OCS is an independent charity founded, in 1983, to provide high quality counselling for those who could not otherwise afford it.

Provision of open term counselling, with no pre-determined time limit, remains our core mission. Counselling ends only as agreed between client and counsellor. OCS also offers brief, fixed term counselling. In either case, Client donations are arranged to suit what the client can responsibly afford.

This service is open to individual adults and couples. Our youth counselling service (called “1-2-1”) is available free of charge to those aged 14-18. We also offer a subsidised service to members of families who have experienced child bereavement (under 16).

We are committed to continuous service development and to maintaining high standards of quality as a service provider, employer and a training placement.

OCS is a member of the wpf National Network of 30 counselling centres; also an organisational member of BACP, with whom we are an Accredited Service.