Kent Therapeutic Support Service

What is this service?

The new Children and Young People’s Therapeutic Support Service (TSS) supports children and young people in Kent who would benefit from support to improve their emotional wellbeing.

It is likely that all children and young people will experience challenging life events and transitions as they grow up. Many can navigate this with the support that they have around them but some will need extra help.

The TSS works within the i-THRIVE Framework within the quadrants of ‘seeking advice’ and ‘getting help’, to make sure that children and young people can access the support that they need to help improve their emotional wellbeing and mental health. More information about i-THRIVE can be found here: i-THRIVE – Kent Resilience Hub.

Specifically, this service will support those who are:

Seeking Advice: Children and young people adjusting to life circumstances, with mild or temporary difficulties, as well as those with chronic, fluctuating or ongoing difficulties, for which they are choosing to manage their own health and/or are on the road to recovery.
Getting help: Children and young people who would benefit from more focussed, evidence based support with clear goals.

Who is it for?

TSS is available for all children and young people who:

Are aged 4 (school entry age) – 18 (up to 19th birthday)
Live in Kent or attend a Kent education setting
Are experiencing mild to moderate emotional well-being needs
Would benefit from a brief period of early intervention or support
Are not at immediate risk of suicide and/or significant self-harming behaviour
Are able to access support either face to face, online or by telephone

Mild emotional well-being needs are those which have a limited impact on daily life and are short-term or situation specific. They may be temporary or only present occasionally and don’t result in heightened risk to the child or young person.

Moderate well-being needs have a more noticeable impact on daily life across different environments. The needs are likely to be ongoing or persistent and risk, while still not high, has the potential to escalate.

What does it offer?

TSS provides a wide range of evidence-based, flexible, accessible support options. This includes therapeutic, targeted and psychoeducation interventions, depending on the needs and wishes of the child, young person and their family.

Some examples of the areas we can provide support for are:

mild anxiety or low mood
anger difficulties
exam stress
issues in managing behaviour
adjustment and transition stress (education-based)
attachment and relationship difficulties with family and peers
adverse childhood experiences
emerging self-harm
gender incongruence
self-esteem, self-confidence, and resilience difficulties
bullying

We are led by the child or young person so, support may be group-based or 1-1 and can be offered face-to-face, virtually or via telephone; in spaces they feel most comfortable in.

Where is it available?

The service is available to children and young people who live in Kent or attend a Kent education setting.

Next Steps

Anyone can refer to TSS, including parents, professionals and the child or young person themselves.

We only accept referrals with the informed consent of the child or young person and their parent/carer (where appropriate).

If you would like to discuss a possible referral, please get in touch with the team by calling 01303 667 700. Lines are open from 9am – 3pm Monday – Friday (9am – 5pm from 10/11/2025 onwards).

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