Who should come to appointments, and what should I bring?

This article will discuss who should attend consultations and what information is required/useful during the intervention.

Who should attend?

During the initial session, only parents/carers should attend. 

It is common for both parents/carers to attend an initial session with the psychologist. This scenario is useful for parents and preferred by psychologists so that more information can be obtained about the child's presentation and consistency can be established about future intervention. 

There are many individual circumstances where both parents/carers are unable to be present during the first session or other sessions. In these circumstances, it is common for individual sessions with each parent/carer to occur or via telephone or Skype consultations. Email consultations or reports can also be arranged.

What should I bring?

You should have a clear summary of your concerns prepared in advance. Past reports about your child can also be useful to provide a clear developmental picture to assist your psychologist in establishing past interventions and monitoring the effectiveness of prior treatments. 

Keep in mind that interpreting lengthy reports takes time and it is very likely your psychologist will require additional time to review these documents. 

Remember to bring a pen and paper with you as well.