Referral practices: power, inclusivity and freedom of information

Abstract

Writing letters of referral to other professionals or service agencies for clients is an everyday practice of speech-language pathologists. Such letters precede clients and establish a framework through which the clients are likely to be viewed by the recipient of the letter. The practices surrounding the writing of referral letters can range from maintaining and reinforcing power inequities between therapist and client, characteristic of a traditional medical model, to respecting notions of inclusivity, egalitarianism and laws regarding freedom of information. This paper will address and expand on the latter practices in order to open up new possibilities for therapist-client relationships in the speech-language pathology profession.