One-to-one and group support

One-to-one counselling

Many children and young people in care have been through multiple adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and experienced considerable trauma. This can have a negative impact on every aspect of their life – including their mental health, relationships and education. Without adequate intervention, it can significantly affect their ability to reach their potential and lead happy, healthy and fulfilling lives.

The Roots Foundation Wales offers free one-to-one counselling sessions to support young people who have experienced trauma and improve their wellbeing. The counselling sessions are bespoke to each young person and designed to help them with specific challenges they are facing as a result of their experiences. Our aim is to help young people to process and manage their emotions, build resilience and be better able to engage with the other activities we provide.

Our counselling services are provided by qualified and registered external counsellors who are contracted by The Roots Foundation Wales.

To be eligible for counselling, a referral form must be submitted by the local authority, school/college or care provider and approved by The Roots Foundation Wales. Places cannot be guaranteed.

Group support

Our group support sessions provide opportunities for care leavers and young people in care to gain support, advice and guidance – in a safe, secure environment where they can ask questions, feel listened to, and be amongst peers that they can connect with and trust.

These sessions cover a broad range of important issues that affect young people, such as exploitation, substance misuse, domestic violence, sexual health and relationships, internet safety, housing and benefits.

Our group sessions also enable our young people to socialise and make friends with others who are care experienced.

Our current weekly support groups are:

• Boys’ group (12 to 16 year olds)

• Girls’ group (12 to 16 year olds)

• Older youth group (17 to 21 year olds).

We also host bespoke workshops by guest facilitators – offering additional support and experiences for young people on a variety of topics and areas of activity. These include arts and crafts, music, mindfulness activities and other learning and development opportunities.

In addition to providing support for care leavers and young people in care, we offer weekly support groups to kinship carers. Our Carers coffee mornings are an opportunity for those providing kinship care to seek advice, guidance, support and friendship in a warm, welcoming environment.

Our impact – kinship carer case study:

Tom

Tom came to live at one of our independent living flats at The Roots Foundation Wales having just turned 16 years old, after losing his foster carer to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tom had lived in care from the age of XX and had been in XX foster care placements. Tom was initially very withdrawn when he arrived at Roots, and this was increased by the prospect of living semi-independently – something that he had never done before. Tom also lacked some essential practical skills and knowledge needed to survive and thrive whilst living independently.

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Through our Transition to independent living programme of tailored one-to-one support, we were able to work with Tom to build his social capacity, life skills and knowledge. We focused on a range of practical skills such as cooking independently and managing finances, so that Tom could put in place his own budgeting plans for things such as food and bills.

We supported Tom to open his own bank account and set up direct debits, to pay his weekly service charges. As a result of Tom’s engagement with this support, he was able to develop positive habits of looking after his money and make payments for when he later moved out to a place of his own.

We also worked with Tom to improve his mental health and resilience, which involved carrying out wellbeing sessions where Tom could learn to manage his emotions.

Tom identified this as being as important to him as the practical elements of independent living skills.

Our Story

For Young People