Our Enhancing Children’s Healthy Opportunities is a programme of support for children and young people funded by Children in Need.

The ECHO counselling project is part of our fab children’s team here at Threshold-DAS at our eFIP, ‘early family intervention programme’ building.

We provide 1-1 counselling and therapeutic play for children ages 8yrs – 19yrs, who have been affected by the experience of domestic abuse. Domestic abuse can be a frightening and confusing experience which affects many children. They can blame themselves, or develop negative thoughts and ideas about themselves which may stay for a lifetime if not approached. Children sometimes become the target of bullying, and can develop coping mechanisms such as self-harm, substance misuse, or behaviour seen as challenging. We provide a safe 1-1 therapeutic counselling relationship where children can work though issues in confidence in a warm, friendly, non-judgemental environment; through counselling and therapeutic play, also offering small group work where useful. Our aim is to help young people build better understanding of healthy relationships and their emotions, promoting respect, assertiveness and self-esteem; working towards ending the cycle of abuse.

For further information on ECHO or to discuss referral, please email the child and young person crisis counsellor Susan Lock (slock@threshold-das.org.uk)

To access our children’s website – ECHO – please click here!