Helping and Supporting Families who are Experiencing Gambling Harms

In April Beacon Counselling Trust introduced an addition to the service with a families project Six to Ten. Understanding the many practical challenges wider family and friends face through the impacts of gambling harms, the Six to Ten Project works with individuals and many organisations to deliver the right support where and when it is needed.

The families we have worked with have been supported with food supplies, partnered with specialist financial teams, provided free legal support and joined new social activities. Most importantly we work with service users and listen to their needs and concerns and support them towards a solution. In individual sessions they can ask for practical guidance, be given next steps and where needed our project worker will reach out to wider services for the right information.

We have delivered training and worked with local authorities, money and mental health charities, housing associations, victim services, food banks and many other family services.

Research suggests one individual suffering with gambling harms can negatively affect between six and ten people, depending on the severity of their harmful gambling. Affected others may experience moderate to serious harms within all aspects of their lives. Offering our families care and assistance is essential to helping people improve their personal well-being and feel more in control of their situation.

Our project work offers a safe space for you to share, be heard and understood, reducing the sense of isolation and powerlessness you may be feeling. As a Six to Ten service user, you will also be offered free and confidential counselling sessions with a Beacon Counselling Trust therapist.

The team have recently completed a new resource of practical information to send to all our families and will be working on further developing the project in the new year.