Children’s diabetes psychology service

Our children’s diabetes psychology service work with children, young people and their families who live with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.

The clinical psychologist works closely with the doctors, nurses and dietitians in the paediatric diabetes service.

Our services

The psychologist in the diabetes team can help with:

Difficulties adjusting to the diagnosis of diabetes
‘Diabetes burnout’ – where dealing with diabetes day-to-day begins to feel too much
Making the decision about one mode of treatment or another
Behaviour management issues
Worries about school
Difficulties with peer or family relationships
Self-confidence
Body image worries
Parental worries
Anxiety or depression linked to health problems, for example being in hospital or having treatment.

We also meet families around the time of diagnosis to introduce the role of clinical psychology. If needed, we offer a ‘psychosocial’ assessment to help identify any support that families may need.

Appointment locations

You can make an appointment with the psychologist in a number of locations, including:

Hospital wards
Outpatient clinics
Medical clinics
GP practices
Schools.

The location of your appointment will depend on the reason for your appointment, the distance you live from the Royal Victoria Infirmary, and how frequently you are reviewed by the team.

How can I access the service?

If you would like to speak to the paediatric diabetes psychologist, please ask a member of the diabetes team (doctor, nurse or dietician) who will put you in touch with us. Or you can contact the psychology team directly using the contact information below.

Other family members (brothers or sisters) and carers can be referred to the service if they are struggling to cope with the impact of a family member having diabetes.