Wellbeing Services for Children
Our Children’s Wellbeing Service is here to offer expert assessment and treatment of emotional, psychological and neurodevelopmental difficulties experienced by young people.
Introduction
Cherishing unique minds
We all want our children to be happy, resilient and able to thrive. So, when a child is troubled and facing difficulties, it is deeply distressing for parents and the whole family too. At Psicon, we work hard to offer a single solution that will help you understand your child’s challenges and relieve them. Whatever the problem, whether it’s new or longstanding, we have someone who can help.
We’re with you every step of the way
How our mental wellbeing assessment works
Complete a short referral form
This includes questions about what difficulties your child is facing, any concerns you may have as well as any relevant clinical or medical history. Our expert team will review this and ensure you are allocated the most appropriate clinician for your child’s needs.
Psychology assessment
A clinical psychologist will meet with you and your child to develop a shared understanding of the situation. They will do everything they can to help your child feel comfortable and will take the session at your child’s pace. The clinician will ask lots of questions, to get to know your child and to understand their issues.
Formulation and feedback
We give detailed feedback on what we’ve discovered and, most importantly, how to understand it. This is one of the main differences between a psychologist and a counsellor. It can be immensely helpful to share this understanding with parents, siblings or teachers, so that we all approach the young person with consistency and have the same ideas in mind.
Comprehensive report with recommendations
If required, we can write a comprehensive report with recommendations as a follow-up to the initial assessment. This can be useful if further support is required from other services or from school.
Further follow-up therapy sessions
If it is indicated, we will suggest a course of therapy, but we always work with your family to agree the approach that will be most helpful. This may be individual or family therapy, strategy-focused or explorative work.
Internal referral to autism and/or ADHD assessment services
(if appropriate).
In some cases, a psychology assessment is very useful in determining if another specialist assessment is needed – such as for autism or ADHD. If a child or young person’s presentation appears complex, and parents are unsure how to proceed, a psychology assessment will generate a broad and holistic understanding. It will confirm if there is a rationale to offer a diagnostic assessment as well as any follow-up support.
Mental wellbeing worries
Your child may be experiencing…
Grief
Relationship problems
Attachment problems
Adjustment disorders
Eating disorders
Challenging behaviour at home and at school
Post-traumatic and acute stress disorders
Low confidence/self-esteem
School refusal
Chronic fatigue/fibromyalgia/ME
Depression/sadness, boredom, isolation
Anxiety (including phobias, social anxiety, exam stress)
Anger/aggressive behaviour
Medically unexplained physical difficulties
Self-harm
Sleep difficulties
Wellbeing Therapies
How we can help
We know how valuable therapy for children can be for a range of problems, but we also understand it can be difficult to decide which kind of therapy could best help your child. At Psicon, we will always explain the options and, based on a shared understanding of your child’s unique needs, agree a way forward together. We offer:
Narrative Therapy
Psycho-dynamic psychotherapy
Systemic/Family Therapy
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)
...And many other types of support. Clinical psychologists might draw from multiple therapies to create a treatment that is bespoke to the child, young person or family.
Testimonials
Some words from our patients
We've helped thousands of patients over the years, and here are some of their thoughts.
I was made to feel at ease straight away
The doctor was very patient and understanding and I was treated with the utmost respect. I came away feeling well informed and I have a plan moving forward for my condition.
Fantastic clinic. I would highly recommend.
I chose to go here to get diagnosed with autism privately. Sadly I have been let down by the NHS since my childhood in the 1980’s and I decided I had to go private, but I would say it was worth every penny and the long drive from my home. Lovely professional staff. Thank you.
Thank you once again for all of your help Psicon!
An outstanding company. Are always willing to help on the phone with any questions, concerns or problems. I would recommend them to anyone.
Quick efficient service.
I could not have been happier with timescales, responses and communication.
The centre is a lovely welcoming place and the professionals put my highly anxious son at ease.
We went to the children's centre to get my son aged 17, a private Autism assessment. From the start the staff were informative and helpful. The centre is a lovely welcoming place and the professionals put my highly anxious son at ease. In fact he even asked when we were going back! After negative experiences with the NHS and school, my son felt that he could finally access support that was right for him. Thank you 😊
Would highly recommend Psicon for any assessments
Absolutely amazing with my son, very easy to talk to and my son loved interacting with the staff.
I would recommend this service to anyone that I know.
I attended the practice in June of 2022. The practice had such welcoming and kind staff members. This really eased any anxieties I had about going to the practice, and set a very calming atmosphere.
Excellent communication and explanation throughout the assessments.
All staff seemed very knowledge, were prompt and courteous and we were given a conclusion by the end of the assessment
From the minute we arrived staff were welcoming and professional.
From the minute we arrived staff were welcoming and professional. Thank you for listening and helping my son to be as comfortable as possible. You were so attentive to his ways and the consultant, speech and language therapist had extensive knowledge and were able to pick up on things I wasn’t even aware of. The support throughout was amazing, everything was explained in detail and I would definitely recommend Psicon to others. Thank you again.
All practitioners were friendly, understanding and really knowledgeable
All practitioners were friendly, understanding and really knowledgeable and informative about autism, but also girls and autism. They managed to put my anxious daughter at ease. They listened carefully, and were responsive to what we were saying. They also gave helpful suggestions to think about with the school and within the family.
They treated me like I was a person
They treated me like I was a person and demonstrated they treat each individual on a case to case base using treatments tailored to the individuals needs. They listened without judgement offering to treat individuals with complex needs.
Exceptional service.
The sessions were well organised. The psychologist was outstanding and it was like they knew me after just a couple of sessions. I would 100% recommend this service. I feel so much better and am going forward with several tools to keep me mentally healthy. I cannot recommend this service enough.
As a parent, it gave me the reassurance that my daughter will grow up knowing how her mind works
My daughter came out of her ADHD assessment feeling very positive about herself and empowered. As a parent, it gave me the reassurance that my daughter will grow up knowing how her mind works and what she needs to put in place to help herself along the way. We are very grateful to have been given such high quality care.
All staff are trained immaculately!
All staff are trained immaculately! Very kind, very helpful. Just wonderful. I could not have asked for a better service!
Frequently Asked Questions
Anything you'd like to ask us?
Taking the first steps to understanding why your child feels different, unhappy, or is struggling takes courage. We’re here to help you make sure you find the support that’s right for you and your son or daughter.
What's the difference between psychology and psychiatry?
A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who specialises in the assessment, psychiatric diagnosis and medical treatment of mental health conditions. A clinical psychologist works from a non-medical model and seeks to understand individuals in the context of their own life. They develop a formulation, or ‘shared understanding’ designed to help the individual and their family see why an issue might have developed, what triggers it and what stops it from going away. Their main type of treatment is talking therapy, and they can draw from a range of options to provide a tailored approach. It takes about the same amount of time to train as either a psychiatrist or psychologist. If you don't know which one you need, we would be happy to help you decide.
Are the sessions confidential?
Yes, they are completely confidential, and no one can know what is spoken about without consent from the person in treatment if they are aged 13+. Below this age, parents are entitled to be informed about what is discussed. Regardless of age, we aim to establish a trusting relationship where the person being treated can feel safe in the knowledge that what they say will be treated in confidence, but also to advise if we think that it’s important or useful to share some things with parents. This can all be discussed and tailored to the family at the time. The only time we would break confidentiality without consent or discussion is if we were worried about someone in a crisis and they were in immediate danger.
Do you have access to a psychiatrist?
While Psicon do not offer an in-house psychiatry service we are proud to have a longstanding relationship with Dr Vibhav Shetty, a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist well renowned in Kent. As a medical doctor, Dr Shetty is able to provide full psychiatric assessments and diagnose psychiatric conditions, while providing ongoing support with follow-ups and medical treatment from our clinic in Canterbury, Kent. Should you or your clinician feel it appropriate, we can organise a referral to Dr Shetty on your behalf.
How soon can my child be seen?
Once we have received your child’s referral information, we aim to offer an assessment appointment within four to six weeks.
Can I access therapeutic sessions as a parent, so I can better understand my child and their needs?
Yes, we regularly offer support to parents to help them better understand the needs of their child and learn new techniques to help manage challenging behaviour.
Get in Touch
We're with you at every step
We know that good mental health is essential to our children’s overall wellbeing. We’re here to help young people and their families understand and address the emotional or psychological challenges they’re facing, so each child can thrive and get the most from life.