Abstract
Consultation is a term that can have many different meanings. In this paper, it is used in the sense that Caplan (1964) defines as mental health consultation, to describe the interaction between a consultee and consultant who meet to facilitate some area of mental health work in which the consultee is involved. By working with workers instead of directly with clients, the consultant aims to offer a service to a greater number of people than would otherwise be possible and to have a preventive role with earlier detection and management of mental health problems.
Highlights
The process of arriving at a stage of consultation with the staffhas been one of constantly negotiating a balance between being accepted into the nursery, being accessible and approachable while being able to maintain a certain distance, to give an over view and help the group stay with the task. Obholzer (1987) says that "in order for the consultant to oper ate effectively he needs to be an outsider, to have an independent base and to have a style in which he enables the institution to find its own solutions in the climate of consultation created by him or her as ofrpopmosoeudtsitdoe"s.olutions being suggested or imposed
The nursery had not had a consultant before and together we have developed a style that has enabled us more or less to stick to the task we set ourselves
Children aged from 9 months to 5 years attend and the Centre is open from 7.30 a.m. until 6.00 p.m., on all days except Bank Holidays
Summary
JULIANELKI,Senior Registrar in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, The Tavistock Clinic, London NW3. The nursery had not had a consultant before and together we have developed a style that has enabled us more or less to stick to the task we set ourselves. The staff have wanted me to give talks, see children, discuss policy. I have shared anger and concern at threats to the work - the hopelessness and the helplessness of the staff and several times I have wanted to give up. Keeping the task in mind has prevented me from being irretrievably diverted and gthreourpesuloltokhiansgbteoegnetfhrueirtfautl,hfoowr wtheeacrheilndorewn'as wdoifrfkicinuglt behaviour can at times reflect difficulties in the staff group and how looking at staff relationships can help the children. The nursery is funded and managed by social services and takes up to 50 children, a mixture of social classes: families where both parents work outside the home and those in difficult emotional and financial situations. The staff have always been friendly and welcoming to me, even in their most difficult times, and when resenting my freedom to leave and the salary I get
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
