What to Expect When Your Minor Aged (under age 18) Child is Receiving Services
Depending on the age of your child, the therapist may request to have only parents present in
the first appointment in order to gather information that’s essential to supporting your child. As
parents or legal guardians, you are required to be present in the building for your child’s
in-person appointment or be available during their child’s virtual appointment. Clients who are
16 or 17 years-old can attend sessions without you present only if they have approval from the
provider after the intake. As your child’s legal guardian or parent, you must be available to take
a call from the therapist during the time of your child’s appointment in the event that any urgent
matter such as a safety concern needs to be communicated.
The therapist will start with an assessment or evaluation to understand your child’s needs. As
parents or legal guardians, you are expected to share information about your child’s history,
challenges they are experiencing, medications, family and cultural values, and your goals for
treatment. Therapists will work to establish goals with both parents and child. There are times
when your goals may differ from your child’s goals. The therapist will work to address these
goals with both parent or guardian and child. You will also be required to sign a Minor Informed
Consent Form - Parent Version and if your child is between the ages of 12-17 years old, they
will also be required to sign the form Minor Informed Consent Form - Child Version in order to
help both you and your child understand your rights for mental health treatment, rights to access
records and rights to privacy. Rapport building is essential in order to help clients feel more
comfortable with sharing information, learning information shared by therapists, and engaging in
therapeutic strategies to support them. Duration of treatment can vary depending on a variety of
different factors which may include, but is not limited to the following: your child’s individual
needs, the type of therapy being provided, specific goals being addressed, child motivation,
nature and severity of the presenting concerns, etc.
Depending on the age and specific needs of your child, parent
involvement may include the following:
● Ensuring your child is ready for their appointment (transportation if in person, access to
WiFi and/or secure private location of telehealth)
● Providing information that’s needed in order to best support your child
● Regular ongoing communication with the therapist to discuss progress or concerns
○ This may be in the form of email, scheduling and attending parent appointments,
or having you join in for parts of your child’s appointment
● Participating in therapy exercises
● Learning skills and tools to help support your child’s emotional regulation and/or address
challenging behaviors
Benefits of Parental/Caregiver Involvement:
● As parents or legal guardians, you can actively support your child by encouraging
practice and reinforcement of skills learned in therapy to maximize benefits of treatment
● You can learn skills and tools that may help them to better support your child and help
parents to feel more supported as well
● Your involvement can lead to better communication between you and your child which
may help to strengthen your relationship
● It can help your child to feel more supported and motivated to participate in therapy
Privacy of Information:
Depending on the age of your child, how much information is shared to you varies. In order to
create an open and trusting relationship between therapist and child, not all information shared
by your child is relayed to you. What is relayed will be dependent on what your child is
comfortable with the therapist sharing. The exception to this is in the event that there is
information that impacts the wellbeing or safety of your child. The therapist will inform you if
safety concerns occur and information that is relevant to ensuring the safety of your child.
Additional information on privacy and rights will be provided in session when reviewing the form
“Minor Informed Consent Form” in the intake with the therapist.
Depending on the age of your child, the therapist may request to have only parents present in
the first appointment in order to gather information that’s essential to supporting your child. As
parents or legal guardians, you are required to be present in the building for your child’s
in-person appointment or be available during their child’s virtual appointment. Clients who are
16 or 17 years-old can attend sessions without you present only if they have approval from the
provider after the intake. As your child’s legal guardian or parent, you must be available to take
a call from the therapist during the time of your child’s appointment in the event that any urgent
matter such as a safety concern needs to be communicated.
The therapist will start with an assessment or evaluation to understand your child’s needs. As
parents or legal guardians, you are expected to share information about your child’s history,
challenges they are experiencing, medications, family and cultural values, and your goals for
treatment. Therapists will work to establish goals with both parents and child. There are times
when your goals may differ from your child’s goals. The therapist will work to address these
goals with both parent or guardian and child. You will also be required to sign a Minor Informed
Consent Form - Parent Version and if your child is between the ages of 12-17 years old, they
will also be required to sign the form Minor Informed Consent Form - Child Version in order to
help both you and your child understand your rights for mental health treatment, rights to access
records and rights to privacy. Rapport building is essential in order to help clients feel more
comfortable with sharing information, learning information shared by therapists, and engaging in
therapeutic strategies to support them. Duration of treatment can vary depending on a variety of
different factors which may include, but is not limited to the following: your child’s individual
needs, the type of therapy being provided, specific goals being addressed, child motivation,
nature and severity of the presenting concerns, etc.
Depending on the age and specific needs of your child, parent
involvement may include the following:
● Ensuring your child is ready for their appointment (transportation if in person, access to
WiFi and/or secure private location of telehealth)
● Providing information that’s needed in order to best support your child
● Regular ongoing communication with the therapist to discuss progress or concerns
○ This may be in the form of email, scheduling and attending parent appointments,
or having you join in for parts of your child’s appointment
● Participating in therapy exercises
● Learning skills and tools to help support your child’s emotional regulation and/or address
challenging behaviors
Benefits of Parental/Caregiver Involvement:
● As parents or legal guardians, you can actively support your child by encouraging
practice and reinforcement of skills learned in therapy to maximize benefits of treatment
● You can learn skills and tools that may help them to better support your child and help
parents to feel more supported as well
● Your involvement can lead to better communication between you and your child which
may help to strengthen your relationship
● It can help your child to feel more supported and motivated to participate in therapy
Privacy of Information:
Depending on the age of your child, how much information is shared to you varies. In order to
create an open and trusting relationship between therapist and child, not all information shared
by your child is relayed to you. What is relayed will be dependent on what your child is
comfortable with the therapist sharing. The exception to this is in the event that there is
information that impacts the wellbeing or safety of your child. The therapist will inform you if
safety concerns occur and information that is relevant to ensuring the safety of your child.
Additional information on privacy and rights will be provided in session when reviewing the form
“Minor Informed Consent Form” in the intake with the therapist.