Lend me your watch and I'll tell you the time! Consultancy as research in developing learning support

Abstract

The role of support services has never been particularly clear. Most grew simply out of local concerns and developed their own esoteric patterns. Paradoxically, this turned out to be both a strength and weakness. Strong in that it well understands local situations but weak in that it has difficulty in responding to current pressures. The climate suggests that traditional services are extremely vulnerable. Keith Humphreys and Patricia Collins became involved in a review of one such support service. They describe the strategy deployed in arriving at a consensus as to how professionals might adapt to the contemporary situation. Their “pointers for future action” provide a good starting point for others contemplating such a review of provision.