Brief Coaching with Children and Young People - Solution Focused

In this review of Brief Coaching with Children and Young People the bottom line is clear: this book is a practical, solution focused guide ideal for practitioners who need concise, useable techniques to help young people move forward quickly. The review finds the text most valuable for coaches, therapists, teachers and youth workers because the authors concentrate on straightforward, repeatable practices illustrated by real cases. Readers looking for an academic theory treatise may find it lighter on long-form theory, but those wanting actionable methods will appreciate the book's directness and focus on outcomes.

Key Features

• Solution focused approach: Emphasises helping young people identify and move toward their preferred future rather than dwelling on problem details, which speeds up progress in short work.
• Practical techniques: Provides clear, straightforward methods and materials that can be applied in schools, clinics and community settings with minimal adaptation.
• Illustrated case examples: Uses numerous examples from the authors' coaching practice to show how techniques work in real, sometimes challenging, cases.
• Concise and accessible: Written to be directly useful rather than academic, enabling busy professionals to incorporate methods quickly into sessions.
• Focus on young clients: Targets coaching strategies specifically for children and young people, addressing age-appropriate language and goals.

Who It's For

Brief Coaching with Children and Young People is best suited to practitioners who work directly with children and adolescents: school counsellors, youth workers, psychologists, social workers and coaches who want an action-oriented, short-term approach. Its emphasis on practical techniques makes it useful for those who need to produce change within limited session time.

It is less appropriate for readers seeking a heavy theoretical text or a comprehensive academic review of psychotherapy research; graduate students or researchers wanting exhaustive literature surveys should look elsewhere. Practitioners who prefer long-term therapeutic frameworks may also want supplemental resources.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Practical, ready-to-use techniques that make integration into sessions straightforward.
• Case illustrations deliver concrete examples of application in challenging real-world situations.
• Solution focused emphasis helps clients concentrate on goals and achievable change quickly.

Cons

• Not a detailed theoretical textbook, so readers seeking in-depth academic theory may find it limited.

Specifications

Our Verdict

Brief Coaching with Children and Young People is a compact, useful resource for professionals who want pragmatic, outcome-focused tools to help young clients rapidly move toward their goals. Its strength lies in the practical exercises and case material that make implementation straightforward, so it represents good value for practitioners prioritising effective short-term work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this book practical for use in schools?
Yes. The book includes straightforward techniques and materials that can be adapted to school settings and short sessions.

Does it include case studies?
Yes. Numerous examples from the authors' coaching practice illustrate application in varied and challenging cases.

Is it a theoretical textbook?
No. The emphasis is on practice and usable methods rather than exhaustive theory or literature review.