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QLS L5 Introductory Certificate in Counselling Children & Young People
Based on the 'Stage 1' BACP Competences for counselling 4-18s
Designed for both qualified and student Counsellors and Psychotherapists, wishing to ensure they have the essential knowledge, skills and professional competences required to counselling under-18s.
September 2025 - March 2026
Applications still open - a few places left
With an ever-growing need for children and young people's support, each year applications for the training increase. So, it's a good idea to apply in good time. For further training details please see below, and for forms go to the bottom of the web page.
If you'd like to speak to find out more, feel free to get in touch by email or phone.
10 Thursday evening sessions, 30 hours CPD
(5 in the Autumn term, 5 in the Spring term: dates below)
At the Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling
(BCPC) BA1 1HD
The purpose of this training is to teach the basic additional competences, knowledge and skills, identified by the main professional bodies as needed to work safely and ethically with clients 4-18 years of age.
Applications are open to:
- Fully-qualified Counsellors and Psychotherapists with adult-oriented training, wanting to feel both competent and confident to offer support to under-18 clients as well, whether in either organisational or private settings
- Students currently enrolled on Counselling Diploma or Psychotherapy training, with sufficient experience of client practice (usually 2nd year students or beyond).
8 essential elements of competency specified by BACP:
1 Ethical and professional practice
2 Child protection and safeguarding
3 Child and adolescent development and transitions
4 Communication with young people
5 Beginnings and endings with young people
6 Risk assessment
7 Mental health and young people
8 Working within the context of the counselling setting
Delivery
Training is delivered as a hybrid training. It lends itself to online delivery - with the inclusion of some in-person sessions: ideally, participants will join in person for session 1, to meet and get to know one-another... the 'hands-on' creative interventions evening can only be experienced in person... and the final evening is also best shared f2f.
Otherwise, feedback has consistently shown that nothing is lost from the 3-hour evening content - by joining online. So, for 2025-26, the plan is to offer a mix.
Whether online or in person, each course evening includes seminar presentation and discussion, and the application of theory to practice.
There is also an extensive share of relevant resources in Google Drive and participants are encouraged to deepen their knowledge and understanding through journaling and private study.
In addition to the eight elements for Stage 1 of CYP practice, we explore wider themes such as children’s rights, ethical dilemmas, the use of therapeutic play and some of the latest insights from neuroscience. Above all, the training will explore the key differences between counselling adults and children. 'Ethical and professional practice', permeates all aspects of the training. The main objective being to support participants to feel competent and confident to begin (or enhance) their support for under-18s.
Venue
Training takes place at BCPC in Bath (BA1 1HD), in ten Thursday evening sessions, spread over the Autumn and Spring terms (5 evenings per term)
Course dates 2025 - 2026
Autumn term 2025:
2nd October
16th October
6th November
20th November
4th December
Spring term 2026:
15th January
29th January
12th February
5th March
19th March
Session times 6.30 – 9.30pm
Each session will begin and end promptly, include 2.5 hours’ training and a mid-way break of 30 minutes. Since a 6.30pm start may not enable everyone to eat beforehand, the longer break is to allow participants to eat a brought supper (cold or microwaved) and also have some informal time to connect with each other and
self-care, as often neglected by therapists!
Handbook, private study and attendance
The CYP Introductory Handbook contains the programme, recommended reading and detailed assessment guidance. Substantial resources linked to each session are shared online in Google Drive linked to each session.
A minimum of 2-3 hours private study and journaling for each session is recommended... the more that you can read around each theme, the more you will get from the training.
As a Competences training based upon the 8 key elements identified by the BACP Entry Level (CYP Stage 1)100% attendance is required. However, unavoidable absence can be made up by submitting a short additional piece of written work on the session missed.
Assessment
Learning is assessed through a reflective journal and through a 3000-35000 word CYP Competences essay (assessed at QLS level 5) based upon learning from the training sessions and from wider reading, reflection and private study.
Outcomes
30 hours’ CPD and a QLS L5 Certificate. Neither the BACP nor UKCP currently accredit shorter courses. So, this training maintains rigorous standards through being delivered under the Quality Licence Scheme, part of the Skills and Education Group.
Course content includes and goes beyond all of the BACP Stage 1 Basic Competences for counselling children and young people aged 4-18. Lisa’s experience of counselling CYP in Primary and Secondary schools, as well as in private practice, enables inclusion of content relavant to the full age range 4-18 years.
Safe and ethical good practice with CYP also requires regular supervision from someone with sufficient experience of counselling the relevant age-group(s) (under or over-11s).
Cost
The cost of training has been kept as low and flexible as possible for participants again this year!
This is £600 (payment up front) or £660 (by instalments over 8 months)
This cost includes all teaching and learning sessions, essay marking and the QLS L5 Certificate; as well as ongoing access to training materials and extensive additional resources on Google Drive.
To apply
Please ensure that you download the forms below which apply to you!
For STUDENTS this is the Student Application form and Tutor Reference form
For GRADUATES this is the Graduate Application form and Supervisor Reference form
When applying, please:
- Download the relevant application and reference form from the bottom of this page
- Email your completed application form to [email protected] (deposit not yet required)
- Email a reference request and Reference form to your Referee
If you have any questions at all, please do not hesitate either to email: [email protected] or call 07810 441 896
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Participant comments...
- A brilliant introduction to counselling children and young people! I am excited and encouraged to start putting this into practice! Thank you Lisa 😊
- Lisa’s knowledge is inspiring. Ability to recall theorists, books and resources has been incredible.
- Standard of teaching was very high. Knowledge and experience was also high quality. The methods of learning were varied so we were kept interested & the One Drive resources are great for future working.
- It’s a brilliant course. Lisa has a wealth of knowledge, insight and experience which are delivered with a very personal touch. There are excellent resources and much time and thought has gone into providing us with this information. I have learnt a lot, which has also helped me feel more confident in my adult work. I would definitely recommend the course and Lisa as a Tutor and I would be very keen to complete the longer course at some point. THANK YOU!
- I would definitely recommend this training. Lisa’s depth of knowledge, wealth of experience and obvious passion are really brought to each session and illuminate the material. There are a huge amount of resources and avenue for further study. Thank you and I would love to do the further training one day.
- This was a very thorough and detailed course on all aspects of working with children. It was beautifully presented with fantastic visual aids, audio-sensory stimulation and useful leads and documents to relevant practical information. I feel hugely enlightened and stimulated to learn even more practical skills on working with children. Lisa, you are such an inspiring and experienced teacher! I would like to do the long course when I am ready!
- I have found this course to be very comprehensive and feel that it has given me a very good grounding in how to approach working with CYP and also the tools with which to research further if there was a need to. I find Lisa very knowledgeable, very up to date with new research and very approachable.
