Emotional support for children and young
people
This factsheet contains information around emotional support for
children and young people. It details how to refer a child to our
Emotional Support Service, and signpost to further help and
advice.
Contents:
Part 1: Referring a child to the Emotional Support Service
Part 2: Emotional support resources and information
If a young person you know is persistently angry, depressed,
withdrawn, tearful or acting completely out of character, they may
need help from a professional.
Most young people will have times in their lives when things don't
go smoothly and need some extra support. Sometimes a chat with
an adult they already know, some empathy, and a bit of guidance
as to how to manage new challenges, will be all that's required.
Sometimes it's more sticky than that and problems don't resolve so
easily.
As well as the usual developmental changes and life events that
any child or young person could face, sight loss could complicate
or add to difficulties. For instance:
 being or feeling different could create self-esteem issues, or
make them subject to bullying
 independence may be harder to achieve or may be blocked by
over anxious carers
 shock, anger or depression may occur in response to a
diagnosis or a change in sight, or the realisation that they will
not do some of the things their peers will do (such as learn to
drive).
RNIB – supporting blind and partially sighted people
Registered charity number 226227
RNIB Emotional Support Service (ESS)
The Emotional Support service is for children and young people
aged 11 to 18, who have sight loss. If a child or young person you
know needs to speak with a professional, you can let them know
about this telephone based service.
Emotional support resources and information
You can find details of useful resources and information for
teachers, teaching assistants and other professionals working in
education in relation to supporting the social and emotional needs
of young people.
RNIB Young people's web pages: Tough times and
emotional support
Please encourage any young people you work with to visit our new
Young People's section.
These web pages are specifically for blind and partially sighted
young people which offer advice and guidance on all stages of
their transition from choosing school subjects, planning for the
future and study advice to starting college and university or moving
into employment (including information around work experience,
volunteering, interview skills and CV writing).
The young people's section has been co-designed and reviewed
by young people across the UK and includes information on
leaving home, as well as tough times and emotional support, free
time activities, technology and more. Young people have told us
their stories and experiences of all aspects of transition,
incorporating written, video and audio case studies.
Part 1: Referring a child to the Emotional
Support Service
About the RNIB Emotional Support Service
The Emotional Support service is for children and young people age 11 to 18 - who have sight loss. If a child or young person you
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know needs to speak with a professional, you can let them know
about this telephone based service.
What might a young person experience?
Any young person experiencing sight loss may be finding the
additional issues hard to cope with. A number of things may come
up for them:
 Why me?
 How will I cope in school?
 How will I cope in the future?
 Why don't others understand my needs?
 Am I so different?
These on-going questions are additional to the other issues that
many teenagers face (and can make it all the harder):
 Low self esteem
 Feeling different but desperate to fit in
 Seeking individuality
 Learning to deal with feelings and emotions
Speaking with a professional about these issues - someone who
also understands sight loss and the added issues that can arise can help support them through this process.
The effects of sight loss
The effects of sight loss can arise at any time, so for example a
young person who has been visually impaired since birth could still
be impacted by their sight loss later, perhaps when others of their
age group are becoming more independent, learning to drive,
travelling around more independently, going on dates! These
situations may highlight differences that they hadn't come across
before.
It may be that you've noticed a child who has become more
withdrawn from their friends, or a child that appears angry at the
world. They may be asking questions about their sight loss and
about coping in the future.
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How to refer a child or young person to RNIB
Emotional Support Service
A child or young person (or you with their permission) can call our
service and arrange a call back from one of our counsellors, who
will explain the service and agree a number of sessions with them.
This is done by calling our Helpline on 0303 123 9999 and asking
to be referred to ESS. You will be put through to the Advice team
who will take details and pass them to us. We can also be
contacted by email: ess@rnib.org.uk
If you wish to find out more about the service, or to decide if a
referral is appropriate, you can use the same contact methods and
one of our counsellors will call you to offer some information or
consultancy. Please remember to provide us with a daytime
telephone number.
Referring a child or young person to the service
You can refer a child or young person to our service. Our referral
form can be downloaded at our Guidance on teaching and learning
section.
A young person may also wish to self refer, we have created a
leaflet for young people, explaining the service and how it can
support them. This can be downloaded at our Guidance on
teaching and learning section.
Finding a safe space
The whole service is conducted over the telephone, so you may
need to help the young person find a safe place where they won't
be disturbed. This may be in an office at school, or in a room at
home so long as it is safe, private and they have access to a
telephone.
Like adults, children and young people sometimes need a
confidential space to explore issues without necessarily involving
parents or carers - as with adults this may be done initially to
safeguard their loved ones from worry. The law recognises the
rights of young people to seek help for themselves in this way and
our counsellors follow clear and widely accepted procedures when
working with young clients in this way (See 'Fraser guidelines'
section below). We therefore do not require parental consent to
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provide a service, but will always discuss this with the young
person in an appropriate way, and support them to share if they
want to and can. We also adhere to RNIB safeguarding
procedures for vulnerable children and adults in all cases.
Support on a one off basis
Children and young people with sight loss, who would like to speak
with a counsellor on a one off basis, can be referred to us.
Weekly sessions may not be necessary, but occasionally when a
situation feels unmanageable they may wish to talk it through with
someone who understands the added issues of sight loss.
Fraser Guidelines
These are the legally accepted guidelines for assessing young
people's competence to agree by themselves to receiving a
"treatment" (which includes counselling). For more information on
these guidelines visit the NSPCC website.
RNIB's Emotional Support Service adhere to these guidelines and
assess each client under 16 on a case by case basis as to whether
they are meaningfully able to consent to taking part in counselling.
As explained in our 'Finding a safe place' section above, this is
done in order to give young people confidentiality. Consideration is
always given to whether it is appropriate to involve a parent/carer
and the guidelines cover this. When working with young people we
always explain the necessary limits of confidentiality (to prevent
harm and keep them safe) just as we do with adult clients.
For further information and advice, please email ess@rnib.org.uk
Part 2: Emotional support resources and
information
Here you can find details of useful resources and information for
teachers, teaching assistants and other professionals working in
education in relation to supporting the social and emotional needs
of young people.
Resources
rnib.org.uk
Different Horizons - Information and resources for counsellors
working with clients who are blind or partially sighted
This guide will be of interest and value to counsellors (and other
professionals) working with young people in a variety of settings,
not only 'specialist' services, and will encourage further dialogue,
debate and sharing of learning. This document is presented in two
distinct sections:
Part One explores sight loss from societal, counsellor and client
perspectives, including a narrative discourse based on both
qualitative and quantitative data collected over the last three years.
It is hoped this will help you think about the possible emotional
responses to sight loss and to provoke thought about a client
group who you might be unfamiliar with.
Part Two offers more practical information and guidance on
making counselling accessible to clients who otherwise may never
'appear' in the counselling room; how reduced vision could impact
on the therapeutic relationship; a resource section; background
and statistical information; and suggestions for further reading and
research.
You can download your copy of the Different Horizons guidance at
our Guidance on teaching and learning section.
Gillick competency and Fraser guidelines
These are the legally accepted guidelines for assessing young
people's competence to agree by themselves, to receiving a
"treatment" (which includes counselling).
For more information on these guidelines visit the NSPCC website.
Promoting resilience and well being in Children and Young
People with Sensory Impairment - NatSIP (2012)
Given the critical influence of resilience and well-being in personal
and social development, learning and employment, it is important
to consider how resilience and well-being can be promoted and the
outcomes of intervention demonstrated in any planning process for
CYP with SI, including Education, Health and Care Plans.
This guidance has been developed by a NatSIP working group of
specialists in hearing, vision and multi-sensory impairment. It
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builds upon and complements an earlier NatSIP (2010) document
entitled: 'Promoting Emotional Resilience'.
For further information see our ‘Guidelines and quality standards in
education document’ at our Maintaining quality provision section.
Useful Organisations
Get Connected
Get Connected is a free helpline for young people, who know they
need help but don't know where to find it. (This service is not
specific to young people with sight loss.)Get connected can
contact this service by phone, email and webchat any day of the
year.
CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably)
CALM is a website and helpline particularly aimed at young men
and the things that concern them. It recognises that they don't
always find it easy to talk about emotional difficulties and aims to
fill the gap and reduce suicide and self-harm amongst this group.
Kidscape
Kidscape has been established specifically to prevent bullying and
child sexual abuse. Kidscape works UK-wide to provide individuals
and organisations with practical skills and resources necessary to
keep children safe from harm. The Kidscape staff equip vulnerable
children with practical non-threatening knowledge and skills in how
to keep themselves safe and reduce the likelihood of future harm.
Kidscape works with children and young people under the age of
16, their parents/carers, and those who work with them.
Childline
Childline is a 24 hour confidential helpline (0800 1111) for children
and young people to speak about anything - big or small - that
concerns, stresses or worries them. They can speak as a one-off,
or arrange a series of sessions with the same counsellor. They can
also do this via webchat.
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Childline is part of NSPCC which is a resource for any adult who
has concerns about a child. You can ring their 24 hour helpline for
a consultation (0808 800 5000)
Changing Faces
Changing Faces works with anyone who has a disfigurement and
the parents, carers and professionals. It may be useful for a child
or young person who feels they look different because of their eye
condition.
RNIB Young People's section
If you work with a young person, you may wish to show them the
RNIB young people's section. Our new Young people's section
offers advice and guidance for blind and partially sighted young
people aged from 14 to 25 on all stages of their transition from
school, to college, university and into employment. It has been codesigned and reviewed by young people across the UK and
includes information on emotional support, as well as leaving
home, free time activities, technology and more. Young people will
find written, video and audio case studies from other young people.
rnib.org.uk