'Our doors are open to everyone - we won't turn you away because of where you live or how much you can afford to pay. Our qualified counselling professionals tailor the service to you so that we can be here for you when you need us, for as long as you need us, and no matter what is causing the problem. We will help you to find a way forward, gain in confidence, lead a happier life, and break the cycle.'
What We Do
We are a locally-run charity dedicated for the last 40 years to improving theemotional and mental health of our community. We support anyone over the age of 5 who comes to us for help: last year, we supported 853 people through face-to-face counselling, and many more through training and peer support.This equates to savings of nearly £870,000 to our local NHS and a Social Return on Investment of £40 for every £1 invested in us.We have secured grant funding which allows us to offer counselling free of chargeto anyone with a household income of under £30,000.
We offer counselling for:
- Adult Individuals
- Children and Young people
- Families Affected by Addictions
- Couples
- Those affected by Perinatal issues,
- Family groups
- Schools
We offer peer support groups and a wide range of training courses for professionals and members of the public, including anger management, understanding addiction, mindfulness, and parenting skills. We also encourage people into education and employment through supported volunteering opportunities.
Our Centre in Altrincham is open from 9am-9.30pm Monday – Thursday, from 9am-4.30pm on Fridays, and from 9.30am-1.30pm on Saturdays. For those who can’t reach us, we offer sessions at blueSCI’s centres on the Broomwood Estate and in Old Trafford. We also work with Trafford Domestic Abuse Service and Home-Start Trafford & Salford to offer accessible counselling support including home visits to their most vulnerable service users.
During 2016 we supported 853 clients through face-to-face counselling, ran 35 training courses for professionals and the general public with 258 participants, and ran a Community Café for 4 days a week on a turnover of under £240,000.
At any one time we have between 30 and 35 counsellors, 75% of whom will always be diploma qualified, the remainder being students on placement. The minimum requirement for counsellors is to work with 3 clients, the maximum allowed is 20. There is a mix of salaried, sessionally paid and voluntary counsellors. Additionally we have 6 clinical supervisors (which includes a Clinical Services Manager) and a Training Manager.
A small team of a full time manager, 5 part time staff and over 18 reception and café volunteers provide administrative and hospitality support.
Where We Do It
From our main Centre in Altrincham, in the Broomwood Community Centre in Timperley, in Trafford Domestic Abuse Service office and blueSCI Health & Wellbeing Centre, both in Stretford, in people’s homes in partnership with Homestart Trafford & Salford. We are currently seeking funding to provide counselling within the Probation service offices in Moss Side, and for Mustard Tree in Salford and Ancoats after being invited to provide in house counselling for their service users. .
In 3 schools: a primary, secondary and a special school, and to commission in additional schools e.g. Sale Grammar, where we provided a course on Anger Management; Blessed Thomas Holford – Stress Reduction, Bollin Primary School – Coping with Bereavement.
We have provided tailored services at short notice for other organisations such as Victim Support Greater Manchester and Homestart Trafford & Salford.
Outcomes - The counselling service
All clients self-refer and have a pre-start assessment. Our criteria for accepting clients is simply ‘Are they psychologically available?’ and ‘Is there a focus for the work?’ If these criteria are met and the client wishes to proceed we offer an 8 week cycle of sessions and then re-assessment and re-contracting should the client wish to continue for longer.
We have an internal referral procedure for clients beginning in one part of the service e.g. Couples, and finding they may be better supported in e.g. our Families service, or for clients who request a different counsellor. We offer all our services free of charge for an assessment and up to 8 counselling sessions for all households on a low income.
We receive referrals from a wide range of statutory and third sector organisations including GPs (22.55%), Phoenix Futures (20.95%), Schools (9.88%), BlueSCI (9.49%) Probation services (4.35%), CAMHS (1.58%). 17% of clients come to us via personal recommendation (family and friends) or as a returning client.The most frequent presenting problem is anxiety and stress (34.05%), followed by depression, interpersonal relationships, bereavement and loss. The families and addictions service supports those struggling with a broad spectrum of addictions within the family unit – the most significant being alcohol, present in 57% of all cases. Secondary problems reveal trauma and abuse and self-esteem as frequent issues.
We see 57% of people in less than 2 weeks from their first contact with us.
Of the adults completing their therapy in 2016:
- 89% demonstrated an improvement in functioning
- 87% demonstrated a reduction in problems
- 87% demonstrated a reduction in risk (to self or others)
- 87% demonstrated an improvement in wellbeing
•94% reported an improvement in exploration of feelings/problems
•93% reported an improvement in personal insight/understanding
•76% reported an improvement in coping strategies/techniques
•74% reported an improvement in day to day functioning
•73% reported an improvement in relationships
•67% reported an improvement in control/planning/decision making
•63% reported an improvement in symptoms
Of the children finishing their therapy in 2016:
- 78% experienced positive change.
Average % change in mental health scores based on the difference between the score at assessment and the score at the end of therapy:
•40% improvement in functioning
•49% in problems
•39% in risk
•52% in well being
•45% in overall mental health
Additionally
In addition to our counselling outcomes, our commitment to the community is at the heart of all we do. During the last 12 month period 3 of our café volunteers have left to move into further training and 2 have moved into employment. We have an ongoing relationship with Styal prison to provide ‘in to work’ placement opportunities.
Quality Assurance
We are a BACP Accredited Counselling Organisation, registered on the Trafford Framework as provider of Early Help Services, and on the Approved Provider Register for Schools Counselling in Salford.
There is separate line management for organisational and clinical matters, with regular team meetings to ensure clear and effective communication. The organisation is managed by a Relate-qualified counsellor.
Our counsellors and supervisors have been trained by a number of different institutions including Manchester, Salford and Keele Universities, and their theoretical starting point is equally wide ranging – from Person Centred to Psychodynamic, Gestalt, Transactional Analysis. Our training adds a solution focus and additional skills. Our belief is that in this way we can provide the most flexible and appropriate response to those that come to us for support.
The Counsellor Journey at CFC
•New counsellors are recruited at two points in the year following a rigorous application process. If accepted, both student and qualified counsellors undertake a mandatory training programme before they can begin to work with clients. This includes Safeguarding, the use of CORE, (our monitoring and evaluation tool), Contracting and Ending, a pre-start supervision and a DBS check.
•Students work with adult individuals only. Prior to beginning with their counsellor all these clients will have been assessed by a qualified and further trained counsellor as to their suitability to be seen by a student.
•Qualified counsellors and students wishing to remain after qualification have mandatory training in Assessment skills (CORE tool) and repeat their intake training at least every 3 years.
•Qualified counsellors wishing to work with clients in any further areas we offer e.g. Children & Young People, Couples, Families Addiction Support, must undertake further training. This is a 7 day module, provided in house, and 100 hours of closely supervised specialist supervision.
Clinical Supervision
•Clinical direction and supervision is provided by our BACP Accredited Clinical Lead supervisor.
•Monthly 1:1 and case supervision group attendance is mandatory, as is an annual clinical appraisal.
•Supervision is provided by a team of 6 supervisors, one of whom is the Clinical Lead supervisor, who also provides monthly consultative support for the supervisory team.
Research
We are about to undertake a longitudinal study (3 years) of the efficacy of our model, supported by our trustee, Tony Butterworth Emeritus Professor, CBE, FMedSci, FRCN, FQNI, FRCPsych (Hon). Chairman, Foundation of Nursing Studies, Vice Chair RCN Foundation and with the guidance and oversight of Steven Pryjmachuk, PhD, PGDipEd RN (Mental Health) CPsychol SFHEA.Professor of Mental Health Nursing Education and Director of NHS Education Contracts & External Liaison, University ofManchester.
Training
Our annual programme is comprised of:
- An ‘In house’ mandatory training programmes for both counselling and operational teams.
- For counsellors and related professionals
In 2016 the calendar included 1 day workshops such as:
- ‘Understanding Post Natal Depression – More than just the baby blues’
- ‘An Introduction to Transactional Analysis’
- ‘Understanding Group Dynamics’
- Addictive Relationships with Food’
- ‘Working with Trauma’
And 7 day training programmes in:
- Counselling Couples
- Working with Families
- For the public
In 2016 the calendar included 6-8 week courses such as:
- ‘CALM US – for those affected by a loved one’s addiction’
- ‘Building Self-Esteem and Confidence’
- ‘Dealing with Anger Effectively’
- ‘I’m a Parent Get Me Out of Here – for parents of teenagers’
- Tailored
On request e.g. for blueSCI – ‘Core conditions’ for the FLAIR provider teams, ‘Managing Stress’ for Blessed Thomas Holford school, ‘Coping with Bereavement’ for Bollin Primary school.
Informal Feedback
We have both case studies and quotations – all our clients are routinely given an informal feedback sheet at the end of their therapy.
Some examples taken from 2016 feedback (adults)
•Everyone, from reception to counsellor put me at ease, I felt comfortable in the sessions and therefore able to divulge personal issues which I'd not discussed ever before. Someone listened, didn't judge and quietly suggested strategies
•Flexibility to work with us in different ways. Gentle approach but challenging ideas - good balance.
•Do any rich and famous people use this service, as I think it is better than BUPA and the Priory?
•Worked on ways for me to rationalise crippling guilt and to breakdown massively distressing situations into smaller components that I could manage. I feel so much better about myself and I know I will have a bright future whatever-I owe it to me
•Helped me change my whole mind-set in a short period of time.
Some examples taken from 2016 feedback (children and young people)
•I am meditating every night. I don’t self-harm (five weeks clean!) and I’m a lot happier with my parents and family. I’m less panicky too. I’m happier in myself and being even more open to others. I talk more and have a more positive attitude and have more energy. Simply it has really helped!I was really reluctant to come but I love it and it turned my world upside down.
•I wish I could see you every day because you get to play and it makes me feel happier
•Yes I am behaving different in class and don’t do anything bad and making the right choices.
•Yes the PRU teachers haven’t been picking on me and I think I am getting closer to being back in mainstream school
12 June 2017