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Educational Psychology Services offered by Chartered Psychologists
Educational psychologists work with under 5s in different early years educational
settings and in the home. They work with parents/carers, other agencies and
professionals in the public, private and voluntary sectors to assess and
identify children’s educational and developmental needs in order to
respond to children’s needs.
Educational psychologists are trained in a range of educational and psychological
assessment and intervention techniques. They work with individual pupils,
their teachers and other school staff, parents/carers, individuals and groups
of other pupils, other professionals and agencies to promote learning and
remove barriers to accessing the curriculum. A major focus of educational
psychology input is through staff development and parent support. Some of
the skills used include psychometric, curriculum-based and dynamic assessments,
observational checklists and structured interviews. Educational psychologists
may become involved with individual pupils giving cause for concern, to suggest,
implement and monitor appropriate interventions and solutions, in consultation
with teachers, parents and carers. A careful evaluation of a child’s
strengths and needs, together with context and environmental factors, may
suggest the best solutions within the educational setting. Some educational
psychologists are qualified additionally to offer individual therapy such
as psychotherapy, hypnotherapy or family therapy.
Some educational psychologists offer a service to adult learners in further
and higher education. They may become involved in devising, implementing
and monitoring programmes to improve adult literacy skills or advising on
alternative examination arrangements for learners with disabilities, including
dyslexia. In Scotland, educational psychologists may also provide support
and training to the training providers.
Educational psychologists also sometimes work with groups of children and
young people in school or other educational and non-educational settings.
Groupwork sessions with pupils will be carefully monitored and evaluated.
This work may be preventative or in response to a number of pupils experiencing
similar difficulties. Educational psychologists may also work with groups
of teachers and other school staff.
Many educational psychologists work with schools at an organisational level
to help develop school policy and practice, for example in relation to Inclusion
or School Improvement, target setting for learning, special educational needs/behaviour
management. They may become involved in issues related to staffing, communication,
appraisal, management and school improvement and target setting related to
local and Joint Assessment Reviews (JARS) Ofsted/HMIE (Scotland) inspection.
4.6 Local authority & voluntary organisations
Educational psychologists work within and with national and professional
organisations, including voluntary agencies, offering psychological input,
particularly research skills, to support planning, evaluation and development
of services and provision. They also offer input to the development of service
procedures, structures and systems, and to staff development.
Many Educational psychologists now work as part of a council’s Children
Services or a Children’s Trusts. As such educational psychologists
contribute to multi-agency working in a diverse number of ways. Where educational
psychologists work within an educational psychology service they are frequently
the lead professional in engaging other key personnel in case management
and frequently play a key role in promoting multi-agency work at both the
individual and systemic level.
Drawing upon their knowledge of, and skills in relation to child development
and behaviour, educational psychologists can provide input to child protection
and Children Act work.
Educational psychologists work with families and carers in the home, in schools
and also in the community. Some educational psychologists can offer family
therapy. Their focus will always be the optimal psychological wellbeing and
development and learning of the child.
Educational psychologists work within the arrangements and procedures laid
down by statute for assessing and meeting the special educational needs of
early-years and school-aged children (1981 Education (Scotland) Act; Education
(Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004; Part IV of the 1996
Education Act; 2001 SEN & Disability Act.). They work with early years
providers and schools as an external, specialist support agency within the
institution’s graduated approach for assessing a child’s special
educational needs and identifying how those needs might be met. They provide
psychological advice as part of the statutory assessment of a child’s
special educational needs. They can also be involved in the annual review
of children and young people with statements of special educational needs
Educational psychologists provide in-service training and development for
teachers, teaching assistants, early years workers, health service personnel,
schools and early years settings, local authority, voluntary, community agencies
and other organisations. They offer a range of topics which might include:
assessment and intervention with learning difficulties, behaviour management,
effective learning, emotional literacy, inclusive educational practice, stress
management, study skills, thinking skills. Most educational psychology services
or practitioners have a list of the areas in which they offer training. The
length, style and details of actual training or development events are then
usually tailored to meet the needs of the educational and other establishments.
Educational psychologists have a training and background in research methods.
They are, for example, sometimes involved in evaluating the effectiveness
of interventions or educational methods. They also undertake surveys to determine
needs. They are often involved in projects that aim to implement and evaluate
new educational practices. They plan and implement research and evaluation
both in relation to the education service in general and in relation to provision
for children experiencing special educational needs. Educational psychologists
are trained in using both qualitative and quantitative research methods and
a range of methods of data analysis.
Some educational psychologists work as expert witnesses in cases where the
courts are being asked to provide judgement on issues around a child’s
or young person’s educational, emotional, developmental or psychological
needs.
Educational psychologists have counselling skills which they use within work
with children and young people of all ages, though more so with older children.
They also undertake counselling work with adults, particularly parents and
carers who are concerned about their children’s learning, behaviour
or general progress.