Psychiatrist asked me to leave the room for 10 Minutes to talk to Dd

It may be the norm for therapy, but that doesn't mean it's a good idea. Yes, it could be a way for a professional to rule out that parents are the problem, but also, as so many kids are in therapy these days, it does make me wonder if this practice harms healthy parent-child relationships by the suggestion that maybe your parents don't know better than other adults. FWIW, I would NEVER have allowed that without a third party chaperone. I think there's something critical about our mother's instincts and this is overriding yours, which you should listen to, IMO.

First time I saw a psychiatrist I was nine or ten, so a fair bit older, but I would assume there are similarities in why/how it's done.

My experience is that a good chunk of the no-parent conversation can consist of asking some of the same questions again, maybe worded a bit differently. I guess it's to see if the child gives the same kinds of answers when there's no parent there potentially cueing certain kinds of preferred responses, inhibiting what the child feels able to say just by being there, or even actively answering for the child.

They often seem to ask questions designed to get at a better understanding of how things generally are at home from the child's perspective, and questions aimed at understanding what relationships between family members are like, how the child perceives them and so on. Not necessarily just looking for signs of abuse — obviously a kid's understanding or experience of what's going on, expectations, etc. aren't necessarily the same as how the parent assumes the kid is seeing things, and that perspective might not be able to find through with the parent there.

Then there's questions about thoughts, feelings and actions that kids might not want to reveal in front of parents, maybe things they fear would upset or worry their parents, or embarrassing things.

The specifics would be different at different ages, but this is my experience of what actually happens when the parents are asked to step out for a few minutes.

It's normal. You can refuse if you want.
To be working as a child psychiatrist they will obviously have been dbs checked.
They will be looking to see if the child responds better without the parent.. not just to see if the parent is the problem but sometimes the child might not want to upset the parent by disclosing negative feelings or experiences etc
You can refuse it but I personally wouldn't as it might help your child open up. Children want to please their parents, sometimes they might not fully explain what's going on whilst the parent is present, or they might not be honest.

Lots of children keep things from parents and it's standard to have time with the child at the end as they're comfortable having been there with the parent.
Its usually normal stuff like 'how's school?''what do you like doing at home?' Etc your child might be more likely to say she's being bullied (but doesn't want to worry you) or whatever. It's nothing to worry about

Sadly in many cases the problem is the parent/s.

So it makes sense the psychiatrist should want to speak to your DC in private without you.

But also sadly, two of my #metoo moments in my 20s were at the hands of male HCPs; one GP, one optician.

I would insist on a chaperone being present.

I would do this if chaperoned no way in hell without chaperoning. 2 incidents in my own family of adults being inappropriately touched by medical professionals within the last 5 years not to mind the risk to children. In one instance the doctor was later fired (there had been more than one instance) no way a single child should be left alone at that age with a single adult, safeguarding in schools, sports, hobby activities etc tell adults not to be alone with a single child. Professionals should absolutely be at the same bar.

Agree with PP - this is good practice and to be encouraged.

Your DD is the patient and you being in the room will have an effect on your child and on the session.

Part of being a good parent is accepting that you sometimes need to step aside and let the professionals do their work without you there - which is what you did.

Yes this is exactly what I was going to say. OCD brought in after an illness is a classic sign of PANDAS.

I was also about to say this.

This is new they didn't do that 12 years ago. I had to wait with my dd in a&e for 2 hours. They probably contacted the school to confirm it was their play equipment and not me who hurt her.

Its not just psychiatrists/counsellors that do this. I had to take my DD to A&E earlier this year and they asked me to leave the examination room for 5 minutes for the doctor to speak to her privately, I'm assuming to ask safeguarding questions.

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned by others but have your considered PANS / PANDAS

I think they should always speak to the child alone. Collectively a lot of children's psychiatric problems are due to abuse from parents or family or issues that a child might not want parents to know about. This is a lot more likely than a psychiatrist doing anything to a child.

Was just coming to say this.

Don't know. I left the room so they could ask her the questions.

Wish it had been a thing when I was a kid.

Really glad to hear that and hope you get the much needed help.
For both our children the psychiatrist has spoken to each child individually without parents (one child it was the psychiatrist and a colleague training as well and we gave consent for that too).

I think there are some things a child may not be able to share infront of a parent. No it’s never comfortable leaving your child like that but then you aren’t the patient, she is. I would probably always choose a female psychiatrist to see my DD though.

Very normal. Questions they may ask can be about thoughts of violence or aggression towards themselves, others or if they feel unsafe at all.

Basically they ask things that a child may not want to be open about in front of their parent.

I’m interested to hear you would have not allowed it if it was a male. Are you insinuating that you think a male psychiatrist may harm your child while a female one would not?

Absolutely normal, as it should be. Not all parents are good people. The psychiatrist has no idea where you fit into the spectrum. So there are questions they need to sensitively ask, in conditions where the child is not influenced by the parent's presence.

I remember seeing a child psychologist when I was about 12. My mum was asked to leave after five minutes, and the rest of the appointment was just the psych and me.
My mum was desperate to know what he'd asked, when it was over. I played dumb.

My daughter had severe school anxiety. She was seen by a therapist recommended by the school and the council. She came to our house and met us all. After that, all sessions were just her and my daughter. We waited in the car and went in after 20 minutes. Whatever she did worked. She was back to her normal self after 6 weeks of play therapy.

Ex psychologist here.

Yes, it's normal with primary age kids and older, and is partly safeguarding. A parent refusing or kicking off about the child being spoken to without the parent present can be a red flag. The child not wanting the parent to leave would be different, of course - we would find a different way of managing it so as not to cause undue distress.

It can also help a professional as part of the assessment process to see how a child is with and without a parent, how they react to the parent leaving the room, how they interact with someone they don't know. If you only ever see the child with a parent, you can't see how they might be in other contexts.

DS saw a counsellor from about 7 onwards and for the first couple of sessions I went in with him to allow him to settle, then I left the room after about 10 minutes or so. After the first few sessions I just went in for the last 5 minutes or so for a quick handover. Even at that age, there was a degree of confidentiality.