Support for children and young people

We provide emotional support for patients, families, friends and carers who have been affected or bereaved by cancer or any other life-threatening condition.

Counselling and art therapy

Counselling helps children express emotions through talking, guided play or art, building self-esteem and resilience—especially during tough times like a family cancer diagnosis. We are able to support children and young people in Bath, Frome, Peasedown St John and Street. We can support young people 11 and over in Trowbridge and Chippenham. In-school services are also available in Frome College and Selwood Academy in Frome as well as John of Gaunt in Trowbridge.

For ages 13+ counselling is also available online.

 FAQs

  • You and your child’s counsellor will have the opportunity to meet and talk about what to expect before the first session. Children are seen by themselves, and parents/carers stay in the building while the child is being seen. Parent/carer may contact the counsellor at any time if you have any questions or concerns. The counsellor may offer you a review meeting if they think it could be helpful.

    There is regular contact between counsellor and parent/carer, but anything talked about or made in sessions is confidential. If the client or others are believed to be at risk, we may contact the client’s GP or other professionals.

  • We Hear You can provide up to 16 sessions of counselling. The number of sessions is very much up to the individual child or young person and how much support they need at the time.

  • We are able to support children and young people in Bath, Frome, Peasedown St John and Street. We can support young people 11 and over in Trowbridge and Chippenham. In-school services are also available in Frome College and Selwood Academy in Frome as well as John of Gaunt in Trowbridge.

    We also provide counselling for children who attend primary schools in John of Gaunt in Trowbridge, as well as for young people in Frome attending Selwood Academy and Frome College.

    In addition to our face-to-face service, we provide online counselling for young people aged 13 and over.

  • Our service is provided to children and young people aged four to 17.

  • The sessions last for 45-50 minutes, usually once a week at the same time and on the same day.

  • We Hear You is a free and low-cost service. This means we ask our clients to pay £15 per session. which covers 20% of the cost of counselling session where they are able to afford it. Ability to pay does not effect the service you will receive.

  • You can call the WHY office on 01373 455255 to talk to one of our team if you have any questions before completing the referral form.

  • Initially, the children’s counsellor will want to speak to you as a parent/carer, so please fill out the form or contact the WHY office on 01373 455255 to arrange an appointment.

  • “I saw Ruth when my uncle was ill and then he died. I saw her for about eight weeks. When my uncle was ill I felt sad and scared that he would die. I talked to Ruth about what was happening and how I felt. I used to get the play dough and make emotions out of it, so we had red bits for anger, white bits for happiness and blue bits for sadness. I would put the bits into a bowl, choosing how I felt, over time the red bits got less.”

You can fill in the form below for a child un

Please note we are only able to offer services to those living in Bath and North East Somerset, Somerset or Wiltshire and who fulfil one of the below criteria

If you do not fulfil one of the following criteria you can still find information on other support available on our further resources page.

If you need help completing this form, or you are a healthcare professional completing this form on behalf of an adult, please call us on 01373 455255.