What should be the core of any consultation process?

The core of any consultation process should center around individualized student needs. This focus ensures that the unique requirements of each student are prioritized, allowing for tailored strategies and interventions that address specific challenges or goals. By placing the student at the heart of the consultation, professionals can gather meaningful information about their strengths, weaknesses, and context, which is essential for developing effective support plans.

Prioritizing individualized needs promotes a more inclusive and responsive approach, leading to better outcomes for students. It recognizes that every student is different and that interventions must be customized to effectively support their learning and development. In contrast to other options, which might emphasize procedural uniformity, compliance from teachers, or authority from parents, the emphasis on individual needs fosters collaboration among all stakeholders—students, educators, and families—ensuring that the unique perspectives and circumstances of the student drive the consultation process.