ABSTRACT
Scales are a very adaptable and simple tool for working with children and young people as a means to explore instances of success and of their preferred futures already happening in their lives. This chapter will provide a detailed exploration of the use of scales in relation to two case examples, one involving a young child and the other an adolescent. In both cases, the young person was experiencing school problems. The former was seen at BRIEF with his mother and father, while in the case of the adolescent the setting was the school itself. In the first case, the example will demonstrate the necessity of paying close attention to how a child is asked a scale question so that they can understand its purpose and also the benefits as well as pitfalls that can arise in family work. In the second case, the value of using a range of different types of scale questions, as a means to increase the engagement and motivation of the young person, will be demonstrated.
