The Importance Of Using
an Educational Consultant
Having a child in crisis can be a terrifying and immobilizing experience for a family. When a parent is consumed by fear about their child's well-being, it is difficult to make a sound, informed decision about how to intervene. We are here to help.
The professionals at Skelton Thomason and Associates are experienced in educational consulting and have extensive resources and knowledge regarding educational and therapeutic program options for your troubled teen or young adult child. We offer an objective yet empathetic approach to the family's situation, which in turn, helps both the educational consultant and the family to identify a setting which is academically, socially, and therapeutically appropriate for the adolescent/young adult.
As educational consultants, we personally visit a multitude of programs and spend significant time on a regular basis with program therapists and individual school administrators in order to develop a deep understanding of each program's mission, as well as the living environments. However, unlike most consultants, we visit each and every student in primary treatment. This also allows us to gain a comprehensive understanding of the individual needs of our clients; it allows us to really understand each program at a deeper level. By working closely with the therapists and educators within programs, we understand which therapists and teachers work best with which types of students. Making the correct "match" between a family and a program is the most important thing that we do, and the amount of time spent in programs enables us to do this from a place of comprehensive knowledge of the strengths of each individual program and the types of students with whom they excel. We have years of experience witnessing which students succeed in which settings.
Many of the students with whom we work have experienced treatment "failures" in outpatient and/or residential settings. We work hard to prevent this from happening by helping find the program that is the best fit for each child, and also by supporting the family so they are empowered to trust the treatment process and be an active part of it. After a family has chosen a program, we stay involved and work closely every step of the way, supporting and advocating for whatever is in the best interest of each child or young adult and helping families navigate their way through this entire experience.
We regularly attend professional conferences and trainings that address issues relating to educational and therapeutic options.
We receive no financial compensation from any schools or programs. That way, we can ensure that we are always an advocate for the student and the family, placing the student's best interest above all else.
We are members of the Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA), the professional association of full-time experienced educational consultants.
