We would like to thank Councillor Adrian Osborne for his support.
The Kernos Centre has continued to support both adults and children in the area, during the pandemic, by providing online video counselling sessions, or telephone sessions. Clients are able to have a weekly appointment, from the safety of their own home – but therapists were acutely aware this option is not available to those who do not have access to a suitable device; do not have wi-fi, at home, or do not have access to a safe and confidential place at home (if in lockdown with an abusive partner, for example).
Councillor Osborne recognised that this was something which met the Babergh District Council’s priorities of keeping residents fit and healthy. He did not hesitate, therefore, to use part of his Babergh District Councillors’ locality budget to pay £300 for the cost of 2 tablets, to enable people who would not otherwise be able to access online counselling to do so
The tablets will be used in two ways. They are available for Kernos to lend to clients, to support and enable them to have access to online counselling at home – where a client has a safe and confidential space, there, and access to reliable wi-fi. Alternatively, they can also be used in a Kernos Centre counselling room, where a client has no wi-fi, and/or safe space, at home. Kernos is still providing some face-to-face counselling sessions at the centre, for urgent cases, but there are rooms other free at these times, allowing them to be used by clients, for online counselling on a tablet, safely, in private.
Kernos Director, Graham Hill has set up the tablets up with a restricted [Child] user-profile that allows the use of the Zoom video/audio conference app and connection to wifi – to allow an adult or child to have on-line counselling sessions with a Kernos therapist.
Clinical Director, Chris Boatwright said, “It’s important for people to know that we are still open and it is OK to reach out for support, and that they can still get help for their mental health problems, during lockdown. Getting these tablets means that those who need online support, but do not have the facilities, can now access it.”
