For the moments when caring asks more from you.
PARENT & CAREGIVER COMPASS SESSIONS
One-off or short-term focused psychological consultations for parents and caregivers, delivered online.
Support Starts With You
Parents and caregivers are often the first to notice subtle changes in a child’s mood, behaviour, communication, relationships or engagement with school. What those changes mean and how best to respond may be less clear.
You may be considering whether to wait, make changes at home, involve school or seek professional input. Holding these questions can place additional pressure on you and your family.
Supporting parents and caregivers can be an important part of supporting children. Greater understanding, thoughtful guidance and space to consider your own capacity can help you respond more consistently and make informed decisions about what may be needed.
During Compass Sessions, a Clinical Psychologist helps you bring together what you have noticed, consider the developmental, relational and wider contextual factors that may be relevant, and identify practical and proportionate next steps. The sessions also makes room for the impact the situation may be having on you and what may support you in your caregiving role, without becoming personal therapy.
You do not need to have a clear explanation or know exactly what support is required before getti
How We Help
Support for You
We help you clarify what you would like from the session; whether that is a broader reflection on your wellbeing or closer attention to a particular concern, question or decision.
Psychological Perspective
Explore your child’s development, strengths, relationships, experiences, culture and wider circumstances to develop a fuller understanding of what may be happening.
Direction
Translate understanding into practical considerations, tailored strategies or tools that may be helpful, considering next steps and whether further support may be appropriate.
Compass Sessions
Families come to Compass with different questions, concerns and circumstances. You may have a clearly defined issue or a broader sense that something has changed. The consultation is shaped around your child, your family and what would be most useful to consider.
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Anxiety and worry
Low mood and withdrawal
Anger or emotional overwhelm
Challenging behaviours
Connection and communication
Loss and bereavement
Transitions and change
Relocation and migration
School and academic pressures
Relationships difficulties
Identity and self -esteem
Navigating adolescence
Supporting a neurodivergent child
Different parenting or caregiving perspectives
Caring stress and burnout
Whether assessment, therapy, school involvement or another form of support may be appropriate
Compass sessions can also be used when you cannot yet name the difficulty clearly but would value professional help to organise what you have noticed and consider what may be needed.
What to expect
Before your appointment, you will be invited to provide brief information about what brings you to the session and what you would find helpful.
01
Before Your Session
Once your appointment is confirmed, you will be invited to complete a brief confidential form outlining what has prompted the consultation and what you would most value help considering.
02
The Consultation
Your psychologist will help you establish the focus, explore the concern in context and develop a clearer understanding of what may be happening.
Sessions take place online and last 50 minutes when attended by one parent or caregiver, or 60 minutes when two attend together.
03
Recommendations and Next Steps
Together, you will consider practical strategies and any proportionate next steps.
Compass or Child and Adolescent Therapy?
Child and Adolescent Therapy
Child and Adolescent Therapy
Focus
Understanding what may be happening, supporting decision-making and identifying proportionate next steps.
What
Expert psychological guidance and practical direction around how you may respond.
When
The concern is recent or relatively contained, or you are uncertain whether your child requires direct support.
Scope
One-off or short-term.
Child and Adolescent Therapy
Direct therapeutic support for the child or adolescent
Focus
Emotional and psychological wellbeing, behavioural patterns, strengthening coping skills and supporting change over time.
What
Psychological assessment, individually tailored therapy and ongoing review.
When
Difficulties are persistent, recurring or significantly affecting everyday life, or the young person would benefit from their own therapeutic space.
Scope
Ongoing
Compass is not a required first step before child and adolescent therapy. If you already know that you are seeking direct support for your child, you can request an appointment directly. If you are uncertain which service may be most appropriate, you can book a complimentary call.
MOMENTS OF CLARITY
Questions About Compass Sessions
Who is a Compass Session for?
Compass Sessions are for parents and caregivers seeking focused psychological input concerning a child, adolescent or family situation.
You may have a clearly defined concern, be uncertain about how best to respond or want to consider whether your child may require direct psychological intervention. Compass offers professionally held support, psychological perspective and practical direction without beginning therapy for you or your child.
Your child does not need to have a diagnosis or already be receiving support.
How is a Compass Session different from a therapy session?
A Compass Session is a consultation with the parent or caregiver. It focuses on developing understanding, supporting decision-making and considering practical responses and proportionate next steps.
It is not therapy for the parent and does not involve the direct assessment, diagnosis or treatment of the child.
Child and adolescent therapy involves direct work with the young person. It begins with psychological assessment and may continue through regular therapeutic sessions focused on emotional and psychological wellbeing, behavioural patterns, coping skills and change over time.
What happens after a Compass Session?
Towards the end of the consultation, your psychologist will bring together the main themes discussed and consider recommendations and possible next steps with you. There is no expectation that you will continue beyond the session.
Depending on your circumstances, you may decide that the consultation provided sufficient direction, arrange a follow-up Compass session or consider whether a formal psychological assessment, therapy or another form of support may be appropriate.
Can more than one parent or caregiver attend?
Yes. A Compass Session may be attended by one parent or caregiver for 50 minutes, or by two parents or caregivers together for 60 minutes.
Joint attendance may be helpful when both people would benefit from contributing their perspectives and considering a shared response. Please tell us who intends to attend when requesting the appointment so that the suitability and arrangements can be considered in advance.
Begin with REST.
Request a Compass Session, or book a complimentary call if you would first like to discuss whether it is the right starting point.