Observing and formulating
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During the assessment period, the art therapist seeks to understand what is happening in and around the child.
The therapist's focus is on
understanding the child’s relationship with their primary caregiver
getting a clearer picture of the adult, the child and the wider systems around the child
thinking about what might be helpful including making decisions about the feasibility of dyadic work
Understanding the relationship between the child and the primary caregiver
In terms of understanding the relationship between the child and the primary caregiver, it can be helpful to observe the dynamics and interactions between them in joint sessions. This helps the therapist to understand issues which might not be so apparent during individual sessions with the child.
The therapist pays attention to
how the children signal their needs and feelings to their carers
whether or not carers pick up on these signals
how carers respond to signals
the emotional availability of carers
how decisions are made
patterns of interaction that have developed
Getting a clearer picture of the adult, the child and the wider systems around the child
In terms of getting a clearer picture of the adult, the therapist seeks to understand the extent of their capacity to think about their child and also their own experience of being parented.
In terms of building a picture of the child, the therapist tries to understand the therapeutic needs and the child’s level of understanding including emotional literacy.
With children in care, the therapist may also be thinking about whether the carers are going to be able to maintain the placement and to what extent they are willing or able to put in the work to do so. The therapist will take into account the child’s past history and their current placement, and how the child feels about where they had been placed.
Therapists also think about other significant people involved in or with the family, and how they might play a part in therapeutic work. People from the wider system may be involved in network meetings and review meetings.
Feasibility of dyadic work
In terms of thinking about what might be helpful and whether dyadic work was feasible or not, the therapist thinks about
the length of the intervention
the frequency and format of sessions
the timing of the intervention
the adult and child’s capacity to make use of the work.
If the adult is unable to think about the child, or openly hostile, then this could lead to dyadic work being ruled out.
If a parent is aggressive or unable to demonstrate emotional warmth to a child then referral to other agencies such as children’s social services should be considered.
After the assessment
It may be useful to formally share any understanding that had been gained with the family. This may involve writing a therapeutic letter to the family outlining thoughts and observations of the family as well as conversations which have taken place during the assessment process.
Related goal
This step is related to achieving the goal assessing what is needed and what is feasible.