Who is the client?

The mentee is considered the ‘client’. However we spend time with both the mentee and parents initially, as we always take into consideration the wider family dynamics and set-up.

How can parents get involved?

We understand that as parents, you will have the most insight when it comes to your child. This is why we find it helpful to consult with parents during the onboarding process regarding their concerns and expectations of the mentorship programme.

Effective mentorship is built on trust and this is why it is important that a mentee and mentor maintain confidentiality moving forward. Some parents find it can be helpful to keep us in the loop on practical matters or dates that are coming up. Any information that we are provided will be acknowledged with a mentee.

We find that hosting family dynamics meetings can also be helpful when there has been a breakdown or gap in communication.

How long are mentees with you?

Our service can range from a one month intensive service through to annual support which can span from 1 to 4 years. Ultimately though, the goal is to support our mentees to become young adults who know, like, and can manage themselves without our support.

Once a mentee has graduated from Dallington, the door is always open to mentees and their families. We enjoy hearing of the exciting next steps our mentees are taking!

How many mentees do you support at any given time?

We will only work with a limited number of mentees (approx. 12) at any one time to ensure that we are able to deliver highly personal and dedicated support to each. If we are at capacity, we will do our best to suggest alternative support or get back in touch when availability arises.

How do you engage your advisory board?

We consider our trusted advisors as ports of call where specialist knowledge is required – be it professional, creative, medical, financial and more.

We do not accept referral fees as it would compromise our impartiality and always seek out the best aligned service or support for our clients.

How do you work as a team?

When we on-board a mentee, we will always specify who is a part of their support team. This may include a lead and support mentor and administrative support as needed. Everyone within a mentee’s support team will have open lines of communication and share a united goal.

In addition, we attend weekly group clinical supervision, which ensures we are regularly reflecting on our work to deliver the highest standards of care.

What kind of challenges do your clients face?

A family or child may benefit from our support in a wide variety of settings. Common challenges that arise during this developmental period may involve: a lack of purpose and motivation, academic set-backs, low self-esteem and confidence, a breakdown in familial or social relationships and more.

However, a client does not need to be going through a challenging period to benefit from the support of a mentor. Having a mentor can offer companionship and guidance to a young adult as they simultaneously navigate a journey of self-discovery and step up to the responsibilities of adulthood.

Do you work with one or more young adults from the same family?

When working with personal and private matters, the most trusted referrals come via those who we are close to. We will only work with siblings or family members on a discretionary basis and only with the approval of our existing client.

In such instances, family members will never be assigned the same support team and lines of communication are kept closed.

Cancellation Policy

We operate a 48-hour cancellation policy for our meetings. If a meeting is cancelled over 48-hours advance, there will be no charge. If cancelled after the 48-hour period, or you do not attend, the fee is still charged.

We do recognise that emergencies can and will happen. If an emergency has prevented you attending a meeting, we would ask you flag this to us as we may need to consider waiving or reducing the cancellation fee.

Hours of Work

Our hours of work at 09:00 – 17:00 Monday to Friday.

Should an emergency take place outside of working hours, someone within our team will do their best to assist. We understand that matters can arise which are distressing in nature, however in this instance an emergency constitutes risk of emotional or physical danger to a mentee or their family. Emergency out of hours work will be invoiced at an hourly rate.

Where do you work?

We are based in Bloomsbury, London and welcome mentees both at our offices and off-site. We also offer services online, when needed.

Do you have a governing body?

Yes, in addition to all of our team being DBS checked, we are organisational members of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), the professional association for members of the counselling profession in the UK.

We are registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for processing and protection of personal data.

How flexible are you?

Tailoring our service ensures we are always flexible to our clients needs. We are available in person and online, which gives us the flexibility to stay in contact with our mentees when they are not in London.

We offer two fee structures to best suit our clients requirements – hourly rates or retainers (3 month, 6 month or annual). You are welcome to speak to one of the team to understand the differences and which may suit you.

How do we share information?

When necessary and with your permission, we will share your personal data with specific trusted Dallington approved experts and companies, to ensure that you are getting the best support for your specific needs (i.e - speaking with university admissions or liaising with SEN consultancies on your behalf). This will only ever be to deliver the services as agreed.

Your personal data will be returned to you (and deleted from our systems) when you are no longer a client.