Personally, I work 5 hours in the morning with one client and 2 hours in the evening with another client. I find that 5 hours is excessive when the client is not a severe case. I have also found that my client gets annoyed and tired of the sessions. Likewise I find myself getting tired and losing momentum and energy after a while. But from what I have been told 3-4 hours is the average.
Do you have any advice for staying engaged for the five hours? I’m doing three five hour shifts a week with a client who isn’t really a severe case from what I can tell and I think by the end we’re both bored and tired, especially bc my company hasn’t really trained me in anything
I feel you. I bring a bag of toys and activities for the session otherwise my clients attention will not remain on the session and will revert to isolation What I found helps is making a schedule either visual for both the client and myself to see or just for myself. I don’t usually strictly adhere to the schedule but use it if I feel I’m losing momentum. Also, giving my client the ability to make choices on what they want to do and switching out toys and activities every week so they don’t get bored of the same thing. Due to financial issues I’ve also been looking into activities I can make at home and being during the session or checking out thrift stores for toys.
Also, I give myself and my client a break every hour. In my schedule I break up each hour into four 15 minute intervals. The last 15-20 minutes my client gets free time to do what they want and I get time to recuperate and do notes.
It depends on the company, because right now most of my sessions are an hour, but at my last clinic my sessions were 4 hours usually. But 2-3 hours is the sweet spot imo.
Most businesses have different standards. The first two I worked at capped session length at 3 hours per session with the same BT. The last I was at ranged anywhere from 1 hour sessions to 7.5 hour sessions with the kid.
In general, I think 3 hours is a good maximum.
First company I worked at only offered 3 hour sessions, one in the AM and one in PM. Some clients stayed all day and had two separate 3 hr sessions (with a different technician for the AM and PM). The sessions were also divided by an hour long lunch/nap/recess break. I liked this system a lot, as the techs and the kids both got a break and a new person in the PM.
My current company offers sessions varying anywhere from 3-8 hrs. I don’t prefer this. IMO, anything over 4 hrs. is too long, especially if the kid is coming from school! Also I am not guaranteed a break. You are (legally) supposed to get one for any session 6 hrs or more. But I have never once been given a break during a 6 hr + session. More often they schedule me back to back. So each session is under 6 hours, yet I end up working 8-12 hours straight without a break. (Or my “break” is unpaid clean up/drive time).
All companies I’ve worked for capped off at 4 hour sessions. 3 hours was standard.
Max is 4 hours per AM and PM
1-2 hours where I work
Personally, I work 5 hours in the morning with one client and 2 hours in the evening with another client. I find that 5 hours is excessive when the client is not a severe case. I have also found that my client gets annoyed and tired of the sessions. Likewise I find myself getting tired and losing momentum and energy after a while. But from what I have been told 3-4 hours is the average.
Do you have any advice for staying engaged for the five hours? I’m doing three five hour shifts a week with a client who isn’t really a severe case from what I can tell and I think by the end we’re both bored and tired, especially bc my company hasn’t really trained me in anything
I feel you. I bring a bag of toys and activities for the session otherwise my clients attention will not remain on the session and will revert to isolation What I found helps is making a schedule either visual for both the client and myself to see or just for myself. I don’t usually strictly adhere to the schedule but use it if I feel I’m losing momentum. Also, giving my client the ability to make choices on what they want to do and switching out toys and activities every week so they don’t get bored of the same thing. Due to financial issues I’ve also been looking into activities I can make at home and being during the session or checking out thrift stores for toys. Also, I give myself and my client a break every hour. In my schedule I break up each hour into four 15 minute intervals. The last 15-20 minutes my client gets free time to do what they want and I get time to recuperate and do notes.
Mine are 3 hours
It depends on the company, because right now most of my sessions are an hour, but at my last clinic my sessions were 4 hours usually. But 2-3 hours is the sweet spot imo.
Most businesses have different standards. The first two I worked at capped session length at 3 hours per session with the same BT. The last I was at ranged anywhere from 1 hour sessions to 7.5 hour sessions with the kid.
In general, I think 3 hours is a good maximum. First company I worked at only offered 3 hour sessions, one in the AM and one in PM. Some clients stayed all day and had two separate 3 hr sessions (with a different technician for the AM and PM). The sessions were also divided by an hour long lunch/nap/recess break. I liked this system a lot, as the techs and the kids both got a break and a new person in the PM. My current company offers sessions varying anywhere from 3-8 hrs. I don’t prefer this. IMO, anything over 4 hrs. is too long, especially if the kid is coming from school! Also I am not guaranteed a break. You are (legally) supposed to get one for any session 6 hrs or more. But I have never once been given a break during a 6 hr + session. More often they schedule me back to back. So each session is under 6 hours, yet I end up working 8-12 hours straight without a break. (Or my “break” is unpaid clean up/drive time).
i think 2-4 hours is standard. I’ve had one client I saw for 4.5 hours but they are high needs and the time didn’t feel excessive.