Counselling Service 

The BDSIP counselling service provides a high-quality, affordable service for mainstream schools and specialist settings to offer person-centred counselling and meet the emotional wellbeing needs of the school community. 

The service is delivered by qualified counsellors, who receive supervision, professional support and development through BDSIP. Support can be tailored to individual needs and additional therapeutic approaches like CBT, art or play therapy can be offered, where they suit the needs of the student.  Where needed, our counsellors can also provide time-limited targeted support for groups of students to enable them to express and process their emotions in relation to a shared significant experience. 

The service has a proven track record of positively impacting students to better understand and communicate their emotions, resulting in improvements in their learning, mental health, wellbeing, social relationships and behaviour.  

Counsellors are also able to provide services to families and staff to meet wider objectives in a whole school wellbeing plan. 

Focusing on your school priorities, your counsellor will:   

• Offer regular therapeutic counselling for vulnerable students who do not meet Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) thresholds.  
• Provide a mandatory daily debrief, with an appropriate member of school staff, to monitor impact and ensure due diligence to safeguarding.  
• Provide a half-termly evaluation report to track impact and progress for each student in receipt of counselling.  
• Provide the opportunity for confidential counselling support for staff to improve overall wellbeing and mental health.  

• Provide the opportunity for counselling support for families.  
• Provide support for referrals to other agencies, when required.  
• Provide input into students’ individual support plans with strategies that work to encourage emotional regulation. 

The Counselling Service Lead will: 

• Maintain regular contact to ensure provision of a high quality service in your setting. 
• Provide a termly overview of the service delivered and impact on your students. 

Related training & CPD