A counsellor won’t tell you what to do, but will help you to explore your problem, the symptoms and to make your own decisions and build strategies for coping.
Why talk to a Counsellor?
If you are anxious, this can have an impact on your school work, friendships and life at home. Problems which seem unimportant to someone else can seem overwhelming to you. Being able to talk to someone outside of your situation can help you to feel less stressed and more able to enjoy life. Counsellors are trained to listen without judging and to help people make sense of their thoughts and feelings.
What problems can counselling help with?
You can talk about any problem. If we can’t help, we’ll do our best to find someone who can.
Worries children and young people talk to us about include:
• Problems at school like, bullying or feeling like it’s too difficult
• Changes at home, like when parents split up or someone dies
• Falling out with family or friends
If you’re not sure whether counselling can help, contact us anyway! If we can’t help, we’ll do our best to work with you to find someone who can.
Where does counselling happen?
Normally we work in schools, Relate Centres and other venues across Derby and Southern Derbyshire During this Covid-19 lockdown situation, we are offering all our counselling via telephone, Skype/Zoom or LiveChat.
Is counselling private?
Whatever we discuss is confidential within the service, unless we believe that you or someone else is being harmed or at risk of being harmed. We would always try to discuss this with you before talking to anyone else.
Does my parent need to know I’m seeing a counsellor?
Most young people’s parents do know about their counselling. If another person, like your GP, has recommended counselling for you then they will often have also discussed this with your parent or carer.
Sometimes a parent doesn’t know about their child’s counselling. If you are unsure about your parent or carer knowing, contact us and we can talk through options with you.
If you are under 16 and coming to counselling at one of our out of school venues then you will need to have an adult wait in the building during your counselling. This will be discussed with you at your first session.
Sometimes it can help you to let a parent know you are getting help, but we leave this decision up to you when we can.
Who will know I’m seeing a counsellor?
The counsellor will try to keep the fact you are coming to counselling as private as possible. When someone else is helping you with your problems, we may need to let them know when you start and finish counselling. If we see you for counselling in school then we will need to let them know, but they should still keep this as private as possible.
Can someone make me go to see a counsellor?
No. Someone can suggest you have counselling, but going to counselling is your choice. During your first counselling session, you will have a chance to ask any questions you may have about counselling and to talk a bit about what’s bothering you. If you wish, we can then set up a series of appointments.
How much will my counselling cost?
At the moment we have two types of free counselling for children and young people living in Derby and Derbyshire:
(i) 5-18 years old if you are affected by the Covid -19 pandemic
This free counselling is available until September 2020. Safespeak is one of a range of organisations working together across Derby and Derbyshire to offer support during the Covid- 19 pandemic. There is currently no waiting list and we can help straight away. Please contact us directly.
(ii) 16 - 18 years through IAPT service
We work with Talking Mental Health Derbyshire to provide free counselling for young people dealing with anxiety or depression. This service is called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). Please contact your GP and ask them to refer you to us for IAPT service. You are welcome to contact us directly if you wish to find out more.
Unless you are eligible for free counselling we will ask you to make a payment for your counselling in advance. Each counselling session costs us £65 to provide. We are a not-for-profit service and offer subsidised sessions if you need these. Please contact us to find out more about booking an appointment with one of our counsellors.
What is counselling?
Counselling is the most common form of talking therapy. It gives you a chance to talk to a trained counsellor in private who is not connected with your family friends or school about what is bothering you.
A counsellor won’t tell you what to do, but will help you to explore your problem, the symptoms and to make your own decisions and build strategies for coping.
Why talk to a Counsellor?
If you are anxious, this can have an impact on your school work, friendships and life at home. Problems which seem unimportant to someone else can seem overwhelming to you. Being able to talk to someone outside of your situation can help you to feel less stressed and more able to enjoy life. Counsellors are trained to listen without judging and to help people make sense of their thoughts and feelings.
What problems can counselling help with?
You can talk about any problem. If we can’t help, we’ll do our best to find someone who can.
Worries children and young people talk to us about include:
• Problems at school like, bullying or feeling like it’s too difficult
• Changes at home, like when parents split up or someone dies
• Falling out with family or friends
If you’re not sure whether counselling can help, contact us anyway! If we can’t help, we’ll do our best to work with you to find someone who can.
Where does counselling happen?
Normally we work in schools, Relate Centres and other venues across Derby and Southern Derbyshire During this Covid-19 lockdown situation, we are offering all our counselling via telephone, Skype/Zoom or LiveChat.
Is counselling private?
Whatever we discuss is confidential within the service, unless we believe that you or someone else is being harmed or at risk of being harmed. We would always try to discuss this with you before talking to anyone else.
Does my parent need to know I’m seeing a counsellor?
Most young people’s parents do know about their counselling. If another person, like your GP, has recommended counselling for you then they will often have also discussed this with your parent or carer.
Sometimes a parent doesn’t know about their child’s counselling. If you are unsure about your parent or carer knowing, contact us and we can talk through options with you.
If you are under 16 and coming to counselling at one of our out of school venues then you will need to have an adult wait in the building during your counselling. This will be discussed with you at your first session.
Sometimes it can help you to let a parent know you are getting help, but we leave this decision up to you when we can.
Who will know I’m seeing a counsellor?
The counsellor will try to keep the fact you are coming to counselling as private as possible. When someone else is helping you with your problems, we may need to let them know when you start and finish counselling. If we see you for counselling in school then we will need to let them know, but they should still keep this as private as possible.
Can someone make me go to see a counsellor?
No. Someone can suggest you have counselling, but going to counselling is your choice. During your first counselling session, you will have a chance to ask any questions you may have about counselling and to talk a bit about what’s bothering you. If you wish, we can then set up a series of appointments.
How much will my counselling cost?
At the moment we have two types of free counselling for children and young people living in Derby and Derbyshire:
(i) 5-18 years old if you are affected by the Covid -19 pandemic
This free counselling is available until September 2020. Safespeak is one of a range of organisations working together across Derby and Derbyshire to offer support during the Covid- 19 pandemic. There is currently no waiting list and we can help straight away. Please contact us directly.
(ii) 16 - 18 years through IAPT service
We work with Talking Mental Health Derbyshire to provide free counselling for young people dealing with anxiety or depression. This service is called IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies). Please contact your GP and ask them to refer you to us for IAPT service. You are welcome to contact us directly if you wish to find out more.
Unless you are eligible for free counselling we will ask you to make a payment for your counselling in advance. Each counselling session costs us £65 to provide. We are a not-for-profit service and offer subsidised sessions if you need these. Please contact us to find out more about booking an appointment with one of our counsellors.
