Frequently asked questions

Please find some more information about working with Gateway Psychology below. You can also find further information about our services across our website. If you have a specific question that isn’t answered here, please get in touch with us. We would be happy to talk with you about your requirements.

Gateway Psychology is a private psychology service for children, young people and families. We specialise in working with a range of difficulties, such as early trauma, attachment disorders, ASD, behavioural problems, emotional difficulties and much more.

It can be confusing to understand all the different job titles out there! Clinical psychologists specialise in working with people who are experiencing mental health problems, emotional difficulties or behavioural issues. The title ‘clinical psychologist’ is a protected title, which means someone can’t call themselves one without the proper training and registration. Similar to a medical doctor, psychologists study at university for 6 years and undertake placement work experience to be eligible for registration. They must also undertake 40 hours ‘continual professional development’ training every year to maintain their registration.

Psychologists and psychiatrists are different professions. Psychiatrists are medical doctors, and they will usually have completed a medical degree and then specialised in psychiatry. They are not typically qualified in talking therapies, and tend to focus on the biological factors that may lead to mental health difficulties. They may also prescribe medication to treat certain illnesses.

Clinical psychologists typically complete a degree in psychology, undertake a preceptorship and then progress to complete a doctoral degree in clinical psychology (DClinPsy). They provide evidence-informed therapeutic interventions and assessments, and tend to work with complex mental health difficulties. Interventions usually take the form of talking therapies, although they might work with a psychiatrist if medication is clinically appropriate.

We offer a range of services to help support children, young people and families. Please take a look through our website to find out more about what we provide. Alternatively, please contact us about specific questions.

Our offices are located in Tunstall, Stoke-on-Trent. Sessions typically take place at our purpose-built facility in Stoke; we do not usually do home visits. As such, our ‘patch’ generally covers Staffordshire, Cheshire, Greater Manchester, Telford and Wrekin, Shropshire, Derbyshire and Lancashire. However, we have worked further afield too, and our virtual services are accessible to national and global clients.

Yes, Gateway Psychology is a specialist service that works primarily with children, young people and families. We sometimes just work with parents and carers, however this is always child-focused work. We rarely see adults for situations or difficulties unrelated to their children.

No, Gateway Psychologist is a private service. While Local Authorities, NHS services and other organisations might refer and fund sessions at our service, we are completely independent. That means we might not have control over how soon you are referred to us or how quickly funding can be arranged.

There are a variety of ways for families to access our services. We may be referred a case from your Local Authority, Regional Adoption Agency, the NHS or another organisation. Sometimes, it is possible to request that we are your provider if you are keen to work with us through this type of route.

Other times, parents and carers refer themselves to our service. If you wish to self-fund, please remember that this can be quite expensive – particularly if you are looking for an assessment or regular therapy sessions.

The best thing to do is to contact us directly about your situation, and we will provide you with the best possible answer.

Please contact us for our most up-to-date fee structure.

If you are an adoptive parent or special guardian, our services might be able to be funded through your Local Authority or Regional Adoption Agency under the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund. Please contact your social worker to discuss your requirements, as we cannot arrange this from our side.

Other funding routes might be available through your Local Authority or another organisation. Please get in touch with us to see if we can help in any way.

Alternatively, some people choose to self-fund sessions with us. We can take payment by card and sessions will usually need to be paid for in advance.

Yes, you are welcome to get in touch with us about your requirements. Please bear in mind that if your sessions will be funded by your Local Authority/Regional Adoption Agency or another organisation, you will need to get in touch with them too.

No, we don’t usually see clients in their home. This is because our purpose-built facility provides a calm, controlled and appropriate space for therapy or assessments to take place. It also reduces costs, as we do not have to add travel costs onto our quotes.

We may conduct a home or school observation when undertaking an assessment.

Yes, sessions will always remain confidential and any information shared is always with your consent. The only exception to this rule is if we are required to release information by law, or if there are safeguarding or risk concerns.

Our therapy and assessment sessions are always undertaken according to the specific need. In some cases, we might determine that work with the parents or carers is the best way to help the child or young person. Other times, we might do sessions with both the parents/carers and the child/young person. Or, we might see the child or young person on their own.

This is something we will discuss with parents and carers (and the child or young person!) before the sessions begin. It could also change during the course of the therapy or assessment.