Treatment
All the family members living with the child are requested to attend the first appointment. During this appointment the entire family is usually seen at some point, and the child is also interviewed separately. Referral information and questionnaires are reviewed and clarified with the child and family.
The initial appointment may range in length from 1-1/2 to 2 hours. In some cases, 2 or 3 appointments may be required to complete the basic assessment.
When the assessment is complete, the clinician will discuss the findings with the child or adolescent and family. Generally, this will include a diagnosis and a specific plan for further assessment, or recommendations for further treatment and intervention, with suggestions for where this might take place. A report will be prepared and sent to the appropriate people.
When a child / youth has been accepted to the waiting list, questionnaires regarding developmental and family history and symptom checklists are sent to the parents / caregivers for completion. In addition, their teacher will be asked to complete a questionnaire.
For adolescents, an additional self-report is required.
A request is also made to the parents / caregivers to bring all relevant previous assessment reports to the first visit.
After our assessment and consultation is complete, children / youth and families who require long-term intervention are directed to resources in the community.