Therapeutic Assessments | FSK Minds Matter

Therapeutic Assessments for Children, Young People and Adults

I offer therapeutic assessments for children, young people and adults, with particular experience in trauma and attachment.
An assessment gives us time to look beyond the difficulties or behaviours that may be visible on the surface and begin to understand what may be happening underneath.

For children and young people, this can include exploring their experiences, relationships, attachment, trauma, emotional regulation and behaviour within the context of their wider life and family.

For adults, assessment provides an opportunity to explore current difficulties alongside relevant experiences, relationships and patterns that may have developed over time.

The purpose isn't to put somebody into a box or simply give them a label. It is to develop a clearer understanding of what may be happening, what support may be needed and whether therapeutic work with me would be appropriate.

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What Does a Therapeutic Assessment Involve?

Every assessment is individual and will depend on the age of the person, the reason for the assessment and what is currently happening.

An assessment may explore:

• current difficulties and how they are affecting everyday life
• relevant history and life experiences
• attachment and important relationships
• trauma, loss or significant change
• emotional regulation and ways of coping
• behaviour and what may be communicating through it
• repeating patterns in relationships or responses
• strengths, resources and existing support
• what the person or family would like to be different

With children and young people, I will consider their needs developmentally and within the context of their relationships and experiences, rather than looking at behaviour in isolation.

Once the assessment is complete, I will explain my understanding of what may be happening and discuss my recommendations with you. This may include therapeutic work with me or, where appropriate, signposting to another professional or service.

Working with Parents and Carers

When I am assessing a child or young person, understanding the wider picture is important. This includes spending time with parents or carers to explore the child's history, relationships, experiences and current difficulties.

We may also think together about attachment, emotional regulation, behaviour and what the child may be communicating through the way they respond.

Sometimes this involves looking at how a child's experiences affect the whole family and how parents or carers can best support them.

This isn't about blaming parents. It is about helping us understand the relationships around the child and identifying what everybody may need in order for therapeutic work to be helpful.

Understanding Behaviour

A child's behaviour often makes more sense when we understand what may be happening underneath it. As part of the assessment process, I can help parents and carers understand how experiences such as trauma, disrupted attachment, loss or instability may influence the way a child responds to relationships, boundaries, emotions and everyday situations.

We can also look at emotional regulation, triggers and ways of responding that may help a child feel safer and better understood.

Where helpful, I can draw on principles from therapeutic parenting and Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) to support parents and carers in responding differently to difficult situations.

About Fran

I'm Fran Kerr, an accredited counsellor and therapist, clinical supervisor and EMDR practitioner.

I have over 25 years' experience working therapeutically with children, young people, adults and families.

I have particular experience in trauma and attachment and in understanding how earlier experiences can influence emotional regulation, relationships, behaviour and the ways we learn to protect ourselves.

My assessments are informed by this experience and by an integrative approach, which means I look at the person as a whole rather than trying to fit everybody into one particular model.

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Child and Young Person Assessments

With children and young people, assessment may involve a combination of talking, observation and age-appropriate therapeutic or creative approaches. I may also spend time looking at the relationship between the child and their parent or carer, including how the child seeks support, responds to boundaries, manages closeness and challenge, and communicates their emotional needs.

I will consider the child's behaviour within the context of their experiences rather than simply looking at the behaviour itself.
The aim is to build a fuller picture of the child's emotional and relational needs and use this understanding to help decide what therapeutic support may be most appropriate.

What Are We Trying to Understand?

The purpose of assessment is to develop a clearer understanding of the person rather than simply focusing on a list of symptoms. For children and young people, this may include understanding:

The impact of attachment experiences, trauma, loss or separation

Emotional and behavioural responses

Relationships with parents, carers and other important people.

How the child seeks comfort, safety and connection.

Emotional regulation and coping strategies.

Strengths and areas where additional support may be needed.

The child's and family's hopes for therapy.

Whether the timing is right for therapeutic work.

What type of therapeutic support may be most appropriate.

For adults, we may explore many of the same areas while also considering how earlier experiences may be influencing current relationships, emotions, coping patterns and difficulties. The assessment helps us decide together what the next step should be.

Therapeutic Assessments for Children, Young People and Adults

Therapeutic Assessments for Children, Young People and Adults ​

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What Does a Therapeutic Assessment Involve?

About Fran

Child and Young Person Assessments

What Are We Trying to Understand?

The purpose of assessment is to develop a clearer understanding of the person rather than simply focusing on a list of symptoms. For children and young people, this may include understanding:

For adults, we may explore many of the same areas while also considering how earlier experiences may be influencing current relationships, emotions, coping patterns and difficulties. The assessment helps us decide together what the next step should be.

Therapeutic Assessments for Children, Young People and Adults