Information for Parents
What is an Educational Psychologist?
Here are a few things about Educational Psychologists (EPs) to help you better understand what we can do:
We have trained in psychology, child development and learning
We use psychology and therapeutic methods to help young people achieve their full potential
We are trained to work with young people from 0-25, parents/carers, schools, settings and other professionals
What will we do?
The way we work with/for each child and family is personalised, and so it will always be led by what is needed in each case.
We begin with a free 15-minute initial discussion to understand your concerns and determine if our services are appropriate for your situation.
If we can help, we'll outline a plan and provide a quote for the suggested work.
We then schedule a 90-minute consultation between the parent/carers and EP. Sometimes the child themselves may be involved at this stage, depending on their age or preference. We will decide this together.
Following this consultation, the next steps for the work are decided together and a summary of this is sent through as a written record of our agreement.
We will want to work with parents, carers and families as closely as we can, alongside school staff, to carry out our agreed actions. As such we will often request meetings with school or setting staff, and may do some of the direct work with your child in school.
What does an EP assessment involve?
We explore issues and find ways forward. An EP assessment is made up of lots of different things, not just tests. Assessment activities can include:
Talking with and listening to:
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Your child
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You
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Teachers and other adults who know your child
Observing what is happening for your child in school/education
Finding out what help your child has already received
Looking at your child's work
Working 1:1 with your child to find out their thoughts, views and wishes. This may involve longer term intervention if felt to be appropriate
Preparing for your meeting with us
When you meet with us you may want to think about:
Your child's strengths and interests
Concerns that you may have
Questions you may want to ask
Ways you have tried to help your child
Other professionals that have worked with your child
Ways your child may be helped in the future
What happens next?
We will feedback findings to you, through previously agreed methods at the consultation stage. This may be through a report, a further consultation meeting, or a joint meeting with school staff.
Sometimes further involvement, or changes to the involvement, may be recommended once the initial actions have been started/completed. The EP will discuss this with you and any potential changes to initial actions will be agreed with yourself first.
Confidentiality is important to us and we will only share information as necessary. Your consent will be sought before information is shared outside the school setting, unless there is a legal basis for this to be otherwise, such as concerns about child protection.
What else might we do?
As well as direct work with children, young people and their families, we also take part in the following as a part of our wider professional roles:
Training for those who work with children and young people
Group work with pupils
Research and projects
Develop information booklets for schools
Work closely with other professionals to develop local services
And many other things...
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