The FSGC Preschool Consultation Project is a collaborative effort between Family Service & Guidance Center professionals and the various preschool and child care centers in the community. The objective of the consultation is to better meet the needs of children's social and emotional functioning in the center, enhance the caregivers' sensitivity and skill in dealing with the children, and provide educational information to parents.

FSGC offers child-centered consultation and program-centered consultation.

Child-centered consultation is initiated by childcare staff as they become concerned about a particular child's problems in social-emotional development. The FSGC consultant observes the child in the daycare or classroom setting and then makes recommendations to the staff and parents.

Program-centered consultation focuses on improving childcare staff's interactions with the children and sensitivity to the needs of all the children in their care. It will also focus on helping Head Start staff gain the skills necessary for assisting the children on their own to develop optimal social-emotional functioning and development.

Parents participate in both types of consultation but in different ways. In child-centered consultation, parents will first give their consent for the mental health professional to be involved. Next, their knowledge and historical perspective on the child's development will be utilized in assessing the child's needs. They will also be partners in deciding what kinds of interventions will be utilized and how they will be implemented.