Course summary

This course aims to meet the professional accreditation requirements for counselling children and young people that will enable successful graduates (who have also met all required professional practice components) to continue towards accreditation with the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP). On completion of the course, you will have demonstrated the sound practical counselling competence that will enable you to complete the BACP proficiency certificate and apply for BACP registration. Your BCU qualification and BACP registration will enable you seek employment as a counsellor specialized in working with children and young people as you work towards full BACP accreditation. What's covered in this course? MSc Counselling (Children and Young People) course includes a minimum of 100 hours of supervised client practice hours. During year one of the course, you will also have the option of seeking a placement working with adult clients. This will equip you with the skills and competencies to work with parents – an integral part of child counselling work. You also have the option of gaining further experience in counselling adults alongside your child specialization. If you wish to do this, you will be supported to apply for an adult placement by the course team. In the second year, you will work with children of both primary and secondary age, to give you a breadth of experience. These placements will normally take place with our placement partners locally and are supported and closely monitored by the staff team, who are all professional child counsellors and psychotherapists. Course and placement structures will ensure that work is performed safely and with appropriate support and guidance in accordance with the BACP ethical framework. You will learn through a synthesis of theory and practice, focused on key skills and competencies, and will be supported by ongoing supervision, case formulation and discussion. We also focus on play, the use of creative media and an in-depth exploration of the knowledge base (detailed by the professional standards of education and training for child counselling) to ensure you develop an appropriate level of skill and competence to succeed in your chosen profession.