Why They Don't Come Back: A Clinical Perspective on the No-Show Client

Clinical writers love to publish their success stories. Treatment failures get shuffled to the bottom drawer. Perhaps this is why there is so little in the clinical literature about a problem so frequently encountered by the clinical social worker: the patient or client who never shows up or doesn't return. Why don't they keep their appointments? What are the most common dynamics? How much of the problem rests with the client and how much with the clinician or agency? What should be done when your client “no-shows”? When should you do it? This paper will explore these questions in an attempt to deepen the practitioner's understanding and management of this common clinical challenge.