Topic: Apply critical understanding of counselling approaches (knowledge and skills) to a case study.
Order Description
Apply critical understanding of counselling approaches (knowledge and skills) to a case study

Case Study – Younger Child
Alice is 4 years old and in Reception class at the local Primary school. Her parents struggle financially as her step-father is disabled and unable to work. Her mother works long hours, on a casual basis as a cleaner; they live in a high-rise flat on a notoriously tough estate. Alice has two older siblings, a brother, 6, and a sister who is 12. Alice’s mother says that Alice’s sister is ‘out-of-control’, and has even been brought home by the police, when they have found her drinking with friends in the local park. Alice herself is happy to offer her opinions and ideas in the class, although she is less likely to talk about her feelings. One Teaching Assistant has remarked that she is ‘quite manipulative and enjoys controlling some of the other girls’. This week, Alice’s favourite Teaching Assistant left her job. Yesterday, Alice was caught stealing another child’s miniature teddy and hiding it in her pocket. Today, one child challenged her for being bossy and Alice pulled the child’s hair and then started to sob. She retreated to a corner of the room and started sucking her thumb (which the practitioners said they hadn’t seen her do before). When the teacher asked her what was wrong, Alice says that she doesn’t want her sister to be sent away. Alice loves playing outside and playing in the ‘home corner’. She also likes to sing and dance. The teacher is a little concerned about Alice’s behaviour this week, but he is finding it hard to catch up with her mother to talk to her about it.

Preparation;
Read through the case study and brainstorm all possible causes for the child’s behaviour.
Identify any possible underlying themes that could be addressed (although you can only hope to help solve the problems by employing skills and strategies to win the child’s/parent’s trust)

Consider the child’s behaviours and how his feelings/behaviours are potentially affecting the child’s development and ability to learn.
Brainstorm the many strategies that could be used to support the child/family socially and emotionally.

Choose two ‘counselling’ approaches/therapies (Psychodynamic, person-centred, Brief-solution focused (CBT), Systems approach) that you can justify for helping the child. Consider ideas and skills that you can refer to in your video role play and reflective journals.

Consider the strengths and weaknesses of this approach (compare and contrast them), and in using it with this child.

Writing the Report:
Front page
Contents page and page numbers

Importance of your own self-awareness when supporting children’s social and emotional well-being. (150-200)

Evaluate social and emotional influences on the child in the case study, and her current needs (150-200).

Summarise, briefly, the range of support and intervention strategies that could be offered by educational professionals (like you) e.g. teachers and/or counsellors to help someone like her. (circle time, phse, emotional literacy, etc).

Select two approaches to discuss in detail; Person-centred counselling offered by you as a teacher, or offered by a trained school counsellor/Psychodynamic art-therapy offered by the teacher or a trained therapist.

Approach 1- Cognitive Behavioural Therapy approach; justification for its choice and how it can be applied, strengths and limitations (ethical and practical considerations) (750 words)

Approach 2- Person-centred approach; justification for its choice and how it can be applied, strengths and limitations (ethical and practical considerations) (750 words)
Suggestion/justification of other possible approaches e.g.Psychodynamic approach /systems approach/therapies (200)

Compare and contrast approaches (250)
Conclusions regarding the child’s well-being (150 words)

Conclusion in terms of own learning; self-awareness and self-development (150 words)

Bibliography- 20+