Refer Here
Referrals for 11-25 year olds
Please read the following page carefully before making a referral.
One-to-one youth counselling is offered free of charge to children and young people looking for our help and anyone can make a referral.
We are currently accepting new referrals for one-to-one youth counselling, but there is a waiting list. An initial consultation may be up to 4-6 weeks after your referral is accepted. After the initial consultation, there may be an additional waiting time for regular counselling of approximately 4-6 months for a session during the day and around 8-10 months for sessions from 3pm onwards.
If you would like additional support during this period, we offer a free Wellbeing walk-In service from 4-5pm every Wednesday at the South Downs Social Bike Café (upstairs) for 11-25yr olds. You do not need to make a referral or let us know that you would like to attend this service; just turn up – we look forward to welcoming you!
Please also see our other youth services that we offer.
Eligibility
To be eligible for youth counselling, you must be:
- Aged 11-25
- Live in the Winchester District
- Available to attend counselling sessions 9am – 5pm, Monday – Thursday
- Committed to attending weekly appointments
- Making the personal choice to come to counselling – it needs to be your idea to come for help and not someone else’s.
Please note that we cannot offer evening appointments, and we are not currently open on Fridays or weekends.
Please refer to our FAQs for further information.
Please note, we cannot help with the following:
- Severe depression
- Psychosis
- Suicidal behaviour and recent attempts
- Severe substance misuse
- Dangerous behaviour
- Severe learning difficulties
- Issues related to adoption and being adopted
- Severe PTSD
Please see our FAQs or contact us for queries on other exclusions.
Next steps and Alternative Resources
If, after reading the information above, visiting our FAQs page, or contacting us about exclusions, you believe that you — or a young person you’re supporting as a parent, carer, or professional — meet our referral criteria, please complete the referral enquiry form. When you refer yourself or a young person for youth counselling, please state your/their availability for counselling sessions, and we will be in touch with you very shortly.
It is important that you give as much availability as possible in order to help reduce your waiting time for regular counselling sessions.
Some alternative resources include:
- Kooth offers free, safe, and anonymous mental wellbeing support: www.kooth.com
- Useful links on self-help:
