Brief Coaching with Children and Young People

Harvey Ratner is a co-founder of BRIEF, established in 1989 as a London-based independent training, coaching and therapy agency for the development of Solution Focused practice. He and his colleagues Evan George and Chris Iveson have taught the approach to over 70,000 people around the world. They are the authors of Solution Focused Brief Therapy: 100 Key Points and Techniques and Brief Coaching: A Solution Focused Approach (Routledge). He works with young people and families in schools and at BRIEF.Denise Yusuf, with a background in social work and management, is a freelance coach and supervisor who has spent most of her career working with children, young people and families. She works in a number of schools running coaching programmes for primary and secondary school pupils, as well as coaching children and young people from youth organisations and charities across London, and in her private practice.

"I have found this book to be both practical and inspiring." – Pat Havell, ACP North London Magazine"This is essential reading for anyone seeking either an introduction to or consolidation in usinf solution-focused (SF) approaches with children and young people." - Carolyn Mumby, coach therapist and founder director of the therapist2coach training company, in Coaching Today"I think the book will be of most value to those training or qualified in the SFA, as it contains useful resources and guidance as well as detailed case examples and offers a clear and comprehensive read of only 141 pages." - Pauline Cullinery, Children & Young People ‘For readers new to the Solution Focused way of working, this text offers an accessible, user-friendly, yet comprehensive guide to having solution-building conversations. For readers already familiar with the Solution Focused approach, this book offers REAL, practical advice on the HOW of having Solution Focused conversations with children and adolescents. Responding to the adolescent "Don’t know", dealing with children’s boredom with the coaching process, how to keep their attention for a whole interview, what to do when things don’t improve, dealing with the reality of risk and bullying … the book offers PRACTICAL suggestions for responding to the real stuff that happens with children and adolescents.’ - Michael Durrant, Faculty of Education & Social Work, University of Sydney, Australia and Editor, Journal of Solution-Focused Brief Therapy"As a systemic therapist who uses Solution Focused therapy with clients of all ages, I am thrilled to see a book that reaches all populations of clients with such elegance and efficiency. This book will provide a marvelous tool for practitioners working with children, adolescents, parents, teachers and groups in schools and agencies. Steve de Shazer's idea of "there is no such thing as resistance" is proven here in this book, which contains enough case studies and examples to free even the most reluctant client from resistance into cooperation and then success. What a terrific gift to the field of coaching, counseling and therapy." - Linda Metcalf, Director of Graduate Programs, Texas Wesleyan University, Fort Worth, Texas and author of Counseling Toward Solutions.‘Coaching is now being used successfully with a range of clients, children and young people being but one. Coaching not only helps deal with the issues presented but is also psychoeducative. This meaning that it helps individuals develop new ways of approaching life in general. Children and young people learn fast and the learnings gained at this age lead to more fulfilling lives. This is a book that anyone working with such an age group would benefit from.’ - Gladeana McMahon, FAC, FRSA, FBACP, FIMS, FISMA. Chair Emeritus, Association for Coaching UK and leading Transformational and Behavioural Change coach."A useful text for any beginning educational and developmental psychologist, however it also provides a solid refresher for those who currently practice solution-focused therapy or those that would like to extend their client reach to children and groups." - Aimee Maxwell, MPsych, psychologist in private practice

• Preface. Solution Focused Brief Coaching. Children. Adolescents. Parents. Groupwork. In the School. In Different Settings. Materials.