BY SUSANNA PINKUS
How do you build trust in your work?
Whilst there is no set formula, building trust is something I think about a great deal. Each parent and child that I meet brings their own needs, hopes, fears, and requirements, and I need to tune into these quickly.
Whether with parents, children or professional colleagues, I often find taking genuine care over the smallest matters as well as the big picture issues can make a real difference.
With parents, quickly dispensing with formality (and definitely with titles) always feels important, as is really listening in to what they need right now. Being flexible, responsive and checking in in between meetings is also vital to what I do and how I operate.
I consciously only take on a small number of cases so that I can provide that level of bespoke and tailored care.
With children too, being very conscious of the power dynamics at play and equalising it wherever possible to help them feel as empowered and as comfortable as possible is a priority.
This might involve inviting a young child to bring some of their favourite items to show me before we begin our session, (I might bring some too); preparing a short friendly welcome video or photographs beforehand, finding out if they want their parent to sit with them (or their dog), or if they want to be on or off camera.
To me, this is never just a job: this is someone’s precious child. And getting this right from the start really matters.
