Counselling

Counselling with children and young people is a discipline concerned with providing therapeutic support to young clients who are experiencing emotional, psychological, or developmental difficulties. It draws on child development theory, psychopathology, psychotherapeutic principles, and the specific skills and techniques adapted for working with younger clients, including play, art materials, and other creative methods. Effective counselling with children and young people requires both a thorough understanding of developmental psychology and the professional and ethical awareness needed to work in safeguarding-intensive contexts.

At Anglia Ruskin University this part-time programme allows you to study this specialist field at a pace that accommodates other commitments, which is particularly suited to those already working in education, health, or social care who want to develop their counselling knowledge and skills. You will develop your understanding of child development, psychopathology, attachment, trauma, and the creative techniques and art materials used in therapeutic work with young clients. There is a focus on developing self-awareness as a practitioner, including observed groups and reflective practice, which is a core component of counselling training at any level.

You will develop the theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and professional self-awareness needed to work therapeutically with children and young people in a range of settings, including schools, CAMHS, voluntary organisations, and private practice.

Graduates move into counselling and psychotherapy roles in educational settings, children's mental health services, community organisations, and voluntary sector agencies working with young people. Many graduates also go on to postgraduate training in counselling, psychotherapy, or clinical psychology, which is typically required for full professional accreditation as a therapist in the UK.