Hong Kong Well UK Subsidized Counselling/Therapy Services
Why We Ask Parents to Contribute?
The operations of HK Well UK have always relied on a group of dedicated volunteers; and practitioners who are willing to provide counselling and therapy services at below-market rates. Thanks to their support, even while relying solely on government funding, we have been able to accumulate certain surpluses to help more children.
In the long run, HK Well UK needs to launch a new operational model to sustain our services. The new subsidized service fees are significantly lower than those of market rates, with beneficiaries only required to pay a portion of the costs, while the remainder is subsidized by us. By contributing a part of the fees, the parents not only take responsibility for their children but also commit to participating in this service.
This fee model also allows us to flexibly allocate resources to fully support families in financial difficulty.
We firmly believe that every child in need of help should receive support, regardless of their economic situation; they should not be excluded.
Services Provided
For many children, opening about their feelings is already challenging, and doing so in a non-native language makes it even harder. Our team aims to serve as a bridge by providing initial assessments and counselling / therapy services in Cantonese for school-aged children. We also prepare assessment letters in English to help parents or teenager aged 16–17 directly communicate with schools, the NHS, or local service providers for further support.
This service is designed to help children and teenagers manage their emotional well-being and relationships with others. Please note that the counselling / therapy services offered by Hong Kong Well UK are not intended for emergency situations, severe mental health issues, or other urgent mental health conditions. Parents or young people must contact their GP, local A&E, and/or any other appropriate local services in such cases.
(1) Our team
All our counsellors, therapists and psychologists are UK-registered practitioners. Hong Kong Well UK will assign a suitable practitioner based on the needs of the child/teenager seeking help. Once the appointment is confirmed, we will provide detailed information about the assigned professional qualifications.
(2) Our Service Recipients
The service user must satisfy all of the following conditions:
- Hong Kong children/ teenagers aged under 18 whose families have been granted the British National (Overseas) Visa or British passport and have migrated to the UK in June 2019 or after.
- The council tax band of the service user’s residence falls under categories A, B, C, or D
- The service user’s family (including parents/carers and siblings under the age of 18) currently owns no more than one property worldwide.
If conditions (ii) and (iii) are not met for application to HK Well UK for subsidized service, we can provide contact information for privately practicing psychologists, therapists, and counsellors originated from Hong Kong, or offer guidance on how to find local private mental health professionals.
(3) Initial Assessment
We offer an online assessment for children and teenagers, lasting up to 1.5 hour and conducted by our professional practitioners, to determine:
- Whether the child/teenage requires counselling or therapy.
- What type of counselling or therapy is needed.
- Whether it is appropriate for our organisation to follow up or refer the case to other agencies.
Fee
Parents are required to pay the following fees, which are below the market rate, and the remaining balance will be covered by our subsidy:
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1. Initial mental health assessment provided by a psychologis | £100 |
| 2. Initial mental health assessment provided by a counsellor or therapist | £60 |
- Families facing financial difficulties can apply for full subsidy through our scheme “Walk Together: Fully Subsidized Counselling/Therapy Services”. If the family meets the asset criteria, the child/teenager may receive a free initial assessment.
- If an in-person interview needs to be arranged, the cost of renting a therapy room or the transportation expenses of the professional must be borne by the service user.
After the assessment, the responsible assessor will write a 2–3-page assessment letter in English.
(4) Content of the Assessment Letter & Follow-up
The assessment letter helps the young person/parent understand their emotional condition and follow-up needs. If the child/young person requires long-term follow-up or medical support, the young person/parent may, after receiving the assessment letter, seek support from the school, family doctor, relevant NHS departments, local government, or local charities. At the same time, the assessor will recommend one of the following three follow-up options:
- Referral to Hong Kong Well UK’s Subsidised Counselling/Therapy Services
If the assessment indicates that short-term counselling/therapy is needed and the case is suitable to be followed up by us, the case will be referred to a suitable counsellor, therapist, or psychologist based on the recommendations of the assessor. A total of 4 to 8 counselling sessions (each lasting 45 minutes) will be provided. Parents are required to pay a portion of the cost. Families experiencing financial difficulties may be exempted from counselling/therapy fees. - Immediate Referral to Free Third-Party Services
If the assessment indicates a need for crisis intervention, or child safeguarding concerns, the case will not be suitable for follow-up by us. We will immediately refer the case to the relevant NHS departments or local government for further action. Our volunteer case advisor or Safeguarding Lead will give necessary advice. - Referral to Paid Third-Party Services
If the assessment indicates a need for long-term support and the case is not suitable for HK Well UK to follow up, we will provide contact information on UK-based private psychologists, therapists, or counsellors who have originated from Hong Kong, or guidance on how to find suitable private practitioners locally.
(5) Subsidised Counselling/Therapy Services
HK Well UK will provide 4 to 8 sessions (each 45 minutes) of subsidised or free counselling/therapy services. Most sessions are conducted online. In-person sessions may be arranged depending on the practitioner’s availability and location.
5.1 Partially Subsidised Counselling/Therapy Services
Parents are required to pay the following fees, which are below the market rate, and the remaining balance will be covered by our subsidy:
| Service | Fee (per session) |
|---|---|
| 1. Counselling / therapy session provided by a psychologist | £50 |
| 2. Counselling / therapy session provided by a counsellor or therapist | £30 |
* If an in-person interview needs to be arranged, the cost of renting a therapy room or the transportation expenses of the professional must be borne by the service user.
5.2 Walk Together: Fully Subsidized Counselling/Therapy Services
Hong Kong Well UK provides a fully subsidized initial assessment and counselling/therapy services for financially disadvantaged families. As this service is funded by public donations, all applicants will go through a means test for family assets. Children or teenagers seeking support will then receive a fully subsidized initial mental health assessment. Based on the recommendation of our professional practitioner following the assessment, 4 to 8 fully subsidized counselling/therapy sessions (each lasting 45 minutes) may be offered.
The applicant must be a parent/carer, meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Section (2) above, and pass a means test for family assets.
Mean Test for Family Assets
- The applicant, along with their spouse and children under 18, must not own more than one property worldwide.
- The family does not exceed a family savings limit*. Below is a list of the upper limit of saving asset.
| Family condition | Family saving (GBP) |
|---|---|
| Families outside of London with 1 child | < 22,700 |
| Families outside of London with 2 or more children | < 26,300 |
| Families within London with 1 child | < 31,200 |
| Families within London with 2 or more children | < 34,800 |
* The saving threshold is based on the criteria set by the UK government (as of April 2024) for families with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF) applying for free school meals for their children.
(6) Application Procedure
- Fill out the enquiry service application form
- Our volunteer case advisor will contact the applicant to understand their situation and determine whether the initial assessment service is necessary.
- If deemed necessary, the applicant needs to fill out the application form for our subsidized Counselling/Therapy services and “Walk Together: Fully Subsidized Counselling/Therapy Services” as well.
- When applying for our subsidized Counselling/Therapy services, the applicant is required to produce the latest Council Tax bill to us.
- For applying for our fully subsidised Counselling/Therapy Services, the parent / carer must also submit the following documents:
- Proof of the age of the child seeking support
- The Parents’ bank statements for the last three months. In the case of single-parent households, only the bank statements of the custodial parent are required (bank statements from online banks like Revolut, Monzo, etc. are not accepted)
- Applicants must ensure the accuracy and truthfulness of the submitted information. False declaration would result in the immediate termination of services and other appropriate actions.
To apply for subsidised counselling/therapy service, a referral from our volunteer case advisor is required.
