The children's counselling service at Family Care: an evaluation

The Children’s Counselling Service is based in Family Care, an independent social work agency which provides adoption, family support and training services. Family Care operates within the Christian values of compassion, respect for others and a concern for social justice, but the organisation supports people of any or no religious persuasion. The organisation is partly funded through grants from Nottinghamshire County Council and the Diocese of Southwell. The Children’s Counselling Service is funded through a grant from Children in Need for a three-year period, from March 1996 to March 1999. At the time of this report the service has been in operation for just under two years. The service was considered necessary because of the increase in the incidence of divorce and family breakdown and the effects this has on children. Although local services exist for adults experiencing separation, such as Relate and family mediation, there is little counselling support available for children and no specific service for those children whose parents have separated. Following the successful application for funding 1~’o Children in Need, a children’s counsellor was appointed in March 1996. The counsellor is employed by Family Care and receives support from both within the organisation, through her line manager, and from outside, from a specialist play therapy supervisor.