Working together with schools to support children’s mental health
At Kids Inspire, we bridge the gap between education and mental health, helping children who have experienced trauma to thrive in all aspects of their life - including school.
Schools play an important role in supporting children who have faced trauma, by building trusted relationships and identifying concerns early. For many young people, school is the safe place they can turn to when other places feel less secure. Support in schools also normalises mental health and reduces stigma, allowing for healthy, open conversations.
Below, our therapists share their experiences of working in both primary and secondary settings.
How we work with schools?
We work closely with schools to identify needs, coordinate support, and create environments where children can flourish. Our work with schools is flexible and wide-ranging, including:
counselling
creative therapies
parent/carer support
mentoring
educational staff training
A therapist is assigned based on a child’s needs, and support is offered in the most appropriate location - in school, at our head office, or online.
Meeting children where they are
Therapy in schools offers a comfortable, familiar setting where children can access regular support without missing large parts of the school day. Sessions usually take place at consistent times and in the same space each week, helping children feel settled and allowing relationships with therapists to form naturally.
In primary schools, the environment itself becomes part of the therapy process. Children are encouraged to explore and interact with the room, which builds ownership and lowers anxiety.
“Children enjoy exploring the room together with their therapist, finding items and objects they might like to interact with within the space.”
In secondary schools, therapy feels approachable and less formal when it’s part of everyday school life. Sessions often align with lesson changeovers, allowing students to move naturally with their peers and avoid drawing attention.
“Therapy is seen as less ‘official’ and less ‘clinical,’ which reduces anxieties around meeting someone new.”
To make this support fit smoothly within the school routine:
careful scheduling ensures safeguarding and that every young person is accounted for during the day
simple communication systems - such as reminder slips, timetable updates and reception notifications - help sessions run efficiently
When multiple children are seen within the same school, therapists may be able to rotate session times so pupils don’t miss the same subject each week
therapy is kept discreet and normalised, so children don’t have to ‘stand out’ when seeking support
By blending flexibility with consistency, therapy becomes a normal part of school life - helping children feel safe, supported and understood in the place they know best.
Building trusted relationships
Being regularly present in schools allows therapists to build strong, trusting relationships with both children and staff.
Being part of students’ daily environment helps young people feel seen and understood
Weekly sessions encourage collaboration with pastoral leads and involvement in team meetings
This ongoing connection gives staff confidence to raise concerns or make new referrals, and it helps normalise conversations about mental health.
Over time, these trusted relationships strengthen the whole-school approach to wellbeing and create a sense of shared support across the community.
What schools, parents and professionals should know
“Working collaboratively with schools is a wonderful part of the work I do here at Kids Inspire, and has made such a difference to many young people’s confidence and resilience.”
Therapy in schools offers a safe space for children to discuss their concerns - but not every child will want therapy in school. The right approach depends on each child’s experience and preference.
For schools - even those with limited resources - support is possible. Therapists bring all necessary materials, requiring only a consistent and confidential space.
For parents, having therapy available in a familiar environment gives their child a place that is theirs each week, where they feel supported and understood.
For professionals, Kids Inspire offers trauma-informed training, helping staff build understanding, resilience, and a whole-school culture of wellbeing.
“It supports a whole-school approach to understanding trauma and supporting children and families in a trauma-informed way.”
Together, this partnership not only supports children during their therapy sessions but also normalises mental health conversations, creating a school environment where each child feels seen and confident to reach out for help when they need it.
Supporting children who are not in school
While much of our work happens in schools, we know that school isn’t the right or accessible environment for every child. Some children may be home educated, experiencing school-based anxiety, or unable to attend due to other circumstances.
For these young people, we adapt our approach to meet them where they feel most comfortable - whether that’s online, or at our head office. Our therapists work closely with parents, carers and professionals to build trust and help children engage at their own pace.
Every child’s journey looks different, and our focus remains the same: the child at the centre, creating a sense of safety, belonging and connection, wherever that support takes place.
Join us in supporting your pupils’ mental health
Thank you to all the schools already working with us, and for your commitment to supporting the wellbeing of your pupils. For schools and professionals interested in exploring a partnership, we’d love for you to get in touch to see how we can work together to support your students’ mental health.
Further information about working with schools can be found on our schools page.