From Referral To Case Closure: Processes Explained
More Than Just Providing Actual Therapy Sessions
Before any Therapy can commence, I need to make sure that doing so is in the best interests of any child or family. This means that I will need to complete some form of assessment. Sometimes, children and families have recent professional assessments that I can read and top up; other times I will need to do a brand new assessment.
The first contact with me is usually by a free consultation telephone call or by the formal submission of a referral form (which will result in a consultation call to the referrer). If I complete an assessment and agree to provide Therapy, there is an ongoing reviewing process which will evidence that ongoing work continues to be in the client’s best interests. The following sections outlines each step of my intervention process, from beginning to end.
Stage 1: Initial Contact
(Optional) I can offer a free telephone consultation, to help you think about whether any specific Therapy might be appropriate.
(Mandatory) You can complete the Marvellous Resources Therapy Services Referral Form and send it to me by email. If the person completing the referral form is a professional, then they need to have a discussion with, and gain verbal consent from, the parents/carers to progress with the referral and release the child's identifiable information to me.
If I accept the referral, moving forward would involve an acceptance of an assessment quotation and signing a contract.
Stage 2: Assessment
Please note: Play Therapy, Autplay Therapy and Filial Therapy are forms of Psychotherapy and will, therefore, require more detailed assessments than Lego-Based Therapy and Child-Centred Mindfulness.
Each Therapy will have a different focus but common assessment areas include information collected from the child's parents/carers as well as relevant health, social care and education professionals. It is important to think about a child from pre-birth to the present day, to highlight aspects of their physical, psychological, social and cognitive development in their current difficulties. It is important to think about the parent/carers' experiences, strengths and areas of concern.
The assessment will either agree to proceed with Therapy or to make an informed decision about signposting children and families to relevant support organisations and resources.
Stage 3: Therapy Package, Contract and Consent
Developing a package of care for any child can be challenging: balancing what a child/family may need versus what may be affordable. A package of services and related costs will be thoroughly discussed and agreed before any Therapy starts. A contract will need to be signed by the party/parties who will be paying for the Therapy Package. Formal signed consent will be required from parties with Parental Responsibility to indicate their agreement that their child can attend their Therapy appointments.
The child's consent will be considered through the assessment process and will be formalised, prior to the commencement of their Therapy sessions.
You can read more about Consent on the Consent and Parental Responsibility page.
Stage 4: Therapy Sessions
The number of Therapy sessions will have been identified in the assessment and agreed in the contract.
Play Therapy and Autplay Therapy sessions are offered in blocks of 8, with a minimum of 16 sessions needing to be agreed. Children will often require between 24-40 sessions for Play Therapy. Autplay is more open-ended.
Lego-Based Therapy is offered on a term by term basis.
Filial Therapy will be 20-30 sessions.
Stage 5: Review, Signposting and Closure
Reviewing Therapy is really important. It helps the people around the child to consider any progress, any risks that need to be addressed and ways in which the themes present in Therapy can be supported at home, school and in the community.
Play Therapy and Autplay Therapy must be reviewed every eight weeks as a minimum.
Lego-Based Therapy reviews can be agreed in consideration of the child/children involved in the intervention.
Professional reviews with parents/carers around Filial Therapy can be useful in some circumstances. Review activity for Filial Therapy is negotiated on a case by case basis.
Upon case closure, it is usual for a Final Summary Report to be completed, which will highlight any ongoing recommendations.