How can I access family and systemic therapy?

Accessing family therapy on the NHS

Family therapy is available for free from NHS child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) and adult mental health services. Some community mental health teams that support people with moderate to severe or long-term mental health difficulties also offer it.

In England, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) provides national guidance and advice to improve people’s health. Family therapy is the recommended treatment in 652 NICE guidelines, including for eating disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder and severe depression in adolescence. So, it should be offered across England.

In reality, services vary across the UK. NHS family therapy services can be in high demand where they are available locally, and the waiting list may be long.

You can:

• Ask your GP, health visitor or social care professional if you meet the criteria for NHS services and what other help may be available in your area.
• See if you can self-refer to a mental health service through your local healthcare trust’s website. These are different across the UK:
  • In England, it’s your local Integrated Care Board.
  • In Scotland, it’s regional Healthboards.
  • In Wales, it’s local Health Boards or NHS Trusts.
  • In Northern Ireland, it’s Health and Social Care Trusts.
• Ask your school or university counselling service to refer you to a mental health team for family therapy.

Accessing family therapy privately

Some family therapists work independently in what’s called ‘private practice’. Seeing someone privately will be quicker than waiting for family therapy on the NHS and means you will be able to choose who you see.

The fee you’re charged is based on the therapist’s clinical experience, areas of expertise and location. It could range from around £60 to £240.

Contact the individual therapist directly for more information and to book an appointment for you or your family.

Finding a private family therapist

You can:

• Visit our directory of fully-qualified and accredited family therapists.
• Visit the UK Council for Psychotherapy (UKCP)’s ‘Find a Therapist’ directory and search for a ‘family and systemic psychotherapist’, ‘family therapist’, ‘systemic psychotherapist’ and ‘systemic family and couple psychotherapist’.
• Talk to your private medical insurance provider, if you have one, and ask to see a family and systemic psychotherapist.

Checking the family therapist’s credentials

If you’re considering private family therapy, check the practitioner’s qualification certificate to make sure that they have a masters qualification from an Association for Family and Systemic Psychotherapy-accredited course.

You can also check that your therapist is registered with UKCP. UKCP is a professional body which holds a national register of psychotherapists and psychotherapeutic counsellors. All qualified family and systemic psychotherapists listed on the UKCP register adhere to their code of ethics and are covered by their complaints and conduct procedure.

It takes 4 years for someone to become a fully-qualified family and systemic psychotherapist. Only then are they eligible for registration with UKCP and to use the title ‘family and systemic psychotherapist’.

If you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, it’s important to ask the therapist for their status with the Disclosing and Barring Service (DBS). They process criminal record checks. A family therapist should have an ‘enhanced plus barring check’ that has been carried out within the last 3 years. This is the highest-level check and confirms whether a person is barred from working with children or adults who are vulnerable. You can ask to check their DBS certificate.

In Scotland, the equivalent check is with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme.

Accessing low-cost family therapy

There are a number of ways to access low-cost family therapy, including through:

• Private family therapists who operate sliding fee scales dependent on your ability to pay. They might advertise this on their profile on our directory or UKCP’s directory
• Charities or training organisations. They may offer low-cost family therapy with therapists who are in training
• Specialist support organisations, such as Relate
• Local independent services, such as The Child and Family Practice