Psychological principles
Last updated:To build an effective rapport with a child, there are three psychological factors it is important to convey:
- genuineness
- respect
- empathy
Genuineness
Being genuine means being yourself. It will help to build up a rapport with a child. To be genuine you should:
- Remain open and non-defensive (even if you are threatened).
- Be yourself and don't come across as too professional. Be relaxed around the child.
- Be consistent with your own values and behaviours.
- Do not change your attitude towards them, despite their challenging behaviour.
Respect
Being respectful means having due regard for somebody's feelings, emotions and rights. To be respectful you should:
- Show that you care about the well-being of the child.
- Show that by working with children it's worth your time and energy.
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Maintain confidentiality. Don’t overshare with people if there were certain things, they wanted just you to know (unless it is a safeguarding concern, in which case it must be shared).
Empathy
Empathy is about communicating understanding so that we can relate to a child’s feelings. We should be able to step into their shoes and see things from their perspective. Adults working with children and young people with EBSNA should show that they are able to understand their:
- experiences
- behaviours
- feelings