Topics covered on this module may include: 1. Ethical and professional practice (inc. child protection, safeguarding, risk assessments, and working in-person and remotely) 2. Understanding childhood and youth (inc. development, transitions, mental health, psychobiology, and diversity) 3. Therapeutic relationships with children and young people (inc. engaging, communicating, developing relationships, working in-person and remotely, and working with emotions from your therapeutic approach) 4. Managing the therapeutic journey (inc. beginnings, endings, play, using measures, monitoring outcomes) 5. Working collaboratively (inc. with parents and carers, within and across agencies, in a school setting, in a voluntary/ community sector setting, using collaborative assessments) 6. Self-care and Reflection (including working holistically, developing self-awareness and resilience, using supervision, utilising self-care techniques)

This module is aligned with Stage 2 of the BACP training curriculum for Counselling Children and Young People and covers the BACP Competences for work with children and young people (4–18 years).

Assessment Strategy

You must achieve a threshold of 50% to pass this module. Please see below for guidance on what you must demonstrate in your work to achieve different levels of performance.

Excellent (A*, A+, A, A-) • Deep, honest, and insightful reflection resulting in positive development of counselling skills with children and young people (safe practice) • Comprehensive knowledge synthesised with applied understanding of counselling with children and young people • Detailed understanding of theory with no factual errors • Critical analysis showing evaluation and synthesis of ideas • Novel and innovative originality in approach, interpretation, and voice • Extensive and comprehensive independent research • Logically defended arguments with evidence for all claims • Highly focused and well structured • Excellent presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Correct format in appropriate referencing style

Good (B+, B, B-) • Honest and considered reflection resulting in positive development of counselling skills with children and young people (safe practice) • Strong knowledge alongside applied understanding of counselling with children and young people • Clear understanding of theory and mostly free of factual errors • Some analysis showing critical evaluation and links between ideas • Novel originality in approach, interpretation, and voice • Considerable independent research from appropriate sources • Coherent arguments with evidence for most claims • Focused and well structured • Clear presentation with accurate and appropriate expression • Mostly correct format in appropriate referencing style

Threshold (C+, C, C-) • Honest reflection resulting in some positive development of counselling skills with children and young people (safe practice) • Some knowledge of counselling and applied understanding of counselling with children and young people • Understanding the main theoretical concepts with no major factual errors • Basic analysis showing obvious points of evaluation and links between ideas • Some originality in approach, interpretation, and/or voice for part of the work • Some independent research from appropriate sources • Arguments presented with evidence for the most important claims • Readable structure showing focus at times • Acceptable presentation with appropriate expression • Attempt at correct format in appropriate referencing style with no major errors

If you do not meet the threshold, then your work will be graded as a Fail (less than 50%). Fail grades vary from Poor (D+, D, D-, E+, E, E-) to Very Poor (F).

Learning Outcomes

• Communicate and engage clients of different ages, developmental stages, and backgrounds to work therapeutically to enhance mental health and wellbeing.

• Critically assess and respond to ethical, safeguarding, diversity, and risk issues arising in the practice of counselling with children and young people.

• Describe and evaluate theories of psychological and mental health development and management in children and young people.

• Generate self-aware action plans drawing on reflective practice and outcome measures to enhance counselling skills with children and young people.

• Work professionally and collaboratively within and across organisations to deliver effective therapeutic interventions for children and young people.