Information for Parents and carers

Welcome to your local charity.

We know how hard it can be to navigate ‘the system’ to get appropriate professional help or support for your young person so we have 3 simple ways for connecting with us as listed below:

Please note that the office is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday during school term times.

Pick up the phone and speak to us – the number is 01823 433614

Pop in and see us during school term time between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday, it’s best if you make an appointment first so you can be sure to see the right person when you come along.

If you know someone who needs urgent support please click here for links to organisations who offer crisis care and can support out of hours.

Before your young person’s first session we highly recommend you introduce them to a short video of who their mentor will be, these videos can be found here. We have also made this helpful video which can help as an introduction to the ‘sights and sounds’ of Conquest Centre,

We’d love to hear from you so please feel free to pick up the phone to talk anything through, also do have a look at our FAQ page here.

Why chose Conquest Centre

Your young person does not need have received a diagnosis or referral to attend, anyone can come to us and all we need is an introductory conversation so we can assign the right level and frequency of support. All our sessions are tailored around the needs of each individual, working with our therapy animals and outdoors in nature (when the weather allows). You can see more about how we work here.

We are not prescriptive in our approach or driven by set outcomes which means we can be flexible to the needs of each individual in the moment. Sessions can be either 30 or 60 mins, it’s usual for clients to commit to a minimum of 10 sessions. A half hour session costs min £35 and then prices vary depending on length and individual needs. This is something we can discuss during your first meeting or telephone conversation and may be re-evaluated as time progresses.

There are funding and sponsorship opportunities for some individuals, and we can provide links and suggestions for how you may be able to access these funds Grants for individuals – Somerset Community Foundation. When we can, we aim to support the whole family and encourage participation from those close to the young person attending.

There is a funded program for parents and carers of children or young people in therapy running until August 2025. Please contact the office for further information

FYI we have a full changing places lavatory and shower facility on site.

Helpful information about our work:

  • We are registered as an Alternative Provider with Somerset County Council SCC
  • Have a look at our facilities page to see the comprehensive list of facilities we offer.
  • Our work with young people who find mainstream education limiting, is essentially to provide an environment that removes the barriers to learning and working towards improved wellbeing.  Sessions are structured to offer experiential learning, working with nature and the animals, to explore alternative thoughts on why eg; healthy eating, maths and hygiene are important life skills.  Many students successfully return to mainstream education or go on to feel confident to apply for further education or employment.
  • Mentors are trained in trauma informed principles and offering young people positive connections, non-judgemental trusting relationships and emotionally available adults. Trauma Informed Schools UK.
  • For younger children and those with developmental delay syndrome, Thrive Approach is a positive support approach alongside our nature and animal based therapeutic work. The proven benefits of Biophilia (working with nature and animals) plays a significant part in the success of our work.
  • Play is essential for development.  As an alternative to talking therapies Play Therapy  helps children explore and express their thoughts and feelings and to make sense of their life experiences through play and the creative arts. Play therapy can benefit all children, but it is particularly beneficial for children who find it hard to express themselves verbally.
  • We value 2 or 3-way communication and use MyConcern as our chosen Safeguarding tool.  You can read more about our safeguarding policy in this link.
  • We have a 4 week cancellation policy.