American psychologists in schools, master the art of managing demanding caseloads and effectively addressing the varied needs of students. This article offers practical tips for assessment, fostering strong collaborations with teachers and parents, and implementing efficient, compliant record-keeping systems essential for US school psychology practice.
What are some of the challenges of working as a therapist in a school setting? Shanna Louwrens addresses the challenges faced in terms of a high case load and needing to stay in touch with the needs of a large number of learners. How does the therapist manage this in terms of assessing and effectively meeting the needs of these learners? She also discusses the issue of remaining in contact with teachers and parents and facilitating appropriate feedback. Shanna provides valuable tips and a suggested resource for record-keeping in a school setting. This could be a demanding task given the high case load, and is an HPCSA requirement. Shanna has some useful thoughts about how to keep this manageable and efficient.
These ideas link usefully to Annelie Van Der Westhuysen's talks on confidentiality in schools and consent in schools, which are important for therapists in a school setting or those working with children of school-going age.
Shanna offers two CE-accredited talks on sensory modulation difficulties in children with cerebral palsy, available here.