Children & young peoples community mental health and wellbeing therapeutic services

OTR delivers a comprehensive and accessible [direct/in person] emotional wellbeing service for children and young people across Bath and North East Somerset, providing school-based counselling in 14 secondary schools, community counselling in Keynsham and Midsomer Norton, and listening support and counselling for young adults aged 18-25. The service offers confidential, person-centred support for a wide range of emotional and mental health needs, including anxiety, low mood, relationship difficulties, bereavement, stress and self-esteem issues, through a combination of structured counselling and early-intervention listening sessions.

The model is designed to improve resilience, wellbeing and clinical outcomes, while maintaining strong links with schools, CAMHS, primary care and wider community services. The enhanced delivery offer includes a dedicated Safeguarding Officer who provides specialist oversight, brief safeguarding interventions for young people presenting with increased risk, staff training, quality assurance, and partnership working, ensuring that support is safe, responsive, trauma-informed and aligned with statutory safeguarding requirements.

Provision of a counselling service for children and young people who need supportive counselling as a single intervention for the assessment and treatment of emotional distress which may include: • bullying • friendships • stress • anger • grief • anxiety Service to be provided in two settings: 1) School-based counselling • Educational settings across Bath and North East Somerset. • 6 hours per week of face-to-face counselling per week in each educational setting for 35 weeks of academic year. • 'Listening sessions' no more than 60 mins per day 2) Community- based counselling • Two sites: Keynsham and Midsomer Norton. • Support to hard to reach children and young people. • Evening sessions for 50 weeks each year. • Min. 700 hours of face-to-face provision per annum. BSW ICB is directly awarding a contract to the existing provider Off the Record in accordance with the criteria outlined in Regulation 9 of the Health Care Services (Provider Selection Regime) Regulations 2023 Contract start date: 1 September 2026 Duration: 2 years (Expiry Date 31 August 2028) Total value of contract award: £481,291 This procurement has been carried out by NHS South, Central and West Commissioning Support Unit (SCW) on behalf of the Commissioners.