A child psychologist or developmental psychologist often works as a mental health consultant in environments where children are taught or cared-for, such as daycare centers, Head Start centers, private schools and public elementary schools. Caregivers in these environments are frequently the first to notice the effects of trauma and stress in families, as reflected by the behavior of the children under their care. However, sometimes caregivers feel poorly prepared or ill-equipped to deal with the added responsibility of helping a child deal with family trauma and stress.
In the role of mental health consultant, the psychologist is focused less on providing direct treatment to children, and more focused supporting the parents and caregivers who nurture, stimulate and care for the children. This work often complements, or is complemented by, the psychologist’s treatment of individuals and families in private practice.
While, occasionally, the psychologist may be asked to provide direct therapeutic treatment for a child, the main job of the psychologist as mental health consultant is to support the cognitive, social and emotional development of children by helping teachers, instructors, assistants and parents learn more about child development, child behavior and indicators that signal that a child needs special care or attention. The involvement of the mental health consultant in childcare environments is a proactive, prevention-oriented approach to child development.
This proactive approach can lead to crucial early interventions with children. Underlying stress and trauma can lead a child to act out, be aggressive, or display hyperactivity. The consultant uses these behaviors as possible clues to hidden negative emotions and feelings. Children may be disruptive when their feelings stay unspoken and are not acknowledged by an adult; part of the consultant’s job is to help ensure that these feelings are expressed and recognized by adults. These early interventions can often prevent the manifestation of more serious problems later in the child’s life.
The mental health consultant typically works with staff, attends team meetings, performs wellness visits with children and observes classroom and playground activities.
Age Appropriate Child Behavior
One of the jobs for a mental health consultant in a childcare environment is recognizing age appropriate or inappropriate behavior among the children. Sometimes, parents have unrealistic expectations of what their children can do, and then punish them later for not meeting these unrealistic expectations. This can negatively affect the child’s social and emotional development. The consultant can educate and coach parents on what to expect from their children, and when.
Age inappropriate behavior may be a red flag signaling trauma, stress and sometimes, abuse, in the child’s home. The mental health consultant recognizes these signals as cause for further investigation and works with caregivers to develop an appropriate course of action. The consultant also helps maintain awareness among staff of age appropriate behavior and red flags that signal a need for further exploration.
Depending on the observations of the child’s behavior noted by the mental health consultant, he or she might recommend therapy or counseling for the child, a discussion with the parents about possible courses of action, including family therapy, or, to aid cognitive development, occupational therapy.
Mental Health Consultant as Mediator and Coach
Mental health consultants in childcare environments work extensively with the staff, including the director, teachers and instructional assistants. The consultant adopts a partnership model that includes assumptions and goals shared by all for the general benefit and well-being of the children under their care.
Teacher-to-teacher and teacher-to-director relations are all-important in childcare environments – if the agency staff aren’t happy working together, and their feelings are being expressed in negative ways, it ultimately affects the children and how they behave. The mental health consultant can adopt the role of mediator to help staff work through professional relationship issues.
Sometimes a teacher might ask the consultant for help in developing classroom management techniques to deal with particularly difficult-to-manage children. The consultant may develop a behavior rewards system and a behavior modification plan tailored for the circumstance. It’s important to note that the availability of the consultant in the classroom allows for case-by-case management of behavioral issues, rather than leaving it up to the teacher to try ‘one size fits all’ template approaches. Teachers often welcome the assistance of the mental health consultant to develop customized solutions.
Ask Your School or Daycare Center
A shortage of qualified, credentialed professionals can sometimes force educational and childcare agencies to hire non-credentialed staff for roles that involve the supervision of children. Children in these environments can often benefit from the presence of a mental health consultant as an ‘extra pair of eyes’ in the classroom or on the playground.
Even agencies with a full complement of fully credentialed staff can benefit from availing themselves of the services of a mental health consultant. The consultant can bring a fresh, arms-length, perspective to staff and child behavior issues and introduce fresh techniques or methods that he or she develops in private practice or have proven effective at other sites.
Ask the staff at your child’s school or daycare center if they have a mental health consultant available to them, or how they otherwise get help in dealing with complex or difficult staff and child behavior issues.
