To professionals

Children are perceptive about how helpers are, and quickly understand whether someone is interested in them.  It is about what is done with them rather than to them. Children want time to develop trust rather than to immediately talk about difficult or personal issues. Children need the opportunity to be able to say if they feel comfortable with a therapist/worker or not.

Children find it very boring to ‘just sit and talk’. They like to play games, write, make drawings and do other activities, to make the process more interesting.

A specialist should be open and sincere and do what is best for the children. He or she should not judge, but listen and take their lead from the child. The worker should be interested in how children are progressing, to take part in activities; the worker needs a balance between joining in and seeming to be interested in her/his own issues.

Children want opportunities to decide how they want to be involved and at what level.

Children prefer it if the worker remains consistent as this helps the trust and relationship building. Children would like workers to be available when needed.

They want to have fun as well as do some serious thinking.

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