Q.   I received a letter from my daughter's pre-school saying that they will be using a "mental health consultant." It worries me that they need this service. Does this mean that my daughter is going to a pre-school that is having difficulties?

The existence of mental health consultation at a childcare center is an indication of a quality childcare program. All parents, even the most loving and skilled, experience times of frustration or difficulty with their children. It is a sign of good parenting to recognize when one is having such difficulties and to turn to others for guidance. The same is true for childcare providers. To be able to accurately identify and address the needs of children is a great talent and skill. The existence of mental health consultation at a childcare center is often an indication of the center's concern for providing high quality services. It is not, by any means, a statement of deficiency on the part of the center.