Eight Great Questions to Ask When Choosing an Executive Function Coach
When it comes to choosing an executive function coach, parents are often at a loss as to how to evaluate the right fit for their child’s needs. After all, executive function coaches are not licensed or regulated. There are no requirements to meet prior to going into business, which means that executive function coaches can range from individuals with years of experience and PhDs, to peer mentors who are still in college themselves, and everything in between. When a field is full of apples and oranges, how can you accurately compare all the fruit? Here are eight great questions to help you get started:
What are your credentials? This question should be asked not just of the owner of the practice, but for all of the coaches they employ. What is the hiring criteria? Ideally, you should hear that everybody has a degree in special education in the group and is focused on ADHD and executive function in their work and teaching.
If your work is evidence-based, what research is the program based on? Having a ready answer is important and gives you an opportunity to at least do some basic googling to ensure that it is a valid and respected methodology. A good follow-up question is whether the coaches are trained in multiple programs or strategies in case their go-to turns out not to be a good fit for your child.
What age group do you typically work with? This can be especially important when looking for a coach for a college student, where expectations are very different from secondary school.
What is your training for understanding testing reports? Can your coach interpret the results of a psycho-educational evaluation and understand implications beyond the basic recommendations from the testing professional?
Do you understand and are you able to attend IEP, 504, or accommodation plan meetings? A good coach understands special education law and requirements, and can provide important data points to the school team to help guide goals and accommodations.
What are your charges for meeting with other professionals, such as teachers or doctors? It is reasonable to expect that there will be a charge for time spent meeting with other professionals, whether by phone, Zoom or in-person. Ask whether the charges are flat or hourly, whether they include prep time and travel time, or if there is a cap. Having this information in advance can help you to decide whether it is important to have the coach participate in a meeting, and to what degree.
How do you let parents know what is being covered and the progress being made? A good coaching practice should have a routine system in place for communication. You don’t want to wait until report cards roll around to realize that your child is not following through with the strategies and recommendations of their executive function coach.
What is your coaching philosophy? A good coach should easily be able to articulate their personal coaching philosophy, so that you can better assess whether they would be a good fit for your child.
These questions should help you understand what services will look like and set expectations going forward. Executive function coaching is an investment, and to maximize results it is important to understand what you are spending your time and resources on before committing.