ABSTRACT
In all therapeutic work, the referral and assessment stages can play a vital part in determining the shape and success of the therapy to follow. In work with children and young people in private practice this can be a complex aspect of the work which demands close attention and skill from the practitioner. This chapter uses case vignettes in order to give practical examples of how a practitioner might approach referral and assessment in their private practice. There are some useful developmental models to consider when thinking about the assessment of children and young people for therapy. Attachment theory, developed by John Bowlby during the 1940s and 1950s is also appropriate for use by practitioners when assessing children and young people for counselling. Issues relating to an insecure early attachment can present at any stage in a person's life including adulthood.
