Безкоштовний вебінар - Правила першого прийому у дитячого психолога

Key Wellness, Self-Care, and Productivity Strategies

(From the webinar: “Rules of the first appointment with a child psychologist”)

1) Organize the first contact efficiently (save time + set boundaries)

• Keep the initial phone/message exchange brief to avoid confusion between “intake” and the actual consultation.
• Clarify early:
  • What the parent is worried about
  • The scope of your work (and whether the child is your case or not)

2) Manage expectations about roles and outcomes

• Emphasize that a psychologist is not automatically a doctor (parents often misunderstand this).
• Set realistic timelines:
  • Results are rarely immediate; many requests require multiple sessions
  • Some conditions require long-term work (e.g., developmental challenges), and progress may be gradual

3) Create a safe, respectful first session structure

• Use age-appropriate explanations:
  • For small children: explain simply (often through games/toys)
  • For older children: explain clearly, like adults
• Assess the child’s behavior and readiness in the first minutes, including how parents react to boundaries.
• Avoid behaviors that interfere with adaptation:
  • Don’t grab
  • Don’t run
  • Don’t tickle
  • Don’t “act like an animator”
• Give the child time to adapt to your voice/space/smell/environment.

4) Use rules and contracts to reduce stress and conflict

• Provide “rules of cooperation” (an agreement), including:
  • Late cancellations/absence rules (e.g., notifying 24 hours in advance)
  • Exceptions for illness (normalizes real life)
  • Session length, and that late arrival can shorten the session
  • Meeting cancellation if late beyond a set limit (e.g., >35 minutes)
  • Fees and any other important operational points
• Get parents to confirm the agreement in writing to reduce later misunderstandings.

5) Translate complaints into a proper “request” (improves productivity and care quality)

• Parents often arrive with complaints, not a formulated request.
• The psychologist should:
  • Ask guided questions to reshape complaints into a clear request
  • If the request doesn’t match the specialist’s competence, redirect to the right professional (or coordinate contact)

6) Plan the diagnostic + parent-involvement workflow

• Explain an approximate plan at the first meeting:
  • 1–3 diagnostic meetings depending on the child’s needs and complexity
  • Then parent meetings alongside work with the child
• Emphasize that results depend on parent cooperation, because parent behavior can reinforce or reduce the child’s difficulties.
• If parents refuse parent sessions, it may stop being a valid reason to continue—responsibility is shared.

7) Collect information systematically (questionnaires + anamnesis)

• Use interviews and questionnaires to gather:
  • Key history (including developmental timeline; sometimes via prenatal/postnatal anamnesis concepts)
  • Area-specific forms prepared by specialists
• Share questionnaires before/after the first meeting, or even during the process.

8) Protect confidentiality and professional ethics (wellbeing + risk reduction)

• Explain confidentiality rules from the beginning, including when it can be breached:
  • Evidence of violence, serious threats, suicidal risk, or other situations requiring authority involvement
• Be careful with social media:
  • Videos/photos of children require written consent from parents/guardians
• Mention supervision as standard professional practice.

9) Avoid ethical conflicts: boundaries, dual relationships, competence

• Avoid “dual relationships” (e.g., working with a friend/relative’s child in a way that blurs boundaries).
• Maintain competence:
  • Provide education, additional training, and relevant qualifications
  • Clarify that “being allowed” is not the same as “having effective experience”
• If a situation makes you uncomfortable or unsafe, you can refuse cooperation:
  • Use a clear boundary phrase (example provided in the webinar)
  • Avoid staying in stressful relationships out of fear of accusations

10) Operational clarity for remote/in-person practice

• Specify:
  • Where sessions happen (including home visits if offered)
  • Response windows for messages/calls (e.g., “9–20”)
  • Call duration limits and what’s included/paid
  • Session duration (often ~50 minutes), and that it can be shortened if the child fatigues

11) Self-care details noted as relevant to child work

• Be cautious with smells/aromas, especially with children with special needs:
  • Some children react strongly (crying, distress)
• Monitor your own condition and reactions (comfort, aroma sensitivity, etc.).

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Presenters / Sources

• Yarina — child psychologist, neuropsychologist, founder of the psychological center (presenter of the webinar).