Professional liaison around a child’s psychotherapy
A child may be moving between home, school, healthcare and therapy while each setting holds only part of the picture. Focused communication can help the adults understand the same formulation, reduce contradictory demands and keep psychological treatment connected to daily life.
What may be included
The ongoing psychotherapy programme includes up to 30 minutes of clinically relevant professional liaison and additional clinical administration in each active treatment month. Where needed, this may cover:
a brief exchange with a school, SENCO or pastoral lead;
contact with a GP, paediatrician or treating clinician;
reading and responding to an important professional update;
sharing a concise psychotherapeutic formulation or recommendation;
a brief clinically relevant letter;
preparation directly connected to the child’s treatment.
The time is combined across liaison and additional clinical administration. It does not carry forward, accumulate or create a cash entitlement when unused.
Agreeing a purpose
Agreed professional liaison may form part of a Psychotherapy Assessment when clinically relevant. During the ongoing psychotherapy programme, liaison is considered within the agreed treatment plan and the included clinical allowance.
Before contact is made, we ordinarily agree:
who needs to be involved;
the specific question or purpose;
what information may be shared;
how the young person’s views and confidentiality will be considered;
what outcome would make the contact worthwhile.
This helps prevent therapy becoming attendance monitoring, behavioural surveillance or an open channel through which every professional concern is passed to the psychotherapist.
Work outside the included scope
Substantial work is not included automatically. This may include:
detailed clinical reports;
extensive EHCP documentation;
repeated or lengthy professional meetings;
case conferences exceeding the included capacity;
review of large volumes of records;
educational advocacy;
case management.
There is no additional charge for the defined ongoing arrangement. An extended assessment report, for example to contribute to an EHCP or diagnostic process, is separately charged at £360 per hour, pro rata according to the time involved, with the scope and fee agreed in advance. Court, tribunal, forensic and medico-legal work, and stand-alone diagnostic assessments, are outside the scope of this practice. Where needs go beyond the agreed work, we discuss what support is appropriate.
Responsibilities remain with the relevant service
Liaison does not transfer medical responsibility from a GP or paediatrician, educational responsibility from a school, safeguarding responsibility from statutory agencies or risk management from CAMHS and urgent services. I contribute a child-psychotherapy perspective within my professional role.
i-THRIVE alignment
Thoughtful interagency communication supports i-THRIVE’s principles of partnership working, shared decision-making and clarity about who is leading. The amount of coordination may help distinguish focused Getting Help from more extensive Getting More Help. Where the task is primarily managing significant ongoing risk, this private practice does not provide Getting Risk Support and the appropriate statutory service must lead.
Written and clinically reviewed by Sagal Hassan, ACP-registered Child and Adolescent Psychotherapist. Last reviewed 31 August 2026.
Frequently asked questions
The ongoing psychotherapy programme includes up to 30 minutes of clinically relevant liaison and additional clinical administration in each active treatment month.
No. It is offered only where there is a clear clinical purpose, appropriate consent and an agreed scope.
The 30-minute ongoing allowance does not cover extensive reports, lengthy meetings, case management or educational advocacy, and cannot accumulate into a large report. There is no additional charge for the defined ongoing arrangement. An extended assessment report can contribute to an EHCP or diagnostic process and is separately charged according to time, agreed in advance. Stand-alone diagnostic assessment, court and medico-legal work are outside this practice.
Parent Consultation
A 40-minute online appointment for parents, offering specialist guidance without an obligation to continue.