My experience with children and young people...
Hi, my name is Bianca and I guess you could say that my journey began when I was 4 years old and my baby brother was born. It soon became clear that he was a little bit different, he didn't particularly like being touched and later he communicated with sounds or pointing instead of words. My first 'job' began, as a big sister and navigating my little brothers needs and capabilities. Several years later my second brother was born and he was also different but in another way. He was very intelligent but would have extremely violent outbursts that were dangerous to himself and others. I soon began to understand what would trigger outbursts and what I could do to de-escalate situations fast! I really believe this has given me lived experience of not just how huge the spectrums are but also how neurodiversity effects everyone in the family. Later in life I became a childminder in 2016, caring for children under 5 years old and older children before and after school, including children with additional needs. I enjoyed my job a great deal but decided it was time for a change in 2019 when I started work in a secondary school. My job as a learning support assistant meant that I was supporting children with additional needs to navigate mainstream school. I worked with many different children, all with different needs including children with neurodiversity or ASD as it is referred to in more recent times. I have worked with looked after children and children with mental health issues such as anxiety, depression and social isolation. It became very clear to me that there is a huge demand for support emotionally, socially and educationally for children who have additional needs whatever they might be and I really wanted to be a part of making a difference in children's lives. This was the start of my counselling journey, I wanted to do more to help children and their families work through a part of their lives where so much change happens. I firmly believe that by helping children and their families when they need it, we are giving children best possible chance to reach their full potential.
Working with children has been my pleasure and my privilege. I have extensive experience working with children at secondary school age 11+. I have gained further knowledge and qualifications in many areas around issues I have worked closely with children on.
About Actual You Counselling
My Mission
My mission is to provide a high quality and effective service that has a positive impact on the lives of children, young people and their families. I am passionate about therapy but I also offer services beyond the therapy room such as advocating for my clients with family or other professionals.
My Practice
I am a person-centred counsellor which means my sessions are client lead which works particularly well with clients who have neurodiversity or trauma.
I have working knowledge of educational settings and the additional support available both with and without an EHCP which i can share with you where appropriate.
Legal Frameworks
Additional Information
Consent
A child who is deemed to be sufficiently competent to make their own decisions is seen as able to enter into therapy without parental consent. A child or young person who does not have a level of understanding and maturity to be competent to consent cannot engage in counselling without permission from whomever has parental responsibility for the child. (Gillick Competency). If a child is not able to give informed consent and does not want those with parental responsibility to be approached, then I would not undertake a therapeutic intervention with the child but I would also not inform the child's parents.
A child and their parents can decide together that the child or young person will attend therapy and in this instance the contracting would be done together. After the initial session and contracting, all further sessions would be done with only the child and the counsellor in the room. By signing the contract the person/s with parental responsibility are agreeing to this way of working.
Participation
Article 12 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child states that children have the right to participate in decision making processes that may be relevant to their lives and to influence decisions taken about them within the family. As such I believe that young people in therapy ought to be included in decision making processes that affect them.
Child Protection
I have yearly child protection and safeguarding training to keep up to date with current trends and regulations. I have in depth safeguarding children policies and procedures available on request. Safeguarding is essentials to all adults who work with children and i will take the necessary actions to keep your child safe within my professional ethics and capacity. I have a valid DBS certificate to work with children and I can be found on the update service.
