You are the child specialist in the Norris collaborative case. You conduct a private interview with Ainsley Norris — a 16-year-old high school junior caught between two parents with very different plans for her future. Your recording is shown to the professional team and the CLE audience during Meeting 4. Tommy and Angela never see it.
This mirrors real collaborative practice: the child specialist liaises with the MHP (Carol Mapp), and the team strategizes how to relay Ainsley's voice to the parents without putting the child in the middle.
Reframe the testing disagreement between the parents. Tommy wants Ainsley tested for a learning disability; Angela refuses because she fears the stigma. Your professional opinion:
"This isn't about labels. This is about giving Ainsley tools."
This reframe gives the team a way to present the issue to both parents without it being a win/lose dynamic.
The audience learns what the child specialist role looks like in practice — warm, safe, age-appropriate — and then watches the team navigate the ethical challenge of carrying a child's voice into adult negotiations.
| Time | What | You |
|---|---|---|
| Before April 16 | Recording deadline | Record the Ainsley interview (~4 minutes) |
| 8:00 – 1:30 | CLE Morning | Not required on-site (welcome to attend) |
| ~1:40 PM | Your video plays | Pre-recorded — plays to audience and team |
| ~1:50 onward | Team discussion | Carol leads debrief on your findings |
Ainsley is nervous. You need to establish warmth and trust before she'll say anything real. Start with easy questions. Let her set the pace. The audience should see what a skilled child specialist session looks like from the first thirty seconds.
This is the line that should land hardest. Ainsley is carrying her mother's emotions. She's parentified — protecting Angela from disappointment. Let this moment breathe. Don't rush past it.
When Ainsley says she'd rather live with Dad, it's not because she loves Mom less. It's because Tommy gives her space and Angela projects plans onto her. This distinction matters for the team's strategy.
When you address the learning disability question, pivot from "label" to "tools." This gives the collaborative team a framework for presenting the issue to both parents without triggering Angela's defensiveness or validating Tommy's "I told you so."
The interview should feel like a real child specialist session — warm, safe, age-appropriate. Ainsley is a 16-year-old who is scared of disappointing her mother. That fear should come through clearly but naturally, not performed.
Keep it to approximately 4 minutes. The audience needs to see enough to understand Ainsley's position, but this isn't a therapy session — it's a snapshot. The power is in brevity.
Remember: in a real collaborative case, neither parent sees this recording. You report to Carol, and the team decides how to carry Ainsley's voice into the room. The recording is for the professional team's eyes only. That framing should be natural in the way you speak to Ainsley — she should feel safe knowing this is private.
Recording is due before April 16. You do not need to be present at the June 12 CLE, though you are welcome to attend.