Parent and Guardian sessions

Parent and Guardian is a stand-alone therapeutic intervention where adult clients who are parents/guardians can access up to six sessions with a CYPS therapist, who will share their skills and experience to help adults support themselves and their children during difficult times.

Who counts as a parent or guardian?

Families come in all shapes and sizes. We consider anyone with a caring responsibility for a child to be a parent or guardian. This can include parents, grandparents, a single parent supported by a close friend, foster parents, stepparents or other significant caregivers.

When can I attend parent or guardian sessions?

To attend the sessions, you must meet the referral criteria for CancerCare support. This means you or your family have been affected by a cancer diagnosis, cancer treatment, living with cancer or a life-shortening illness, or preparing for end of life related to cancer or a life-shortening illness.

How can it help you?

The sessions are client-focused and follow the issues the family would most like support with.

The therapist offers the same client-centred, non-judgemental, empathetic and respectful space provided in counselling.

We also offer a Parent & Guardian (P&G) pack for families affected by illness. This is given by the therapist and contains books, toys, and creative materials to support emotional expression and strengthen family connections.

P&G sessions can act as a standalone, short-term intervention for families dealing with a crisis situation. They can also help families with multiple children decide who, if anyone, to prioritise for one-to-one support at this time.

They can also provide a helpful introduction to counselling, encouraging adults or children and young people to access one-to-one services.