Psychological support for children and young people

We provide a range of different therapeutic services to support the emotional, behavioural, developmental or relational needs of children and young people. Our specialist team has many years’ experience in working with children and teenagers of all ages who may be experiencing a range of different difficulties or challenges.

We specialise in working with children and young people

We help children and young people in a variety of ways. Usually, we will conduct an assessment to explore the child’s therapeutic needs. We will then put together a therapy plan, which could involve a specific therapeutic approach or a combination of therapeutic approaches. We also know that children live in a wider context, which is why we may provide therapeutic parenting support or training to parents and carers (and other people in the system surrounding the child).

Please get in touch with us to talk about your individual situation. We would be happy to provide tailored information for your child or the child you are working with.

We help with difficulties such as:

  • Trauma

  • Attachment and relationship difficulties

  • Depression and anxiety

  • Confidence and self-esteem

  • Behavioural problems (e.g.  school refusal, difficulties with sleeping)

  • Self-harm

  • Disordered eating

  • Sexually harmful behaviour

  • Grief and loss

  • Adjustment to significant changes

We always take into account the specific developmental and individual needs of each child or young person, creating an approach that feels safe and comfortable.

Psychological consultations

Consultations can be a helpful starting point for parents and carers concerned about their child or young person. The aim of a consultation session is to get a deeper understanding of your child and the situation facing them, and they are usually hosted without the child or young person present (although this could be different depending on the situation). It is also a chance for parents or carers to ask any questions about working with a clinical psychologist or therapist.

Initial consultations are not designed to provide in-depth therapeutic intervention or assessment. However, they can help to suggest a way forward for the child, young person or family. services below.

Specialist psychological assessments

Psychological assessments help us understand more about the situation facing your child or teen. They also inform the direction of therapeutic intervention, helping us coordinate the right therapy plan to address the challenges or difficulties your child or young person is experiencing. You might also see this type of assessment called ‘an assessment of therapeutic need.’

At Gateway, we also undertake a range of other assessments according to the situation. These might include ASD assessments, risk assessments, placement needs assessments and more.

Therapeutic approaches

The specific approach we use will always be tailored to the child or young person, and may even include a combination of approaches, at your clinician’s direction. We are specialists in a range of other approaches in addition to the interventions listed below.

Developed by Dr Dan Hughes, Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) is an approach to help children or young people who have experienced early trauma or neglect. It usually involves the child and parents working together with the clinician, although sessions may start off with working with the parents first.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.

Theraplay​® is an approach to child and family therapy that aims to address behavioural, emotional, or developmental issues and improve the parent-child relationship through play and healthy interaction.

Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is a type of therapeutic approach that focuses on how your thoughts, beliefs and attitudes affect your feelings and behaviour, and teaches you coping skills for dealing with different problems.

It combines cognitive therapy (examining the things you think) and behaviour therapy (examining the things you do).

Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) is an approach specifically developed for responding effectively to aggressive, violent, self-destructive and controlling behaviour in children, adolescents and young adults.

Play Therapy is a type of therapy where play and art materials are used as the main way for people to express themselves. Using play in therapy helps people to express themselves in their own way; especially if they are struggling to understand how they are feeling, or are finding it hard to put their experiences into words.

Play Therapy can be a particularly helpful approach for children in need of therapeutic support.

Therapeutic interventions

Helping children and young people work through the difficulties they are facing is at the core of what we do. Our team of highly-qualified clinical psychologists and clinicians are very experienced at providing a range of therapeutic interventions to help deliver a positive outcome for the child or young person.

Our clinicians will always tailor their recommended therapeutic approach to the individual child and their circumstances. We monitor our therapy sessions regularly to ensure we are achieving the best possible outcomes for the child or young person. Sometimes, we will work closely with the parents, carers or professionals around the child to help provide further support too.

Group therapy and psychoeducation

We have the capacity to facilitate group therapy sessions to help support children and young people. We can also undertake psychoeducation training for older children and young people, helping them understand how their experiences may be impacting their thoughts, feelings or behaviours. If you are interested in finding out more, please get in touch with us.

Adoption support services

We are rated ‘Outstanding’ by Ofsted for our work with adoptive children, young people and their families. If you are an adoptive parent or special guardian, your family may be able to access our services through your Local Authority or Regional Adoption Agency.

FAQs

You do not need a GP letter or special referral to access our services. Please contact us about your situation, providing as much detail as possible. We will get back to you with more information about working with us.

Please note that if you think your sessions will be funded by your Local Authority, Regional Adoption Agency or another organisation, you will likely need to speak with them first.

Therapeutic interventions and assessments may be accessible through your Local Authority or Regional Adoption Agency if you are an adoptive parent or special guardian. These are often funded under the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. You will need to speak with your post-adoption social worker to discuss this.

We are a registered Adoption Support Agency and regularly provide trauma-informed therapeutic interventions and complex psychological assessments. As such, we are inspected by Ofsted for our work with adoptive families.

Please contact us for our most up-to-date pricing structure.

We understand that it is not always possible to fund sessions yourself. Our fees reflect the many years’ experience and training our clinicians undertake to provide an expert and high-quality clinical service.

If you are an adoptive parent, special guardian or foster carer, you might be able to access our services through your Regional Adoption Agency or Local Authority. Please speak to your social worker to discuss this.

Some organisations, such as schools or charities, may help fund sessions with a clinical psychologist. It is best to speak to the organisation directly to find out if this is possible.

We occasionally work with insurance companies to provide sessions for children or young people. Please talk to your insurer to see if this would be a possibility.

We tailor our sessions to suit the specific needs of you and your child or young person. Your clinician will talk with you about the plan before we get started. Please browse our website for more detailed information about working with Gateway Psychology. You can also get in touch with us with any specific questions you might have.