A family member, friend, advocate, Support Coordinator, support worker or another trusted person may often attend or contribute when the client wants this and it is appropriate for the assessment. Their role should be agreed rather than assumed.
At a glance
Key points
- 01The client’s preferences and consent guide who is involved.
- 02A supporter can help with communication, history, examples and practical needs.
- 03Some parts of an appointment may be completed privately when the client requests this or the therapist needs direct information.
How can a support person help?
A trusted person may help the client feel comfortable, remember information, explain how support works in daily life, provide examples from different environments or assist with communication and decision-making.
Their observations can be valuable, particularly when needs fluctuate or the assessment concerns support provided by other people.
Whose voice leads the assessment?
The assessment remains centred on the person receiving the service. The occupational therapist should seek the person’s views, preferred communication method and consent as directly as possible.
Different people may remember or interpret events differently. The therapist can record the source of information and explore differences without treating one person’s account as automatically more important.
What about privacy and information sharing?
Before sharing reports or discussing health information with other people, the occupational therapist may need to confirm consent, authority and the purpose of sharing. The person can ask what will be recorded and who will receive a report.
If the person wants someone else to communicate on their behalf, tell the service when making the referral so the appropriate arrangements can be discussed.
Sources and further reading
Official guidance may change. Check the linked source for the most current information.