Approximately one out of every 10 U.S. students has an emotional, behavioral, or developmental issue that impacts functioning at home, school, or within his or her community (Huang et. al., 2005). Children and teens often encounter many of the same issues that adults do, however their developmental capacities cause them to react and to cope differently (Broderick & Blewitt, 2010).  While many counseling approaches are rooted in adult-based theories, therapy for youth should not be viewed as merely a micro version of adult therapy. (Prout & Brown, 2007).  Counselors should consider the environmental and developmental circumstances of their young clients and provide “a different, if not creative, approach to therapy” (Prout & Brown, 2007).

Counseling children and adolescents requires an understanding of the stages of human development, as what is considered pathological behavior in adults may just be normal developmental deviation for youngsters (McMahon, 2009).  Treatment planning should always be tailored to each client; interventions and goal-setting must account for age and developmental stage(Prout & Brown, 2007).  Counselors must recognize potential limitations in cognitive abilities and moral judgment based on their client's developmental stage and incorporate developmentally appropriate therapeutic interventions. 

As school counselors, we have legal and ethical responsibilities to our students.  As mandated reporters, we must be able to identify abuse and/or neglect, and report it to the appropriate agencies.  Working with populations who may not have fully developed their own voice, it is crucial to maintain awareness of nonverbal cues and behaviors that could indicate possible abuse or neglect.  For more information, please visit the New York City Administration for Children's Service website.

              References

               Broderick, P., Blewitt, P. (2010). The life span: Human development for helping professionals, 292-295.

              Huang, L., Stroul B., Friedman, R., Mrazek, P., Friesen, B., Pires, S., et al. (2005). Transforming mental health care for children and their families. American

    Psychologist, 60, 615-627. 

              McMahan, I. (2009). Adolescence. Boston: Pearson.

              Prout, H. T., & Brown, D. T. (Eds.). (2007). Counseling and psychotherapy with children and adolescents: Theory and practice for school and clinical settings. 

     John Wiley and Sons.