Coaching is “a way of working alongside someone, giving them an opportunity to set goals and the support to achieve them. Not only will the coach help the learner work towards new goals, they will also affirm what is already being done.” (Tolhurst, 2010, p.3).

Coaching can be used individually with children and young people, parents and staff, or can be used in small groups. These can occur over single or multiple sessions.

Our service uses coaching in their practice and also provides Career Long Professional Learning (CLPL) for staff within Highland Council.

Below are Key assumptions of Solution Focused Coaching (Ratner & Yusuf, 2015, p.21).

Key assumptions of Solution Focused Coaching
* Successful work depends upon the client defining for themselves what they hope to achieve from the work.
* Clients are empowered to make changes when they can describe their preferred futures in detail.
* Change arises from clients describing both their preferred futures and the achievements they have already been able to make (however small).
* It is not necessary for the coach to know the details of the problem – or even what it is – for clients to be able to benefit from the approach.
* The coach acts as a catalyst to change by means of asking questions that require the client to reflect on themselves, rather than the coach gaining any understanding of the client’s life or of what they think, in an expert way, might be good for the client to do or not to do.
* Clients live their lives through relationships to significant others, and questions relate to their preferences for those relationships enable them to make meaningful change.
* There have almost always been instances of success, however small, in the client’s life. The client has the resources for change.  

Reference

Ratner, H., & Yusuf, D., (2015). Brief coaching with children and young people: a solution focused approach. Routledge.

Tolhurst, J., (2010). Essential guide to coaching and mentoring (2nd Ed). Pearson.

Vass, A., (2016). Coaching in schools. Teachers’ Pocketbooks.