What do you share with the school?

[o_mom]

The school is requesting we sign a release to speak with DS3's therapist.

Pros? Cons?

They presented it as "This way we don't have to funnel everything through you", but I'm thinking "Um, I want to know everything anyway".

[Melaine]

Wait, what? So the teachers can talk directly to the therapist?

[o_mom]

Mainly the school counselor and school psychologist, but the form is for the school in general.

[hillview]

could you offer instead a meeting among the 3 or 4 of you? I wouldn't want that direct contact without me but not sure how it is usually done

[roseyloxs]

could you offer instead a meeting among the 3 or 4 of you? I wouldn't want that direct contact without me but not sure how it is usually done

Agreed. I wouldn't want to give them permission to talk about my children without my presence. They deserve to have an advocate in the room.

[egoldber]

We absolutely let the therapist and the school speak directly. I have found that the teachers and counselors are much more honest with the therapist if we are not in the loop. And also that they are much more receptive to feedback given directly by the therapist when I am not there. I think they also feel that the therapist is more honest vs. "playing to me" or catering to parental whims if the parent is not directly involved in the conversation.

So we have found that signing these releases to be valuable, and in fact one of the biggest perks of having a therapist on your DC's team.

FWIW, the therapist tells me everything that the school says, so I have yet to see a downside.

ETA: I have found this to be extremely standard practice at different schools and between different therapists.

ETA2:

Mainly the school counselor and school psychologist, but the form is for the school in general.

On our form, we listed specific people that could be contacted. It has always been the school counselor (the school pyshc is not that involved in day to day interactions with the student in our district) and the classroom teachers.

[azazela]

We absolutely let the therapist and the school speak directly. I have found that the teachers and counselors are much more honest with the therapist if we are not in the loop. And also that they are much more receptive to feedback given directly by the therapist when I am not there. I think they also feel that the therapist is more honest vs. "playing to me" or catering to parental whims if the parent is not directly involved in the conversation.

So we have found that signing these releases to be valuable, and in fact one of the biggest perks of having a therapist on your DC's team.

FWIW, the therapist tells me everything that the school says, so I have yet to see a downside.

ETA: I have found this to be extremely standard practice at different schools and between different therapists.

ETA2:


On our form, we listed specific people that could be contacted. It has always been the school counselor (the school pyshc is not that involved in day to day interactions with the student in our district) and the classroom teachers.

I can only speak to the school's side of things at the moment but I agree completely. I am a school psychologist and find it extremely helpful to be able to speak to my students' private therapists on an as needed basis. However, I feel that you should definitely be able to specify who exactly from the school will be able to speak to the therapist. My standard form does not specify however I would gladly change the wording for any parent who asks. Even though *I* know that as the child's case manager asking for written consent, I'd be the only on in touch with the therapist, I can certainly see why parents might be concerned with a blanket permission like that. You are absolutely within your rights to ask them to specify by position or by name who exactly would be speaking to the therapist, but I would not stand in the way of them doing so.

[Green_Tea]

I'd have no problem signing off on that, and would be pleased that the school would be willing to keep in touch and work as a team with the therapist.

[elliput]

I don't have a problem with school and private therapist/SLP/counselor/etc sharing information. They should all be on the same team with you.

[o_mom]

Thanks everyone. I spoke with the therapist today and she said it is pretty standard that they would mainly share what strategies we are working on so that they could replicate them at school. She said that sometimes professional to professional means less loss of info vs. going through the parents.

I think we will sign it, but I will ask them tomorrow about who would be using it and restricting it to "need to know" folks.

We are very lucky that this year we have a full-time school psych. and SW as well. This is the first year for it and it is good timing for us.