More and more children each year are involved in family separation and divorce. For some this can be a fairly short transition period from one family setting to another. For others it may be a more painful and difficult experience and they may have very mixed feelings about what is happening - feelings perhaps of confusion, fear, anger and guilt. It may not be easy, or even possible, for parents and children to talk freely to one another about these things and it might be helpful for children to have the chance to talk to someone outside the family.
Children have the opportunity to talk to a trained and experienced counsellor about the issues raised by parental separation and divorce. This will always be in a confidential setting with each session lasting about 50 minutes, depending on the child's age.
Services aim to provide short-term counseling but we also support a small number of children who require longer term counselling. The sessions are 'child centred' and younger children may choose to use toys, art materials, books or games to express their feelings.
Service's counsellors are experienced in listening to children and young people and do not take sides. What is said during the sessions is confidential between the children and the worker. The counsellor will talk about the sessions with parents only if the child requests it, or with the child’s consent. The only exception to this rule is if there is a question of somebody being at risk of injury or abuse.
The following NFM services provide young people and children's counselling:
- MiD Mediation
- South East London Family Mediation Bureau
- Surrey Family Mediation Service
- North East London Family Mediation Service
- North West London Family Mediation Service
- Oxford Family Mediation
- Institute of Family Therapy
- Relate South Essex
- Peterborough and District Family Mediation Service (Talktime)
- Cambridge Family Mediation Service
