Support for Children & Young People (CYP)
Counselling Children and Young People needs practitioners to consider a different set of skills and knowledge to that of counselling adults, and should be seen as a specialisation with additional safeguarding and training.
Our Children & Young People's Therapist (CYPT) Accredited Register, a specialist register that sits in addition to our main Accredited Register for counsellors and psychotherapists, recognises this, and gives those skilled and experienced in working with children and young people the opportunity to demonstrate their specialisation in this area.
Find a Children & Young People's Therapist here
Why is it important to choose a qualified CYP therapist?
- Most mental health problems start early in life; 50% of mental health problems are established by age 14, and 75% by age 24*. Early intervention with a trained, experienced counsellor is key to mitigating some of these risks.
- Therapy for children isn’t just adult therapy delivered to smaller people. Qualified CYP therapists are trained in how children develop emotionally, socially, and cognitively, and tailor their work accordingly.
- The therapeutic relationship is one of the strongest predictors of positive outcomes in therapy. But with children and young people, that relationship often depends on building trust over time, working creatively, and understanding the child’s world, including school, family, and peer contexts. Qualified CYP therapists are trained specifically in how to build these kinds of relationships in age-appropriate ways.
- Effective CYP therapy often requires thoughtful involvement of parents, carers, and sometimes schools or social work staff. A qualified CYP therapist knows how to balance confidentiality with safeguarding, engage parents without undermining the child’s autonomy, and work within complex family or systemic dynamics, all without losing the focus on the child’s voice.
- While many approaches can be effective, the flexibility and responsiveness of the therapist (adapting methods to the unique needs and preferences of the young person) is an important part of CYP therapy. Qualified CYP therapists are trained to use different approaches, but with the ability to adapt these flexibly for a developing brain and emotional system.
*https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/children-young-people-statistics
Are You a Counsellor Working with Children and Young People?
Join our specialist Accredited Register
Our specialist Accredited Register for Children and Young People therapists recognises practitioners with specific training and experience in working with children and young people. By joining, you’ll demonstrate your commitment to safe, ethical, and effective practice. You will also be listed on our specialist Accredited Register meaning those seeking support for children young people can easily connect with you.
In order to be on the CYPT Accredited Register applicants must already be on our main Accredited Register, and evidence that they have the skills and competencies to work with Children and Young People.
To apply for the CYPT register please click here to login or become a member
Our Children and Young People's Competency Framework
The register is based on our existing CYP Competency Framework which can be viewed below. We ask that Members who work with Children and Young People refer to the Competency Framework.
To open the book in full-page mode, click here.
If you are already an NCPS member, we have a wealth of Good Practice Guidance to support you, which can be found in the Resources section of your Member Portal.
For more information on joining our CYP Register, please get in touch at hello@ncps.com
