NHS CCG Counselling Project ensures Counselling Programme Stability throughout episodes of school turmoil.

By Omar Alleyne-Lawler, Communications Manager

Current anxiety levels around schools have increased during the third lockdown, making Hope in Tottenham Schools Counselling Project a vital service in the day to day lives of Haringey’s vulnerable young people as well as the parents, carers and staff who support them.

Extending our services to three new secondary schools for the first time and expanding our existing engagements with three primary schools, these commitments take our Schools Counselling Project to 27 Schools and 35 hours per week of mental health provisions. This expansion shows HiT has adapted to the challenging start that has come with teaching in 2021. However, the move to combine in-person and online services did not prevent Hope in Tottenham from providing this offering. As internal figures reveal, counselling services are high in demand, with thirteen students requiring HiT’s counselling support at one school alone.

Parents, carers and members of staff have not been left out at this time either. Recognising their need for continued support, Hope in Tottenham has maintained its commitment to help those directly connected to schools. This continued commitment is part of HiT’s holistic approach to supporting education, recognising that a network around students is necessary to ensure the best outcomes can be achieved.

In doing so, Hope in Tottenham’s Counselling team has been able to support people through a range of the most common difficulties at this time, ranging from bereavement and self-harm, to familial breakdown, anxiety low mood and others.

Acknowledging the challenges of this new year, the counselling team have been front and centre giving people the tools to handle emotions, combat negative thoughts and refocus on living meaningfully. As one feedback form reads “I see light now in my darkness”.

Whilst the annual report coming in the Spring term will mark out the full scope of the Counselling project, the positive reports until now mark the project’s successes.

You can read the full report here: CCG Term One Report [Final]