Specialist trauma-informed therapy, assessment and support for children, young people and families

When a child is struggling, it can affect every part of family life.

You may have noticed increasing anxiety, overwhelming emotions, relationship difficulties, school avoidance, changes in behaviour, low mood, distress, or a sense that your child is simply not thriving in the way you hoped. Sometimes the reasons feel clear. Sometimes they don’t.

At Beacon House, we offer specialist therapeutic support for children, young people and families. Our team of psychologists, psychotherapists, art psychotherapists, dramatherapists and occupational therapists, work together to understand not only the difficulties your child is experiencing, but also their strengths, relationships and the experiences that have shaped them.

We understand that children do not struggle in isolation. They grow, learn and heal within relationships. This means that alongside supporting your child, we also work closely with parents, carers and the wider systems around them whenever this is helpful.

We offer both online and in-person services and welcome referrals directly from parents and carers. You do not need a GP referral to access our services. Click here to download our referral guide.

How Do I Know If My Child May Need Support?

Many parents contact us because they have a feeling that something is not quite right, even if they cannot yet put their finger on exactly what it is.

Your child may benefit from therapeutic support if they are experiencing:

  • Anxiety, worries or panic
  • Persistent sadness or low mood
  • Difficulty managing emotions
  • School avoidance or difficulties attending school
  • Problems with friendships or family relationships
  • Low self-esteem or loss of confidence
  • Self-harm or suicidal thoughts
  • Behaviour that feels difficult to understand
  • Attachment and relationship difficulties
  • Bereavement or significant life changes
  • Difficulties linked to neurodevelopmental differences including FASD
  • Questions or support around gender identity
  • Sensory sensitivities/sensory processing differences
  • The impact of traumatic experience(s)

Children and young people often communicate distress through behaviour, emotions or relationships rather than words. Therapy can help create a safe space to explore what may be happening underneath the surface and identify the support that is most likely to help.

You do not need to have everything figured out before getting in touch. Many parents contact us because they have a feeling something isn’t quite right but aren’t sure what support is needed. If that’s where you are, we’d be happy to talk things through with you, click here to fill out our self-referral form or call 01444 413939 and ask to speak to Cathy or Mel our referral administrators.

What Therapy Helps Children and Young People?

There is no single therapy that works for every child and family. Every young person and family arrives with their own experiences, strengths, relationships, and needs.  The breadth of our therapists training and experience means that we can be flexible in our therapeutic approaches, from the matching of your child to a therapist through to thoughtfully integrating different types of therapies to each child and family.  This is why we begin by meeting with parents or carers, taking time to hear what you have noticed, what is happening for your child and what you hope might change .  We then meet with your child and together build a picture of what might be most helpful.  Depending on what they need, we may draw on one or more of the following approaches:

Parent-Child Psychotherapy, including Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP)
Supporting healing through the relationship between child and caregiver.

EMDR
Helping children process distressing or traumatic experiences.

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
Supporting children to understand thoughts, feelings and behaviours and develop healthier coping strategies.

Family Therapy
Helping families understand difficulties together and strengthen communication and relationships.

Art Psychotherapy and Dramatherapy
Creative approaches that help children express experiences and emotions that may be difficult to put into words.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Helping children understand and make space for difficult thoughts and feelings, while finding ways to move towards the things that matter to them.

Narrative Therapy
Helping children explore the stories they have developed about themselves and their experiences, and find new ways of understanding themselves and what is possible.

Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS) Helping children understand the different parts of themselves, including those that may feel worried, angry, sad,  confident, caring and protective, and to grow a richer and kind understanding of themselves.

Parent Consultations
A space for parents or carers to step back, make sense of what they are noticing and think together with an experienced child and family professional about what might help.

A Different Way of Understanding Difficulties

At Beacon House, we do not begin by asking, “What is wrong with this child?”

Instead, we ask:

  • What has shaped your child’s experiences?
  • What relationships have influenced their world?
  • What are their strengths, and what can we build on?
  • What might they need from the people around them right now?
  • What might their feelings or behaviour be telling us?
  • What might be underneath what we are seeing?

We are not a diagnostic service. We take time to understand what life has been like for your child and family and what might be making things difficult now. Children, young people, parents, and carers, often tell us that their therapist is kind, that they have felt listened to, understood, respected, and valued. They describe therapy as giving them a different way of looking at things, and sometimes a different way of understanding and seeing themselves with more confidence and less fear.

What Does Assessment Involve?

We begin all therapeutic work with a Therapeutic Needs Review or Therapeutic Needs Assessment unless you are seeking a stand-alone parent or carer consultation.  This initial process helps us understand your child’s experiences, relationships, strengths and needs so that together we can identify the support that is most likely to help.

We offer three levels of assessment depending on the complexity of your child’s situation:


1. Therapeutic Needs Review

A brief, focused process that helps us understand your child, identify areas of strength and difficulty, and recommend the most appropriate support.

Cost: £405

 

2. Therapeutic Needs Assessment

A more detailed exploration of your child’s experiences, relationships and current difficulties. This option may include reviewing information from other professionals and considering wider systems around your child.

Cost: £810 to £945

 

3. Comprehensive Therapeutic Needs Assessment

A detailed assessment process for children and young people with more complex needs, significant life experiences, trauma histories or multiple professionals involved in their care. This assessment brings together information from family members, professionals and therapeutic observations to build a comprehensive understanding and therapeutic plan.

Cost: £2025

Click here to read more detailed information about each assessment in our self-referrals guide.

Parent and Carer Consultations

Alongside our assessment and therapy services, we also offer a standalone parent consultation service. This provides a supportive space for parents and carers to talk things through, whether you’re feeling unsure about the level of support your child may need or if you would value a space to reflect, explore ideas, and consider next steps in partnership with one of our therapists.

A parent or carer consultation can help if you:

  • are unsure what may be contributing to your child’s struggles
  • are looking for guidance without committing to ongoing therapy
  • are worried about anxiety, emotional wellbeing, sensory differences, trauma experiences, family relationships and/or school-related challenges
  • feel stuck and are unsure what to try next
  • would appreciate time to think alongside an experienced child and family professional
  • are considering assessment and therapy and would like help deciding whether it is the right next step
  • Are unable to access weekly therapy but would still value specialist support
  • Know that your child is not open or ready to meet with a therapist themselves

What Happens After the Assessment?

The assessment helps us build a shared understanding of your child’s needs and identify the support most likely to make a difference. We see the assessment process as the beginning of our therapeutic relationship with your child. For this reason, we do our very best to ensure that, wherever possible, ongoing therapy continues with the same therapist, helping your child to build a sense of trust, safety, and familiarity from the very beginning.

Therapy is usually offered weekly and is reviewed regularly so that we can ensure the support remains aligned with your child’s goals and progress.

Fees and Health Insurance

Therapy Fees

  • Therapeutic Needs Review: £405
  • Therapeutic Needs Assessment: £810 to £945
  • Comprehensive Therapeutic Needs Assessment: £2025
  • Ongoing Therapy Sessions: £135 per 50-minute session

Parent/Carer Consultation Fees

  • One focused 100 minute consultation: £270 or £405 (includes a written summary)
  • Extended consultation: Two 100 minute consultations £540 or £675 (includes a written summary)
  • In-Depth Consultation: Three 100 minute consultations: £810 or £945 (includes a written summary)

Please note: If you would like to share assessment reports or other relevant information ahead of the consultation, we would be very happy to review these, with reading time charged at £135 per 50 minutes.

Payments are usually made in advance of appointments and can be made online or via BACS. For our extended assessments, we are happy to agree a phased payment plan with you.

Health Insurance

We are a recognised Bupa provider, and some therapists are registered with Aviva, WPA and Vitality. If you would like to explore using health insurance to fund therapy, our referrals team will be happy to guide you through the process.

How to Make a Referral

We understand that taking the first step can feel daunting.

Our referrals team are here to make the process as straightforward and supportive as possible.

Step 1
Complete our online self-referral form by clicking here or contact our referrals team and they will fill in the form for you over the phone. You can speak to Mel or Cathy our referral administrators by calling 01444 414539

Step 2
Our Clinical Lead Dr Laara Jupp, carefully reviews the information you share with us.

Step 3
We contact you to discuss the next steps, usually within one week.

Step 4
If Beacon House feels like the right service for your child’s needs, we will guide you through the assessment and allocation process. If we believe another service would be better placed to support your family, we will explain our reasoning and, wherever possible, suggest alternative sources of support.

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How do I know if my child needs therapy?
    If your child’s emotional wellbeing, relationships, behaviour, learning or daily life are being significantly impacted, therapy may be helpful. Many parents seek support because they feel concerned, stuck or unsure how best to help. Click here to download our referral guide.
  • Do I need a GP referral?
    No. Parents and carers can refer directly to Beacon House without involving their GP. Click here to fill in our self-referral form.
  • Can my child access therapy online?
    Yes. We offer both online and in-person services and can often work with families who live further away from our clinics.
  • What therapy works best for children who have experienced trauma?
    Click here to visit our specialist trauma page to learn more about how we work with children who have experienced trauma
  • What ages of children do you work with?
    We support children and young people across a wide range of ages, from newborns through to early adulthood. We do not automatically transition young people to adult services simply because they reach their 18th birthday. Instead, careful consideration is given to the relationships they have developed with their therapist and our wider team, alongside their individual needs, before any decisions about transitions are made.
  • How do therapeutic models work with neurodevelopmental difference?
    Therapy is adapted to each individual child or young person. We consider their communication style, sensory needs, developmental differences, strengths, and preferences when planning therapy. Our aim is to ensure that therapy is accessible, meaningful, and responsive to each child or young person as an individual.
  • How much does child therapy cost?
    Assessment options begin at £405, and ongoing therapy sessions are £135 per appointment.
  • How long does therapy take?
    The length of therapy varies depending on your child’s needs, goals and circumstances. This is something that will be discussed and reviewed regularly with your therapist.
  • Can health insurance cover therapy?
    In some circumstances, yes. We are recognised by Bupa and have therapists registered with selected other insurers. Please contact us to discuss your circumstances.
  • What happens next if I make a referral?
    Our Clinical Lead will review your referral and we will contact you to discuss the most appropriate next steps, usually within one week.