Certificate in Counselling Children and Young People

Network is delighted to be working in partnership with Let’s Talk Well and CPCAB to deliver the Level 5 Certificate in Counselling Children and Young People.

Children and Young People today are facing complex mental health issues, and so it is vital that counsellors are equipped with the skills and knowledge to confidently face these increasingly severe issues. This course will prepare already qualified counsellors to work therapeutically with Children and Young People, meeting the BACP Competences Framework for counselling Children and Young People.

During This Course You Will…

• Grow your understanding of the contemporary contexts of young people’s therapeutic work.
• Examine developmental theories and current neuroscience research, particularly research on the ‘teenage brain’.
• Learn about the legal positions and the specific ethical considerations of working with young people, including appropriate approaches to contracting, confidentiality and assessment.
• Develop the therapeutic skills needed to work with children and young people and a toolkit of creative and cognitive strategies specifically aimed at this age group.
• Grow the skills and knowledge you already bring, building on your existing experience.
• Work to integrate your existing therapeutic model with the skills of young people counselling. 

The course follows the BACP Curriculum for Working with Children & Young People and consists of:

• 77 hours (14 training days) of taught modules
• 50 hours of supervised placements working therapeutically with young people (11-18 years) – placements are available through Network in association with a North-Bristol Academy Trust (group of schools).
• Independent study and learning

Each taught day will be made up of a mixture of theory, experience and reflection encouraging thorough engagement with the material. Use of peer support groups as part of the learning process will be included.

The training dates for the 2026-2027 course are as follows:

• 21 & 22 November 2026
• 12 & 13 December
• 16 & 17 January 2027
• 13 & 14 February
• 13 & 14 March
• 17 & 18 April
• 15 & 16 May

100% attendance is desirable, and only in exceptional circumstances should you miss a training day, as missing a day/seminar means you miss out on essential learning.

Training days will take place at Network Counselling & Training, Elm Park, Filton, Bristol, BS34 7PS and will be taught by the Let’s Talk Well tutor team who have many years’ experience working as counsellors with both adults and children & young people.

Assessment requirements include:

• 3 x reflective journals (1000 words per journal)
• One essay (3000 words)
• A case study (3000 words)
• Tutor skills observation

To apply you require a counselling qualification at diploma level or above and must be a registered member of an appropriate professional body, e.g. BACP, NCPS etc.

All applicants are required to attend an interview.

The 2026-27 course fee is £2,650

A deposit of £375 is payable upon enrolment, and the remaining balance can be paid as one lump sum (for which we offer a discount of £100), or in 7 monthly instalments of £325.

In addition, students are required to register with the CPCAB, costing £190.

If you’d like to apply, please fill out our online application form. Alternatively if you’d prefer to fill out a word doc version, please email training@network.org.uk

Applications are open until 14th August 2026, and we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Interviews will take place on Tuesday 1st September in-person at Network Counselling & Training, Elm Park, Filton.