Youth Counselling
Through an innovative partnership with youth counselling charity Open Door, we offer a youth counselling service for the children of RICS professionals in the UK.
The free, professional counselling sessions can be accessed by young people aged 12 and over following a referral from LionHeart. It provides a vital addition to the in-house counselling service we already offer RICS professionals and their partners, in recognition of the strain that youth mental health issues can place upon the whole family unit.
The service offers young people a safe and confidential space to explore any of the issues that are facing them. At a time when many statutory services in the UK are stretched to capacity, our service is available without long waiting lists - because we recognise that swift access to the right support provides a much better outcome for the whole family.
More than one in 10 school children have a diagnosable mental health problem and yet three-quarters of them do not get access to the support they need. In 2020, that figure was said to have risen to almost one in six.
Around half of all adults with mental health issues first experienced problems by the age of 14 - making early intervention and support for young people more important than ever.
Who is eligible?
LionHeart youth counselling will be offered to the dependants of UK-based RICS professionals, including APC candidates and AssocRICS. Sessions will be online-based and young people must have a private space they can use to access sessions.
How to find out more
Please contact the LionHeart support team for an initial chat and for a referral to be made to our partners. Call the helpline on 0800 009 2960 or email info@lionheart.org.uk
Talking Children's Mental Health
Watch our short 'explainer' videos, produced together with our youth counselling partners Open Door, on some of the most common issues they see among the young people they help.
Talking: Eating Disorders
There has been a significant rise in the number of eating disorders diagnosed post-pandemic, especially in girls: things to look out for and how to approach the subject with your child.
Talking: Anxiety
One of the most common mental health disorders seen in young people, affecting up to 1 in 12, anxiety can be so debilitating that social situations and usual everyday activities can cause alarming physical symptoms.
Talking: Bullying
Bullying can take many forms and, with the rise in online and social media activity, it can feel difficult to escape and can have a devastating impact on a young person's mental health and confidence. As a parent, what are the signs to look out for and what can you do to help?
Talking: Self Harm
Self harm in young people can be a way to show the big, scary feelings they have on the inside... on the outside. It's a frightening thing as a parent to contemplate but it's vital to address.
 |  |  |
 |  |  |
| How youth counselling helped us |
