We see people across the lifespan - from the families and carers of very young children, to school age children, young adults and adults born with a cleft. Seeing a Psychologist is a standard part of the support offered by the Welsh Centre for Cleft Lip and Palate and we are regularly involved in the cleft clinics. We therefore like to meet all children, parents and adults at some point. At these clinics we will be very happy to talk with you about any questions or concerns you may have and if needed, we can arrange to meet separately with you in order to discuss things more fully.
The cleft psychology service has three main aims:
To support the mental wellbeing and promote resilience for all children, families and adults born with a cleft.
To provide psychological therapeutic intervention where children, families or adults are experiencing difficulties.
To support children, families and adults as they make their way along the care and treatment pathway.
Our work is varied, but may include:
Supporting an individual and/or their family as they look to make decisions around surgery, as well as support when preparing for surgery.
Support to help a person and their family when someone is living with a visible difference (for example, dealing with other people’s comments and questions).
Support to help with adjustment to change (e.g. post-surgery, a medical diagnosis or school transitions).
Therapeutic support for a wide range of mental health challenges, such as low confidence, anxiety and low mood, as well as promoting general mental wellbeing. Follow this link for advice on talking to your child about the cleft they were born with.
Please note that just because you or your child were born with a cleft, it does not necessarily mean you or they will encounter difficulties, but if you or your child do have any questions or concerns that they need psychological support for, then we are here to help. Please also know that it does not need to be a big problem in order to come and speak to us - we are happy to support you in whichever way we can.