Presentation to VINCE

Face-to-FaceCounselling Service

24th March 2011

Who Are We?• Counselling service operating in Liverpool &

Manchester

• Operating since October 2009

• Offer Counselling to Visually Impaired clients & relatives affected by sight loss

• From point of diagnosis and beyond

• Presenting issues do not have to be sight loss itself

Why?• Identified a need

• Waiting list for local counselling services

• Crucial part of our service delivery model

• Emotional support – is a core component of what we do

How are we funded?• Grant Funded

• 3 years through Third Sector Investment Fund

• Have to look at alternative funding to sustain project

• GP Commissioning

• Local Authorities

• Further Grant Fund

• Employee Assistance Programmes etc

How are we doing?• Person Centred model is working

• CORE evaluation tool - data not yet analysed but prelim results show improvement & therapeutic movement

• Brief interventions

• Quality of therapy not quantity of clients!

• 150 referrals 50 clients engaged

• 30% newly diagnosed

• 30% sight loss diagn > 6 months ago

• 20% congenital sight impairment

Client Issues• Loss of role

• Loss of self

• Fear of future

• Adjustment as sight deteriorates

• Discrimination

• Bereavement

• Relationships

• Denial, uncertainty, resentment, anger, frustration

• Depression

Referrers• Action staff 28%

• ROVI 25%

• ECLO 13%

• Self referral 11%

• Other* 22%

* LVSB, Social Workers, Medical etc

Barriers• Source of clients – not a ready referral point in

• Not being part of clinical pathway

• Perception of profession

• Counselling as a concept – older people

• Client ownership, territorial nature of competing services

• Professional resistance – Person centred model

• Strategic effort needs as much as therapeutic service – balancing act, work in progress

• Chicken or egg – volunteers

• Geographical

Solutions

• Based in local voluntary society and in Sensory service

• Negotiation with eye hospital to work collaboratively

• Regularly revisit marketing plans

• Shadowing other professionals to build relationships

• Home visits curtailed - resources / client autonomy

• Establish service before taking volunteers

Things to Think about

• Check list for setting up a service

• Where are the clients - who will be your referrers?

• Are there any competing counselling services?

• How embedded are you?

• Have you mapped your pathways?

• Do referrers understand how your service fits?

• Do you have a plan for networking & promotion?