About us
We are a team of compassionate and highly qualified professionals, dedicated to supporting 5-25 year olds across Essex and Hertfordshire & North London.
Our community and education services are free at the point of use.
No child is an island. When a young person struggles, it affects those around them. We’re here for the families, carers and the professionals involved too.
We offer a safe, calm, judgement-free environment, and a range of therapies to suit the needs of the child or young person — including talking, art and play therapy as well as group options.
We are a force for change and a haven of hope — not just for children and young people, but for all who care for them. Together, we are working to create brighter futures, one young life at a time.
We’re dedicated to creating lasting change for all who access our services, so that they can go on to live positive, fulfilling lives, free from the disadvantages of poor mental health.
Our story
1988
In 1988 three local magistrates felt that the establishment of a service that supported young people in dealing with issues in their lives would potentially reduce the number of them appearing in court. So they established such a service – The Young Concern Trust. Such was their level of commitment that one of them, Lady Diana Kemp-Welch, remained a strong supporter for the rest of her life, during her year as High Sheriff of Essex making YCT, as it had then become known, her chosen charity.
Lady Diana Kemp-Welch, a founder of YCT.
2006
In our early days, we moved around as we grew finding a range of locations from which to deliver our growing service. A GP surgery, a shared office in the Town Centre, the garage of a townhouse and the mezzanine floor of the Field Studies Centre. In 2006, we finally found a home of our own in a mothballed Children’s Centre in Harlow. The building needed a complete re-arrangement and refurbishment and we set about raising £25,000 to ensure that it was a building that was fit for purpose and its facilities to a high standard. A place where young people could feel safe, heard and supported.
As word spread about the work we were doing, so did our reach. Soon we were offering services in schools, colleges and community venues across Essex, Hertfordshire and parts of Greater London. Our goal was simple: to be where we were needed most, offering free therapeutic support.
2020
When the world shut down in 2020, we stepped up. While many services were forced to close, we transitioned into a telephone and online service overnight, ensuring not a single session was missed and not a single young person lost access to vital support.
2025
Now, in 2025, we look back with pride at how far we’ve come. From a single therapist working out of borrowed spaces, we’ve grown to a team of 42 dedicated professionals supporting young people across three counties. In just four years, we’ve nearly doubled the number of young people we support — from 968 in 2019/20 to 1,849 in 2023/24. That’s a 91% increase, but for us, it’s not about the numbers. It’s about 1,849 young lives touched, 1,849 futures made brighter.
Costs are rising and demand for our service has soared. But we’re not backing down – we’re aiming higher. We’re working to diversify our services, offering support including art, drama, music and play therapies, parent workshops, anger management programs, long-term trauma work, family therapy and support for other organisations. We envision a world where every child is heard, supported and hopeful.
Our story is one of growth, resilience and unwavering commitment to young people. But more than that, it's a story of hope. Because every young person we help has a story of their own — a story of overcoming, of healing, of finding a way forward. And we'll keep writing these stories, together, one young person at a time.
Therapists in 2024
91% increase in young people supported since 2019
Break the cycle with early intervention
Early intervention changes lives and breaks cycles. By offering support early on, we're not only helping a child today – we're creating massive long-term benefit for society.
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Safe hands
Our therapists are fully qualified professionals, and we’re proud members of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) which means we follow strict quality and ethical guidelines.