ABSTRACT
Given that children and adolescents are works in progress, it is crucial to have an understanding of their developmental context. Assessing a three-year-old is different to seeing an 18-year-old. Child therapists need to have an appreciation of the emotional strengths and weaknesses that are expected at each stage of development. This enables them to be in a position to gauge whether a child’s or adolescent’s development is on track or derailed.
