Children & Teen Queries
All the Answers You Seek, In One Place
Have a question you’d like to ask? I’m committed to giving patients the best care and experience I can. There’s no such thing as a bad question when it comes to mental health. Check out the answers to the FAQs below, and don’t hesitate to get in touch if you have any additional questions.
How are parents/guardians involved?
This is dependent on the child's age and development and will be determined during the phone consultation. Autonomy and privacy are valued skills in child and adolescent counselling and are therefore considered in the development of a treatment plan. That being said, parents/guardians may be asked to engage in consultations and progress reports, and will be actively involved in the intake assessment and confidentiality/consent discussions.
How and when do I get updates about my child's progress?
Progress reports will be developed in connection with the therapist on a need-be basis. These can either be verbal conversations or in written reports, and will be determined based on factors such as parent request, insurance plans, guardianship arrangements, involvement of additional care teams, and legal requirements.
Do I bring my child to the first session, or is it just parents/guardians?
This will be determined within the phone consultation and will depend on the child or adolescent's age and development. Parents and/or guardian will need to be present at the first session to sign consents and review confidentiality.
Consent for a minor is required by both parents in both joint custody arrangements and nuclear families. If there are court arrangements granting sole custody, documentation will be required and single parent consent is accepted. Court documentation will be required in any other instances where guardianship has been delegated or granted elsewhere.