Welcome to Family Light

Home visits normally begin at 10 a.m. on the scheduled date. If necessary, alternate times may be discussed with your consultant; however, please read through this entire section before suggesting any variations.

The four basic goals of the morning session are as follows:

1. To provide the young person with an opportunity to meet the consultant, to gain an understanding of what to expect from the consultant, and to decide how he/she wants to relate to the consultant.

2. To assist the family in clearly defining their expectations of the consultant for the term of the Service Agreement.

3. To clarify how the young person and the family progressed to the point that the services of FamilyLight were needed

4. To affirm the young person’s positive qualities

Following the morning session, the consultant will take the young person to lunch. This provides a relaxed setting to discuss the young person’s basic concerns and to see how the youth views his/her role in the solution. This is a flexible routine that can be adapted as needed. The break time for parents is an opportunity to confer and process privately what has taken place during the morning session and to attend to personal or business concerns.

During lunch, the consultant is able to observe how the young person functions away from home. In this situation even the most resistant teenager usually responds well, has lowered anxieties, and communicates openly. This private time enables the young person to express his/her point of view and specific concerns in a more neutral setting. Even if a positive rapport is not developed at this time, young people in placement are likely to be less resentful and more invested if they feel they know “their consultant.”

After lunch, the consultant will begin to develop a plan with the entire family. This plan could involve placement in a school or treatment center. Or, a structured plan could be developed with a parent coach; this would allow the young person to continue living at home under a set of specific expectations known as a Home Contract.

If any of the above procedures cause concern, please discuss this with the consultant prior to the visit.