Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists
What child and adolescent psychotherapists do, how they are registered in the UK, how to check a registration, and NHS and private routes. General information only, not personal advice.
What Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists Do
Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists are mental health specialists who work psychoanalytically with infants, children and young people (from birth to around 25) and with their parents, carers and families. They help young people make sense of feelings and experiences that may show up in behaviour, play, drawing or relationships rather than in words alone — including worry, anger, sadness or confusion that is hard to say out loud. Sessions are tailored to the child’s age and may combine talking, play and careful observation; concurrent work with parents or carers is a usual part of the approach. They often work as part of a wider team in the NHS and other public services, and can support relationships at home and at school as well as the young person’s own emotional wellbeing, concentration and ability to manage everyday life.
Registration and Titles
Members of the Association of Child Psychotherapists are on a register accredited by the Professional Standards Authority. This is the specialist psychoanalytic training that focuses exclusively on children, young people and their families.
How to Check a Registration
Check the practitioner appears as a member of the Association of Child Psychotherapists, whose register is accredited by the Professional Standards Authority.
Our guide on how to check a register explains what to look for. Every practitioner on Therapist Circle shows their register and number on their profile so you can check it yourself.
NHS and Other Routes
In the NHS, child and adolescent psychotherapists work mainly in child and adolescent mental health services and in some children’s hospital and social care teams. Referral usually comes from a GP, school, health visitor or social worker, and some areas accept requests from parents directly. Waiting times vary widely by area.
See finding NHS support and free and low-cost therapy for more routes.
Private Sessions and Fees
Private fees vary by area, experience, session length and setting, so ask each practitioner for their fee, cancellation terms and any reduced-fee places before booking. Our guide to fees, private practice and NHS routes explains what to ask.
Questions to Ask Before You Start
- Which register are you on, and what is your registration number?
- What experience do you have with the kind of difficulty I have?
- How long are sessions, how often, and what do they cost?
- Do you offer online, phone or in-person sessions?
Find Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists
Find Child and Adolescent Psychotherapists on Therapist Circle
Other Professions
Informed by: Association of Child Psychotherapists. Not affiliated with any professional body. If you need urgent help, call NHS 111, Samaritans free on 116 123, or 999 if life is at risk.