Therapy for children and young people
Therapy for 3 to 17 year olds
A 50 minute consultation with one of our assessing clinicians. A member of our team will contact you within 48hrs to arrange a suitable time.
Our approach
Children and young people may express emotional difficulties in many different ways, including through their behaviour, withdrawal, physical symptoms, difficulties at school or changes in their relationships with family and friends.
We recognise that each child's experience is individual. Our approach is to understand their difficulties within the context of their emotional development, relationships and wider circumstances, rather than focusing solely on presenting symptoms or behaviour.
Through a consistent and trusting therapeutic relationship, we offer children and young people the opportunity to explore their experiences, develop a greater understanding of themselves and find new ways of managing the difficulties they face.
A dedicated therapy room for children and young people
Specialist, registered therapists all enhanced DBS checked
We meet with you first, before we meet your child
We respond within 48hrs of your booking
No GP referral or diagnosis needed
After-school and school-holiday appointments
You might be here because…
Growing up brings many emotional and developmental changes, but sometimes a child or young person's difficulties begin to affect their wellbeing, relationships, confidence or everyday life.
You may have noticed increasing anxiety, withdrawal, changes in mood or behaviour, or difficulties with friendships, family relationships or school. Perhaps your child has experienced a bereavement, family separation or another significant life event. They may be navigating the challenges of adolescence or adjusting to a new understanding of their needs following an autism or ADHD diagnosis.
Sometimes there is no obvious reason for the difficulties a child is experiencing, or it may be a teacher, GP or SENCO who first raises a concern.
You don't need to have all the answers before seeking support.
It's not always easy to know when a child or young person might benefit from therapy. You may have concerns about their emotional wellbeing, be struggling to understand changes in their behaviour, or simply feel that something isn't quite right.
Therapy doesn't have to begin at a point of crisis. Seeking support early can give children and young people the opportunity to explore their experiences, develop a greater understanding of their feelings and receive support with the difficulties they're facing.
How we understand children's difficulties
There is rarely a single explanation for a child's difficulties, and every child experiences the world differently. Working alongside parents and carers, we take time to understand each child within the context of their relationships, emotional development, experiences and individual strengths.
We are interested not only in the difficulties a child is experiencing, but in understanding what those difficulties may mean for them at this particular stage in their life. This understanding informs our therapeutic approach, helping us provide support that is sensitive to each child's individual needs and circumstances.
What to expect
1. An initial conversation
We begin with a 50-minute consultation with you, without your child present. This is an opportunity to talk about your concerns, your child's experiences and development, and what has led you to seek support.
A member of our team will contact you within two working days of your booking to arrange the consultation.
2. Meeting your child
Your child or young person's first appointment is a 50-minute session in one of our therapy rooms. This is an opportunity for them to meet their therapist, become familiar with the space and begin to feel comfortable.
We recognise that every child and young person is different. Some may feel ready to meet their therapist independently, while others may prefer a parent or carer to be present initially. We approach this sensitively, taking account of their age, developmental needs and individual circumstances, without placing pressure on them to engage before they feel ready.
3. Regular weekly sessions
Therapy takes place in person, in a dedicated therapeutic space, for 50 minutes at the same time each week. This consistency helps children and young people develop a sense of familiarity, trust and security in their relationship with their therapist.
The work is ongoing, with its progress and your child's changing needs reviewed regularly.
4. Six-weekly reviews
Every six weeks, we meet with parents or carers to reflect on how the therapy is progressing, discuss any concerns or changes, and consider how best to support your child at home.
These meetings also provide an opportunity to think together about your child's developing needs, while respecting the privacy and confidentiality of their therapeutic relationship.
Reviews are included in the session fee and can take place in person or via Zoom.
Book a parent consultation
A 50 minute consultation without your child, over Zoom for £75
Once you’ve booked your consultation, one of our assessing clinicians will contact you within 48hrs
A 50 minute consultation with one of our assessing clinicians. A member of our team will contact you within 48hrs to arrange a suitable time.
Our therapists
Working therapeutically with children and young people is a distinct discipline, with its own training and its own registration. It is not adult psychotherapy applied to smaller people. Everyone who works with under-18s here is qualified specifically to do so.
Ben Perry
MA | BAPT | BACP
CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPIST & PLAY THERAPIST
Ben is a child psychotherapist and play therapist working with children and young people aged 3–17. He holds an MA in Play Therapy from the University of Roehampton, is registered with the British Association of Play Therapists (BAPT) and is a member of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).
Ben offers a warm, thoughtful and relational approach, providing a safe and consistent therapeutic space in which children and young people can explore their experiences and difficulties. With younger children, his work draws on play, art, sand, storytelling and creative expression, paying particular attention to the emotional and unconscious communication that emerges through play. With older children and adolescents, his approach is more conversational and relational, adapting sensitively to their developmental stage, individual needs and preferred ways of communicating.
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He works with children and young people experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, bereavement, behavioural and emotional regulation difficulties, school avoidance and exclusion, low self-esteem, friendship difficulties, family changes and the challenges associated with growing up and adolescence. He also works with neurodivergent children and young people, including autistic children and those with ADH
Ben's professional background spans specialist education, paediatric therapeutic services and children's care settings, giving him extensive experience of supporting children with a wide range of emotional, developmental and relational needs. He is also the Designated Safeguarding Lead at The Good Therapy Centre and a qualified safeguarding trainer, bringing considerable experience in recognising and responding to clinical risk. He values working alongside parents and carers, helping them understand and respond to their child's difficulties while respecting the confidentiality of the therapeutic relationship.
Elena Adams
MA, Dips. Psych. & Supervision, RTS, UKCP
CHILD PSYCHOTHERAPIST
Elena is a UKCP-registered adult and child psychotherapist and experienced clinical supervisor. At The Good Therapy Centre, she plays a central role in the clinical assessment, supervision and oversight of our children's psychotherapy and play therapy service.
Elena undertakes initial assessments, considering each child or young person's emotional, developmental and therapeutic needs, alongside their family circumstances and wider experiences. She works sensitively with parents and carers to develop an understanding of their child's difficulties and identify the most appropriate therapeutic support.
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She also provides clinical supervision and ongoing oversight of the children's service, supporting our clinicians and helping to ensure thoughtful, consistent and well-coordinated therapeutic care.
Warm, compassionate and attentive, Elena brings extensive clinical experience and a thoughtful understanding of children, young people and family relationships. Her approach is grounded in recognising each individual's circumstances and ensuring that children and families receive support appropriate to their needs.
All our therapists are registered with a recognised professional body and hold enhanced DBS checks. Safeguarding training is delivered across the organisation, and Ben Perry is our Designated Safeguarding Lead.
Support for parents and carers
Therapy isn't only about supporting your child. We'll spend time with you too, thinking together about what's happening at home, what you're noticing, and how best to support your child — so that everyone in the family feels a little more understood, and better able to understand one another.
Children and young people develop within relationships, and understanding their experiences within the wider family can be an important part of the therapeutic work. Thinking together about these relationships can help everyone develop a greater understanding of one another and find new ways of responding to difficulties.
We also recognise that parenting a child who is struggling can be emotionally demanding and, at times, isolating. You may find that you would benefit from having your own space to talk and reflect. As part of The Good Therapy Centre, we also offer individual psychotherapy for parents and carers who would welcome a space to explore their own feelings, experiences and difficulties.
Fees
We believe in keeping our fees clear and straightforward, so you know what to expect from the outset. There are no additional assessment charges or therapy packages to commit to. Therapy is ongoing, with its duration guided by your child's individual needs and progress.
Initial parent or carer consultation: £60 (50 minutes, via Zoom)
Weekly therapy sessions: £90 (50 minutes, in person)
Six-weekly parent and carer reviews: £60 (50 minutes, via Zoom)
Additional reviews, written reports or professional consultations: £90 per hour, charged pro rata
Cancellation policy: 48 hours notice required
Taking the next step
If you're considering psychotherapy or play therapy for your child, we welcome you to get in touch.
An initial consultation gives us the opportunity to understand your concerns, learn more about your child and their circumstances, and answer any questions you may have. Together, we can consider whether our service would be appropriate and what the next steps might look like.
A 50 minute consultation with one of our assessing clinicians. A member of our team will contact you within 48hrs to arrange a suitable time.
50 minute consultation without your child, over Zoom for £60
Once you’ve booked your consultation, one of our assessing clinicians will contact you within 48hrs
FAQ’s
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No. You don't need a referral or a diagnosis to come to us — you can book a parent consultation directly, and that's the first step for everyone.
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We work with children and young people aged 3 to 17. Support for anyone 18 or over is offered through our adult therapy service.
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The consultation is a 50-minute conversation with you, over Zoom, without your child present. It's a chance to tell us what you're seeing and what's worrying you, ask anything you'd like to, and think together about whether therapy is the right next step. One of our team will be in touch within two working days of your booking to arrange it.
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Our relationship with parents and carers is an important part of the therapeutic work. We value your understanding of your child and the opportunity to think together about their experiences and needs.
At the same time, children and young people benefit from having their own space in which they can develop trust in their therapist and explore their thoughts and feelings freely.
We aim to balance both relationships thoughtfully, keeping you involved through regular six-weekly reviews where we can share observations, discuss concerns and consider how best to support your child.
We explain confidentiality from the outset, including the circumstances in which information may need to be shared to ensure everyone's safety. Wherever possible, we approach these conversations openly and sensitively, involving your child in an age-appropriate way. -
It's not unusual for children and young people to feel uncertain about starting therapy, particularly when they're meeting someone new or aren't sure what to expect.
We take time to build a relationship with each child or young person, allowing them to become familiar with their therapist and the setting at their own pace, without pressure to engage before they're ready.
If your child remains reluctant, we'll think together with you about what might be contributing to this and whether therapy feels like the right approach at this time. -
We don't provide formal ADHD or autism assessments or diagnoses, but we do offer psychotherapy and play therapy for autistic children and young people, those with ADHD, and those who may be exploring whether they are neurodivergent.
We work with children and young people both before and after diagnosis, taking account of their individual emotional, developmental and relational needs. Where appropriate, and with consent, we can also work collaboratively with psychiatrists and other professionals involved in their assessment or ongoing care.
If you're considering a formal diagnostic assessment, we can help you explore the appropriate pathways. -
Every child and young person is different, and the length of therapy will depend on their individual needs and the difficulties they're experiencing.
There is no fixed number of sessions. Therapy is ongoing, allowing time for a trusting therapeutic relationship to develop and for difficulties to be explored at an appropriate pace.
We review progress together with parents and carers every six weeks, considering how the work is developing and whether continued therapy would be helpful. -
Our initial consultation with parents and carers takes place over Zoom, but psychotherapy and play therapy sessions for children and young people are always held in person.
We believe the therapeutic setting and the relationship that develops within it are important parts of the work. Meeting in person allows us to offer a consistent, supportive environment, with opportunities for play, creative expression and conversation according to each child's age and individual needs. -
The initial parent or carer consultation is £75 for 50 minutes. Ongoing psychotherapy and play therapy sessions are £120 for 50 minutes, with regular six-weekly parent and carer reviews included in the fee.
There are no additional assessment charges or therapy packages to commit to. The length of therapy is guided by your child's individual needs, with regular opportunities to review how the work is progressing. -
We ask for a minimum of 48 hours' notice if you need to cancel or rearrange a session. This means a full 48 hours before your scheduled appointment time. Sessions cancelled or rearranged with less than 48 hours' notice will be charged at the full session fee.
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Our children's therapists are professionally qualified and have specialist training and experience in psychotherapy and therapeutic work with children and young people.
They are registered with recognised professional bodies, receive regular clinical supervision and hold enhanced DBS checks.
Our children's service also operates within The Good Therapy Centre's clinical governance and safeguarding framework, providing professional oversight and support for the therapeutic work.
You can find more information about each therapist's qualifications, professional background and clinical experience on their individual profiles.