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| The first few meetings allow the staff member(s) working with you to listen and learn about the difficulties a child and family are having and how they are affected by them. In addition to talking, staff might ask those attending to complete questionnaires, to draw or just to play or complete puzzles in order to get the best understanding of the difficulties. |
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Intervention |
| Once some understanding of the difficulties has been achieved, staff work with the child and family to plan the best approach to dealing with the difficulties. Sometimes practical suggestions can be made for managing particular difficulties. It is necessary for children and parents to be actively involved if changes is to take place. Sometimes children are seen for therapy to help get a better understanding of how they think, feel behave and identify changes they would like to make Occasionally, medication may be recommended as the most appropriate intervention. In these cases, the psychiatrist is actively involved with the family in prescribing and monitoring the recommended medication. |
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| Appointments usually last for about one hour. They are generally arranged weekly or fortnightly, but this can vary according to need. The number of sessions will also vary and can be discussed between the family and staff member(s) at any time. |
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During the assessment meetings staff are happy to discuss any concerns children or families have about confidentiality. Cases are often discussed among Child and Family Team members. It is usual for us to tell the person who referred the child, what our view is of the problem, the treatment plan and any progress made. This is done with the knowledge and agreement of the child and family. In most circumstances a family's wish for matters to remain confidential will be respected. However, in special circumstances such as where a serious crime or a risk to a child is involved, a staff member may need to talk to other professionals. |
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HOW
LONG WILL I HAVE TO WAIT FOR AN APPOINTMENT ?
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It is likely that you will have to wait a while for an appointment. Whilst we recognise that all problems referred to us need to be given serious attention, we cannot respond immediately except in the most urgent situations. |
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FEE: No fees are charged for this service. |
| We hope that this website has answered some of the questions you may have had. If there is anything else you would like to know, any staff member would be happy to discuss it with you over the telephone or during a first appointment. |
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How to contact us | Eastern Health Board | County Kildare Community Network