Over the past year TIC+ has seen an unprecedented increase in the demand for our counselling services. Unfortunately this has meant that the average wait for our service has increased from an average of 3.8 weeks last year, to approximately 14-16 weeks in recent months. We know this has been frustrating and upsetting for you as well as for us and we thank you so much for your patience during these times.

We are committed to making sure that we continue to see every young person who reaches out to us for support. We also want to be able to see young people as soon as possible so that the issues they are facing do not get worse.

We have recently and very gratefully received additional funding from the Gloucestershire NHS Clinical Commissioning Group and several other funders. We have also been working hard to raise new funds through our TIC+ fundraising team. This additional funding has enabled us to recruit more counsellors and although it’s early days, we are pleased to say we are already seeing the impact of this additional capacity:

the waiting time has now reduced to an average of 5-6 weeks for new referrals.

To ensure we reduce this even further (hopefully to our pre-COVID levels), additional measures have been made. Over the summer, in collaboration with our staff team and young people’s voices group, we co-produced a new way of working to help us see young people more quickly and prevent the escalation we have been so worried about.

Previously, all young people referring in to TIC+ were offered up to 7 sessions of counselling. With the current demand for our service this is no longer practical or equitable - some young people only need a few sessions whereas others need more. For this reason we want to avoid offering a set number of sessions, instead, our counsellors will use their professional judgement and in conjunction with the young person will agree a period of support based on need. The counsellor and young person will regularly review progress in order to keep the work focussed and to ensure the right level of support is being given.

We have co-produced a few info-graphics with young people to describe the process. The first is sent to the young person once they have made a referral, the second is a story-board from the website.

We will be trialling this model over the coming months and will be evaluating its impact and efficacy to help children and young people in a more timely manner.

If you have any enquiries about a young person already on our waiting list or more general enquiries please contact our referral taking team on admin@ticplus.org.uk

We are delighted that our new Parent Support Advice Line was launched in April 2019.

The service is for parents and carers living in Gloucestershire who are worried about the mental health and emotional wellbeing of the their child (age 9-25). Funded by NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, The service will provide 30 hours of support each week over a selection of evening, weekend and daytime hours.

Click here to go to the Online Text Chat link

tic+chat launches their new Helpline for children and young people - 25/06/20

download the Parenting Support leaflet

download the Parenting support poster

Parent Support & Advice Line poster & leaflet

Are you worried about your child's mental health, emotional wellbeing or behaviour?

Parenting can be hugely rewarding but it can also be really hard work, especially if you think your child is unhappy or you are worried about them.

YOU ARE NOT ALONE. TIC+ Cares - we're here to help!

If your child is 0-25 years old and lives in Gloucestershire, call our free, anonymous, confidential helpline during open times to talk to one of our trained parent support advisors.

Parent Support Line: 0800 6525675 Parent Support Web Chat: www.ticplus.org.uk/parents-carers

Open Times Mon & Weds 5pm - 9pm Open times may be subject to change- Check our website for up-to-date information

Tues & Sat 9.30am - 1pm www.ticplus.org.uk

Click here to download the Parent Support & Advice Line poster

Click here to download the Parent Support & Advice Line leaflet

Following on from the successful launch of our Parent Support and Advice Line, we are delighted to let you know that we will be launching a series of Parent Support Groups from April 2020. The service is for parents living in Gloucestershire who are worried about the mental health and emotional wellbeing of their child (between the ages of 11-18).

Funded by NHS Gloucestershire Clinical Commissioning Group, the service will provide 11 different support groups during 2020/21. Groups will take place on a variety of days and times at Gloucester, Forest of Dean and Cheltenham venues.

Research demonstrates that involving parents in supporting their child’s emotional/mental health and wellbeing, ensures young people have better experiences and more positive outcomes. Providing parent support is also shown to prevent later use of both physical and mental health services. Previous pilot groups run by TIC+ have shown that parents continue to meet and support each other after the formal group ends! We are therefore very excited by the impact this service will have for children, young people and their families in Gloucestershire.

Further details can be found on the new Parent Support Group page of our website. Attached are electronic versions of the information leaflet and diary listing all groups - feel free to share.

Parents will need to self-refer by completing the Online Referral Form accessed from the Parent Support button from the home page of our website. Telephone self-referrals are also accepted. (Dec19)

tic+chat launches their new Helpline for children and young people -

25th June 2020

down load tic+ chat flyer

down load tic+chat poster

Impact on children and young people report

As teachers, children and young people across England prepare to go back to school on Monday, I am writing to you to highlight the real possibility of an outpouring of mental health issues amongst returning students that have been hidden during these prolonged periods of repeated lockdown.

The transition back to a more ‘normal’ existence will be difficult enough for some but at TIC+, a Gloucestershire based mental health support charity, we have seen a marked increase in the number of young people over the course of the pandemic who present with suicidal thoughts, plans or attempts. This extremely worrying development was accompanied by an increase in risks of self-harm, compulsive behaviours and unhealthy eating patterns- all resulting in many higher risk clients accessing counselling and help through TIC+ than previously noted. These added complex issues make it clear that there will be a significant and prolonged requirement for support beyond this initial first phase.

This report has been produced by TIC+ and was initially our attempt to better understand the increase in risk we were seeing. It was undertaken by conducting broad research into the impact COVID 19 had on the children and young people seeking and receiving counselling; focus groups of 38 members of the clinical team identified the presenting experienced of approximately 300 children and young people in Gloucestershire

The results provide insight into some of the pressures and issues young people are facing as result of the pandemic that may be resulting in the increase in high-risk behaviours. Five key themes, with several sub themes, emerged; existential issues, education based issues, changes in activity, home/parental issues and health anxieties all featured highly in the experience of the clinicians who took part in the research.

Flyer and Leaflet for parenting support

Parenting support groups flyer

Parenting support leaflet

If it's bothering you, it bothers us

featuring some of the issues being faced by young people and reminding them of the help and services available from TIC+. The video has been co-produced with young people, and features young actors. I’d really appreciate your help in sharing this video widely in Gloucestershire. See the link below:

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