Counselling - Threshold for Therapy Guidance

Reason for Referral is:

More than just typical childhood emotional dysregulation or transient stress for pupils with significant, persistent or escalating mental health difficulties whereby school-based interventions have not improved outcomes and external expertise is required

A one off traumatic event that is considered therapy appropriate by a qualified therapist.

Threshold Guidance

Duration

The issue has been presenting for at least 10 weeks and is showing no signs of improvement or is deteriorating

Input from School

The school can demonstrate and evidence routine and regular support that has been given over at least half a term

For example:

ELSA for the expected minimum of 6 weeks

ELSA for the maximum of 12 weeks

Regular and ongoing connections with Wellbeing Mentor

Specific adjustments appropriate to the child’s needs

Timetable adjustments

Interventions to support learning

Interventions to support behaviour and relationships

Support and ongoing connections with other school staff employing TPP good practice

Home/School liaison

Support from Mental Health First Aider

Parental/Caregiver Support

Parents and caregivers have worked alongside school and professionals and tried some recommended strategies and interventions for a reasonable period of time (at least 10 weeks) but issues are deteriorating or have not improved.

Parental/Caregiver Willingness to Engage

Parents and caregivers have a readiness and willingness to be involved and are engaging with the school and supporting professionals. They are consistently and routinely supporting the child as advised.

Therapy will have impact

There is strong professional judgement that therapy will have impact and that the child has willingness and capacity to engage in the therapy.

Inability to Function in School

The child is routinely and regularly unable to function in line with their peers within the school context and environment and is unable to meet reasonable expectations.

Inability to Function at Home and in School

The child is routinely and regularly unable to function in line with their peers in both settings. They are unable to function within expected social parameters in spite of adjustments and support in both settings.

Major Life Change

For example: Divorce/Separation, death, chronic illness, major move, family blending - where reactions, emotions and responses are not within a ‘usual’ and expected range and continue for an extended period of time.

Intense or Excessive dysregulation

The child is routinely and regularly in a state of considerable and heightened emotional distress and/or is unable to regulate how they are feeling and are unable to employ suggested strategies that they have been given to support them. This is ongoing for at least 10 weeks.

Significant Regression or Developmental Change

There is a considerable and significant change in the child’s behaviour and/or changes in personality and are showing little improvement following implementation of suggested strategies and adjustments.

Disruption to Daily School Life

Emotions and behaviour are meaning that there is significant disruption or disturbance to daily life and has been so for an extended period, with no improvement when strategies or adjustments have been consistently implemented. This disruption or disturbance includes school refusal, academic decline and social functioning.

Routinely: a matter of regular occurrence

A regular practice

a regular, often unvarying sequence of actions or a standard way of doing something

Regularly: a constant or definite pattern

uniform intervals of time.

habitual

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