ABSTRACT
There are significant differences between working in a clinical setting and working in a school. Whilst some of these pertain to the particular setting, it is possible to generalise and consider how the service is altered by the differences. The single most important question to my mind is ‘Has the therapeutic process been compromised by these changes?’ In other words, do the drawbacks of working in such a setting outweigh the advantages? My view is that many children who would not otherwise get psychotherapeutic help are now given the opportunity. There are various reasons why these children cannot access NHS provision, the most significant being the absence of a parent or carer who can support the treatment emotionally and practically. However, the advantage of providing therapy in school must be weighed against the greater risk of superseding the parents. Clearly, the younger the child the more important it is that parents are involved in the treatment though limited resources may prevent the ideal of having a colleague work simultaneously with the parents. It is therefore an important question to consider whether time and money might be better directed, for example, in helping families access NHS provision.
