STAGE 1: INFORMATION GATHERING
When I am asked to work with a young person, I first like to speak to the people who know them best. Before I meet a child we will have a meeting with parents and members of staff at school, to discuss the individuals strengths, and the issues they are facing. This gathering of information, and collaborative problem solving, helps us understand what may be impacting on a child, and gives us a picture of their individual context before working with them directly. It also helps me to decide what assessment work is most appropriate for that young person. This is called a consultation meeting.
STAGE 2: INDIVIDUAL ASSESSMENT
This may be in the form of observations in the school context or some direct assessment work, or a combination of the two. Individual assessment will involve a series of different activities to help identify a child’s or a young person’s specific learning style. How I assess a young person depends on the difficulties they are experiencing.
STAGE 3: INDIVIDUAL PROGRAMME
The information gathered from the consultation meeting and the assessment work, enables me to generate suitable ways forward for the child, which are discussed and agreed with parents and teachers. Following this, I generate a report detailing my involvement. I like to review a child’s progress following this, to ensure the actions have had a positive impact, and will advice as necessary if parents or teachers need additional support.