Information and resources for practitioners
This page brings together information and resources from across the sector to support frontline practitioners at Youth Information, Advice and Counselling Services (YIACS).
This page is a constant work in progress - we will add information and resources as they come to our attention. Do you have any suggestions for resources to add to this page? E-mail our Communications and Digital Officer, Jonathan: Jonathan@youthaccess.org.uk
Guidance and resources for remote services
Practice guidance and resources, including template policies and forms, for delivering remote services.
Ideas and tools for engaging young people through remote activities
Digital tools, ideas and guidance for organising fun and engaging remote activities with young people.
Information for supporting young people through the crisis
Information and resources to help you support and advise young people on mental health, legal and financial issues resulting from the coronavirus crisis.
Training and CPD opportunities
Online training programmes to give you the skills you need to deliver high quality remote services.
Resources to promote wellbeing
Resources to help you and your colleagues protect your mental health and wellbeing during the crisis.
Guidance and resources for remote services
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Youth Access remote support toolkit
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Our new remote support toolkit pulls together best practice learning on how to support young people’s mental health and wellbeing remotely in a safe and accessible way. It's been designed to make it easy for you to find the information you need to provide engaging online services at your organisation, whether you have a remote offer that you're looking to strengthen, or are embarking on offering remote support for the first time. |
Anna Freud Centre: Support for mental health professionals
- Advice for professionals on working through the Covid-19 pandemic. Access it here.
Association for Counselling and Therapy Online (ACTO) resources:
- Advice and guidance for clients and non-ACTO therapists on accessing and delivering therapy online during the coronavirus outbreak.
- Guidance on self-care when working online [pdf].
- Guidance on security and privacy for therapists.
- Note on whether Skype is a suitable tool for online therapy, and why Zoom may be more suitable [pdf].
- 10-point guide to using Zoom for therapists and their clients [pdf].
British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) resources:
- Ethical framework for the counselling professions.
- Good practice factsheet: Working online in the counselling professions [PDF].
- Example client information sheet for clients taking part in video (Zoom) sessions.
- This guide was produced in 2017 as part of our Digitalk project, and includes practical information on things like safeguarding, choosing the right platform and creating safe and welcoming online communities for young people. Full info and free download here.
IAPT guide for delivering treatment remotely during the coronavirus pandemic
- This guidance is IAPT providers and their clinical teams who are planning for the continued delivery of IAPT services via non face-to-face methods, and should support the contingency planning already underway for a range of resource-constrained scenarios. It will be updated as required. Download here [pdf].
NSPCC: Example online safety policy statement and agreement
- An example online safety policy statement and an example online safety agreement, which you should tailor according to the context of your organisation. Access it here.
NSPCC Podcast: enhancing online safety for children
- This episode focuses on how to enhance online safety for children and young people in your group or organisation and how to deal with any online issues that might arise. Listen here.
Psychological Professions Network: Remote Delivery of Services
- Guidance for the Psychological Professions in England during the COVID-19 Pandemic. Download it here [PDF].
Safer Internet Centre: Video Conferencing for Children: Safeguarding and Privacy Overview
- A look at the safeguarding and privacy features of some popular video conferencing apps, including Microsoft Teams, Google Hangouts and Zoom. Read the overview here.
SALTO: Developing digital youth work
- Online toolkit for digital youth work. Access it here.
Students Against Depression: Template client safety plan
- A template client safety plan for young people who are struggling with depression. Download it here.
UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP) Guidance
- Guidance for moving to remote working with existing child clients during the Covid-19 crisis and template risk assessment. Read it here [PDF].
Visyon: Guidelines and consent form for remote counselling
- Documents from Youth Access member Visyon which could help you when developing your own policies and documents for remote counselling. Please note that these are documents produced for Visyon staff - other organisations will need to research and do what is right and safe for their organisation and clients, in line with the latest guidance.
Ideas and tools for engaging young people through remote activities
10 tips for facilitating Zoom meetings with young people
- We've put together a list of top tips for getting the most out of Zoom to create safe and engaging online spaces for young people. Read it here.
- A website dedicated to digital youth work in Europe, including best practices, training materials, guidelines and tips. Access the site here.
- A free ebook guide to leading online courses, meetings, trainings and events during the coronavirus pandemic. Download it here [pdf]
Mural: Guide to Facilitating Remote Workshops
- A guide from the creators of Mural, a digital workspace for visual collaboration, on facilitating remote workshops. Download it here.
Skill IT: Training toolkit for youth workers
- The toolkit provides instructions on how to hold a workshop for young people on selected competences and presents theory and research-based facts on the work related to digital enhancement needs, as well as ready-to-use scenarios. Download it here (PDF).
Social Media Today: An Overview of Effective Live-Streaming for Nonprofit Organizations
- Article presenting an overview of livestreaming, from choosing the platform to getting the topic right and creating a buzz with promotion. Read it here.
Youth Work Support: Information portal for youth workers
- Resources, information and guidance for youth workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Browse the portal here.
UK Youth: A guide to delivering digital youth work
- A response to delivering high quality digital youth work during the COVID-19 public health crisis and beyond. Download it here [pdf].
Information for supporting young people through the pandemic
- Guidance for education settings and local authorities about children supported through social care, with EHC plans or identified as vulnerable by their school or local authority. Read it here.
- Advice for care-leavers during and after Covid19. Access the interactive PDF here.
- Briefing for mental health services on supporting children and young people during the covid-19 outbreak, including information on mental health support implications of emergency legislation, medicines, safeguarding children, youth isolation and loneliness, young carers and advice and guidance for children, young people and their families. Read the full briefing here [pdf].
Association of Child Protection Professionals: Stress, trauma and survival responses during COVID-19
- Interview with Dr Karen Treisman about how children, families and practitioners are coping with the stress and trauma brought by COVID-19 and what to expect as we come out of lockdown. Read it here.
MedAct: Supporting migrants to healthcare access during this crisis
- Blog from MedAct on ensuring that migrants are able to access the healthcare they are entitled to during the crisis. Read it here.
NSPCC: 5 steps to update your safeguarding policies and procedures
- Five steps to help you consider what updates your organisation might need to make to your policies and procedures to ensure children are kept safe. Read it here.
- Support for advice workers throughout the coronavirus crisis, including:
- Safeguarding information and guidance, including for volunteers helping others through the crisis, and using technology and social media to work with children and young people at risk. Find all the information here.
Safeguarding young people through the pandemic
- A guide to safeguarding during the Covid-19 pandemic. Download it here [pdf].
Youth Justice Legal Centre (part of Just for Kids Law): Legal updates
- Updates on legislation and caselaw and the implications for supporting young people in criminal justice settings during the pandemic. Find all the updates here.
Youth Work Support: Information portal for youth workers
- Resources, information and guidance for youth workers during the coronavirus pandemic. Browse the portal here.
Training and CPD opportunities
Academy for Online Counselling & Psychotherapy CPD Courses
- A variety of CPD courses which also count towards a Modular Diploma in Online Counselling & Psychotherapy or can be used towards your CPD portfolio. £95 per course. Find out more here.
BIHR: Training on human rights during the coronavirus outbreak
- The British Institute of Human Rights (BIHR) is offering bespoke training packages for organisations on human rights during the coronavirus outbreak. Find out more here.
- Series of webinars (uploaded in video format) on how to support children and young people online during the pandemic. Access them here.
- A variety of online courses, including a different free course each week curated by reknowned therapist Pooky Knightsmith. Browse all courses here.
Kate Anthony: COVID19 Telehealth course: Moving your practice online
- 8-10 hour course specially created to keep the mental health profession going during the coronavirus emergency. This training does not qualify you as an online therapist. Pay what you can. Find out more here.
- Free courses for you to learn digital skills to stay safe and connected. Find out more here.
- A variety of online courses on delivering online support from The Mix. Find out more here.
- Training on protecting children from increased online risk. 4 hours, £35 per person. Find out more here.
Online Events: 'Behind the Screen' - Working Online
- A video series providing an up-to-date overview of the opportunities and challenges that exist for therapists working in a technological age. Find out more here.
Open University: How to do counselling online: a coronavirus primer
- 6 hours CPD in online counselling for qualified practitioners. Find out more here.
Online Training for Counsellors: Introduction to E-Counselling Skills
- 16 hour self-study course, £210. Find out more here.
Privacy 4: Privacy in online therapy
- Training to help you protect your clients and yourself online. Course is free during the coronavirus pandemic. Find out more here.
- A variety of massive open online courses (MOOCs) focusing on youth work. Browse the courses here.
Resources to promote wellbeing
- 10 tips to help if you are worried about coronavirus.
- 7 simple tips to tackle working from home.
- Mental wellbeing while staying at home.
BACP resources
- Blog: How to look after your wellbeing while working from home
- Self-care resources for BACP members
- BACP members' community on Facebook
- Wellbeing Action Plan for working from home. Access it here.
- A collection of home-based, creative ways to support mental health during these unique and uncertain times, including links to a variety of free online cultural experiences. Browse here.
- Tools to help your mental health. Browse them here.
Mental Health Foundation: How to look after your mental health during the Coronavirus outbreak
- Collection of resources to help you improve and protect your mental health, including while working, staying at home and looking after children. Find all the advice here.
- Templates for Wellness Action Plans to protect workplace mental health, as well as guides to Wellness Action Plans for employees and managers.
Psychology Today: Dealing with Zoom anxiety
- Article on what leads to Zoom anxiety and how to reduce it. Read it here.
Small Charities Coalition: Guide to better mental health and wellbeing during Covid-19
- A guide to looking after your mental health and wellbeing, including sections on working from home, friends, community and family, exercise and personal happiness. Find it here [pdf].
