Specialist, affordable counselling for children aged 5+, in Basingstoke.

Children's Counselling in Basingstoke

If your child is struggling, you don't have to navigate it alone. Our specialist child-trained counsellors offer a warm, welcoming space where children aged 5 and over can explore what's troubling them, whether that's anxiety, a family change, a difficult experience, or simply feeling "not themselves."

We offer sessions in Basingstoke in an accessible location close to the town centre.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Specialist children's counselling you can trust

Founded in 2018, we are a not-for-profit Community Interest Company, and the funds from our training and services go towards reducing costs for families facing financial barriers to support. But just as importantly, we know that when it comes to your child, you need to be confident they’re in safe, capable hands.

Every one of our children’s counsellors is:

  • Specially trained to work with children, with the skills and experience to support young clients aged 5+
  • Enhanced DBS checked
  • A fully registered member of a professional body such as BACP or NCPS, working within its ethical framework
  • Fully insured and in regular clinical supervision
  • Safeguarding trained, with a designated safeguarding lead overseeing our practice
Book Your Initial Assessment
Counselling for Children in Basingstoke

Signs your child might benefit from counselling

Children don’t always have the words to tell us they’re struggling. It often shows up in their behaviour instead. You might consider counselling if you’ve noticed your child:

  • Seeming more withdrawn, anxious, tearful, or low than usual
  • Behaving "out of character," or struggling to manage big emotions and outbursts
  • Having trouble sleeping, or changes in their appetite
  • Becoming reluctant to go to school, or struggling with friendships
  • Losing interest in things they used to enjoy
  • Reacting strongly to a change or difficult event at home

Trusting your instincts matters. If something feels “off” and it’s hard to manage on your own, you don’t have to wait for a crisis. Early support can make a real difference.

Book Your Initial Assessment

How children's counselling can help:

Counselling gives your child a safe place to make sense of what they’re feeling, at their own pace.

Our sessions can support children experiencing:

Anxiety & Worry

Persistent worries, fears, or physical symptoms like tummy aches and trouble sleeping that get in the way of everyday life.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Low Mood & Sadness

Ongoing sadness, low motivation, or loss of interest in things they used to enjoy.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Family Change & Separation

Adjusting to parental separation or divorce, a new family structure, or changes at home.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Bereavement & Loss

Coping with the death of someone close, or other significant losses, at their own pace.

Book Your Initial Assessment

School & Friendship Difficulties

Pressure at school, struggles with friendships, bullying, or difficulty fitting in.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Difficult or Traumatic Experiences

Processing a frightening, upsetting, or traumatic event in a safe, supported way.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Confidence & Self-Esteem

Building self-worth and resilience when a child feels low about themselves.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Behavioural Changes

When a child is acting differently or finding their emotions hard to manage.

Book Your Initial Assessment
Anxiety & Worry

Persistent worries, fears, or physical symptoms like tummy aches and trouble sleeping that get in the way of everyday life.

Low Mood & Sadness

Ongoing sadness, low motivation, or loss of interest in things they used to enjoy.

Family Change & Separation

Adjusting to parental separation or divorce, a new family structure, or changes at home.

Bereavement & Loss

Coping with the death of someone close, or other significant losses, at their own pace.

School & Friendship Difficulties

Pressure at school, struggles with friendships, bullying, or difficulty fitting in.

Difficult or Traumatic Experiences

Processing a frightening, upsetting, or traumatic event in a safe, supported way.

Confidence & Self-Esteem

Building self-worth and resilience when a child feels low about themselves.

Behavioural Changes

When a child is acting differently or finding their emotions hard to manage.

Our approach to working with children

  • Child-Led & Creative

    Children often express themselves more easily through play, art, and creativity than through conversation, especially younger children. Our counsellors are trained to follow your child's lead and make sense of their inner world through whatever feels natural to them, whether that's talking, drawing, or play. Sessions take place in a comfortable, child-friendly space where your child can feel genuinely at ease.

  • A Safe, Neutral Space

    Most importantly, your child has the chance to talk to a neutral adult who isn't a parent, sibling, or relative. This takes away any worry about being a burden and frees them to open up about what's really troubling them. Our childhood experiences shape us for years to come, and giving a child a space that's just for them can make a lasting difference to their wellbeing, confidence, and development.

Book Your Initial Assessment
Counselling for Children in Basingstoke

What to expect

We know reaching out (whether for yourself or your child) can feel daunting, so we keep the process simple and reassuring.

Complete our referral form using the button on this page, and our team will be in touch.

We’ll match your child with a suitable specialist children’s counsellor.

A first session with you and your child together to begin getting to know your child and the difficulties they’re bringing, and to help them feel comfortable.

Weekly 50-minute sessions, with the same counsellor each time, in a consistent and familiar space.

  • Sessions run on an ongoing basis with no maximum limit, and your counsellor will usually review how things are going every 6 sessions. Your child can always return for support in the future if they need it.

Your role as a parent:

You’re an important part of your child’s progress. We’ll talk with you about how we keep you appropriately informed, and the support that continues at home often makes the biggest difference of all, while still protecting the confidential space your child needs to open up.

No GP referral needed:

You can refer your child directly, there’s no need for a GP letter or to be on a CAMHS waiting list. Just complete the form and we’ll take it from there.

A note on confidentiality:

Your child’s sessions are confidential, which helps them feel safe to open up. There are rare circumstances (usually relating to safeguarding) where a counsellor may need to share information to keep your child safe, and this is always explained clearly from the start.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Affordable children's counselling

As a not-for-profit organisation, we keep our fees as low as possible. As a specialist area of counselling, children’s sessions are charged at £60 per 50-minute session, payable in advance via direct debit.

We never want cost to be a barrier to a child getting support, so we also offer a sliding scale based on your family’s financial circumstances. Please enquire to find out more about reduced-fee options.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Your questions answered...

We offer counselling to children aged 5 years and upwards. For older teenagers and young people, please see our youth counselling service.

Yes. All our children's counsellors are enhanced DBS checked, specially trained to work with children, professionally-registered, fully insured, and in regular clinical supervision, and we have a designated safeguarding lead overseeing our practice.

No, you can refer your child to us directly. There's no need for a GP letter or a CAMHS referral; simply complete our form to get started.

A child's sessions are confidential, which is what allows them to feel safe enough to open up. We'll talk with you about how we keep you appropriately informed, and the only time a counsellor would share specific information is where it's necessary to keep your child safe.

That's completely normal, especially at first. Our counsellors build trust gently and at the child's pace, often through play and creative activities rather than direct conversation. There's no pressure on your child to talk about anything before they're ready.

Progress isn't always linear, but over time many parents notice their child seeming calmer, more confident, or more themselves. Your counsellor will review progress with you roughly every 6 sessions.

Unfortunately due to the nature of the sessions often involving some form of art, play or creativity, at present sessions for children aged 5-10 are only available in-person at our Basingstoke office.

Keep it simple and reassuring, let them know they'll be meeting a friendly adult whose job is to listen and help, and that there's nothing they have to talk about. We're happy to advise further when you get in touch.

Our face-to-face sessions take place at The Orchard, White Hart Lane, Basingstoke, RG21 4AF a central and accessible location with onsite parking.

Complete our referral form using the booking button on this page, or contact us on 01256 423892 or contact@mindspacefoundation.co.uk.

Book Your Initial Assessment

Please click the link below and enter your details in the form. A member of the team will be in touch with you regarding the next steps.
Book Initial Assessment

Why choose Mindspace for your child's counselling

  • Specialist child-trained counsellors. Experienced in working specifically with children aged 5+
  • Safe and accountable. Enhanced DBS checked, professionally registered, insured, supervised, with safeguarding oversight
  • No GP referral needed. Refer your child directly, no waiting list to join
  • Affordable, not-for-profit. Low fees with reduced rates available on a sliding scale
  • Local to Basingstoke. Central town-centre premises, serving families across Hampshire
  • A space that's just for them. A confidential, judgement-free place for your child to be heard
Counselling for Children in Basingstoke

Help your child feel heard

If you’re worried about your child, reaching out is a positive first step, and we’re here to make it easy. Complete our referral form and our compassionate team will guide you through what happens next.

Book Your Initial Assessment
Mindspace Foundation

Join Our Counselling Services Newsletter

Our periodic newsletter is full of news about our 1:1 and online counselling services, as well as information that will support your mental health.