Child behaviour problems: contracting with parents

The time of professional workers is limited and expensive and needs to be used effectively. Parents of young children with behaviour problems often ask health visitors and other professionals for help, but this can slip into long-drawn-out, unproductive interactions without clear goals. Making a contract with the parents can result in a more effective, clearly structured interaction which is economical of professionals' time. To make a successful contract requires the agreement of both professional and parents. There are three distinct stages to the process of making a successful contract: consultation, negotiation and intervention. Goals and objectives must be established and the contract should be written down and progress recorded.