Professionals

We aim to work closely with relevant partners and professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for children and young people

Referral Criteria

We accept referrals for children aged between 4 and 18 years who are living in North Tyneside or Northumberland. Referrals for our adult family services can be accepted once a child has been placed on the waiting list. We advise you to read our Referral Guidance prior to submitting a Referral Form and to provide as much relevant information as possible to support our assessment and allocation process. If you would like to discuss a potential referral into Acorns please do not hesitate to contact us.


Making a referral for our counselling and therapeutic services

Referral Forms can be downloaded below, or by contacting Acorns on 0191 349 8366 or referrals@acornsproject.org.uk

Please ensure you read the Referral Guidance before filling in the Referral Form.

We require consent from a parent or guardian, as as well as age appropriate consent from the child or young person being referred.


Making a First Response referral

For young people age 11+ requiring more immediate support in response to crisis, it may be appropriate to refer into our First Response Service.

Referral Forms for First Response can be downloaded below, or by contacting Acorns on 0191 349 8366 or referrals@acornsproject.org.uk

Please ensure you read the Referral Guidance before filling in the First Response Referral Form.


Counselling and therapy placements

Here at Acorns we provide a limited number of student/volunteering placement opportunities within our Adult Counselling service only. We usually recruit when we have capacity to take on more students/volunteers, so please keep an eye out for job adverts, in order to apply.

Our training placements are generally only suitable for students who are in the their 2nd year of the foundation degree (level 5) or above and who have had some previous placement experience already. Ideally some experience of working with domestic abuse, trauma or in other helping professions would be required also.

Volunteer counsellor/therapist placements would suit people who are already qualified at least to foundation degree level in counselling or in other therapeutic modalities and who are looking to increase their experience and knowledge of working in the field of domestic abuse. We don’t currently offer other forms of volunteering opportunities.

If successful at interview stage, we usually ask for a commitment of at least 6 months, but there may be scope to stay longer. We would expect our students and volunteers to be registered with the BACP or equivalent, but in-house clinical supervision/line management would be provided as would opportunities for CPD. Students and volunteers would be covered by our indemnity insurance and an enhanced DBS would be applied for.

If you have any further questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.


Visit us

We schedule regular visits and open days for those wishing to find out more about Acorns. If this is something that interests you, please contact us.

Contact us