Under-12 Online Therapy: Techniques for Disengagement

Since  COVID-19, mental health difficulties in children have increased by 35% in the UK, and there is a shortage of child psychologists and therapists. Wait times for therapy are 6-24 months for Child &  Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). Devastatingly, it is often the same wait time for children who are high risk.

In-person therapy for a child can be hard to access. Online techniques and solutions for child therapy, as well as indirect consultations with  parents and school teachers are effective and have many benefits. Children and families can also work with an online practitioner, as a wait list intervention.

In this workshop we present a  number of techniques you can use online; as well as models of therapy delivery drawing on systemic, cognitive-behavioural, behavioural, solution-focused, integrative, narrative approaches and more.

These  adapted therapy techniques and approaches are designed to be as  inclusive as possible. These tools are evidence-based and can be  effective for working online with a range of children under 12 and their  families; including children with additional needs, ADHD, ASD, some  cognitive impairments and learning disabilities.

The  model works for families in the post-natal period, families living in  remote areas or children with physical disabilities, where travel would  otherwise prove challenging.

It’s recommended that an  in-person healthcare support system be in place, in parallel, alongside  the online intervention. This is to mitigate against risk and  safeguarding issues. This can be CAMHS, GP, social worker, paediatric team or health visitor, to name a few services.

Learning Objective Participants Can Expect From This Event:

• To  troubleshoot causes of child disengagement online; and how to engage  parents in helpful ways with different roles in the therapeutic process,  to improve child engagement and benefits from therapy.
• To have a number of solutions and tools available via Zoom to engage under 12s and their families.
• To  have a number of techniques and strategies to use drawing on CBT,  integrative, systemic, behavioural, narrative, solution-focused and  other therapies adapted for children and families online.

Who is This Workshop Appropriate For?

This workshop is appropriate for any psychologist, counsellor, therapist,  psychotherapist, or trainee who is considering developing their skills  to offer online therapy for children under 12 and their families. Art psychotherapists and play therapists may benefit from ideas in this  workshop as part of their ongoing assessment or work with children and their parents, but the focus will predominantly be for professional offering talking therapies.

Self-Select Fee 

The  self-select fee is a radical inclusion policy to open learning for all  colleagues. The guide price for this event is £20.00, however, we appreciate that income varies greatly in different locations and  circumstances. Please contribute what you can to help us maintain inclusive professional training.

For more details and to book your place, please visit:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/under-12-online-therapy-techniques-for-disengagement-during-sessions-tickets-935536052517