Making a Referral

We welcome referrals from anyone, as long as the person concerned has consented to the referral. We receive self-referrals, referrals from a range of professionals and referrals from family members. 

Yes. A consent is a key part of the referral process. If you’re considering referring a man or boy to First Step’s services please talk with them about it before getting in touch. Our experience tells us that people get the most from our counselling services if they have made the decision to come for themselves – not to please another person. You can be a great ally by showing your client our website and information. Talk with them about why you think First Step might be a useful service and give them some space to think about it. If you’re not sure about the best way of doing this, please let us know. We’re happy to have an informal conversation with you if that would help.

We don’t want to put any unnecessary barriers in between males and the counselling/support they need. So, our referral process is flexible and fits around the need of your client.

You can complete our referral form or call us on 0116 254 8535 or 0758 156 814.

If you call us, we will need the name and, with his consent, the contact number of the person you are referring. If you are referring a young person this may be the name of their parent/guardian or another adult that knows about the situation and is expecting our call. Please let us know whether they would prefer a call or or text. 

Alternatively, you may choose to call our service when the person you are referring is with you. This gives them the opportunity to speak with us whilst you are with them – an option some people find is reassuring.

Finally, you may want to give your client our number or email address. They are welcome to contact us directly. Potential clients are welcome to text us and ask for us to call them back.

Remember – we are not a crisis service. Whilst we do our best to respond promptly during office hours, there are other services better suited to providing a crisis response.

When we receive a referral we will text or call the potential client (or another named person in the referral – e.g. parent/guardian) to introduce ourselves and offer them an assessment. If the client has opted for a text, we will send a text that says we are a counselling organisation and ask them for a safe time to contact them. You can really help this process by letting the client know what to expect.

For more information on our assessment process, please see Counselling (13-18) or Counselling (18+).

Clients are welcome to come alone or bring someone with them for the assessment appointment. Some may choose to bring their support worker with them, especially if that is someone they have built up trust in. We are flexible. Our priority is the wellbeing of our clients, so we will do what we can to accommodate anything that will reduce his anxiety. 

Whilst most assessments are in person, we can also offer an online assessment if needed.

First Step operates out of a city centre location, opposite Town Hall Square in Leicester. Our shop front location is discrete, safe, secure and welcoming. It has a reception area and purpose designed counselling rooms. If needed, we may also be able to offer appointments in one of our satellite locations or online.

If you refer someone to First Step it is natural that you would want to know how the counselling is progressing. We take the privacy and confidentiality of our clients very seriously. Whilst we can acknowledge whether someone you have referred has attended an assessment, we cannot tell you details of their journey with us.