Consultation is an indirect method of service delivery. Consultation is a voluntary, collaboration with the adults that support children and young people. Consultation offers a problem-solving, solution-finding approach that buildings capacity with the adults. Research suggests that consultation aims to achieve: change within the system, individual or group; communication of information; and the use of evidence-based approaches (Guiney et al., 2014). There are a variety of models of consultation, and this service adopts a Solution Focused approach to consultation.

Early intervention consultation may occur during a Solution Focused Meeting.

Group consultation can adopt a range of methods and one of these is the Solution Circle.

Single-session consultation is one meeting between an Educational Psychologist and an adult (e.g. parent or teacher) with no previous or subsequent sessions required within one year. An example of this is the ‘Just Ask’ enquiry line.

References:

Guiney, M.C., Harris, A., Zusho, A., & Cancelli, A., (2014). School Psychologists’ Sense of Self-Efficacy for Consultation, Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. 24(1), 28-54.  https://doi.org/10.1080/10474412.2014.870486