Termination Done Well

By VeriScorePrep Team · 4 min

Termination is the planned ending of the worker-client relationship. Done well, it consolidates progress, transfers skills to the client's life, and supports future help-seeking.

The principles

• Plan termination early — it should be discussed at the start of treatment, not sprung at the end.
• Mark the ending explicitly: review what changed, what the client did, and what to do if the problem returns.
• Address feelings about ending — both the client's and the worker's.
• Connect the client to needed ongoing resources.
• Allow time — rushed termination can reopen wounds.

Common challenges

• Premature termination: the client leaves earlier than planned; normalize the client's autonomy, document the work done, and offer a clear path to return.
• Resistance to ending: some clients fear life without the worker; consolidate skills, plan for the future, and avoid indefinite continuation when goals are met.
• Mandatory endings (worker leaving, agency closure): maximize notice, transfer with care, and acknowledge the client's loss.

What the worker should do

• Review the goals set and progress made — use the client's voice.
• Discard the client's records per policy and the relevant retention schedule.
• Reflect on what worked and what did not — for personal practice development.

A good termination is the last act of a good relationship, not a bureaucratic step.