We are part of the Hertfordshire’s county-wide children and young people’s funded community counselling service. If you submit a referral to us, we will be in touch to arrange an assessment and then discuss all the options with you, following your assessment. This will include considering whether counselling or a new funded community therapies service (such as play, drama and other creative therapies) available from 1 April 2025 might be suitable for your needs.

If the discussions and assessment completed indicate that counselling funded by Hertfordshire County Council is the most suitable option to meet your needs, you will be placed on a waiting list for this support with our service. Hertfordshire County Council’s contract with YCT for county-wide counselling is coming to an end on 31 March 2025. Your sessions may be with the new service provider: Hertfordshire Mind Network, who will begin supporting children and young people on 1 April 2025.

With consent, your referral/assessment information will be forwarded to Hertfordshire Mind Network for counselling or Signpost for community therapies, who will contact you to arrange their first appointment.

Whilst you are waiting

Hertfordshire has a wide range of alternative free early help services that can be accessed straight away and don’t need a professional referral. This includes digital services from With Youth (for ages 5-18) and The Sandbox (for ages 10-25), as well as other early help support. With Youth sessions are with trained Mental Health Support Workers and The Sandbox sessions are with UK qualified Counsellors.

You can find details of these and other Hertfordshire Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services (CYPMHS) at: www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/youthmentalhealth or you can scan the QR code below.