Parents

Information for parents and carers

If you are concerned about your child’s development or educational progress, or worried about how his/her friendships, well being or behaviour are affecting them at  school, then an Educational Psychologist (EP) can help.

If your child is in a Local Authority (LA) School it is worth contacting the school first as the LA Educational Psychology Service is free. However the amount of LA EP time is limited and individual cases have to be prioritised which can result in a long waiting time.

I am an independent, fully qualified Chartered Educational Psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with children  in a variety of settings.  

I am able to help with your concerns as follows:

Assessment Process.

To gather initial information about your child I will:

  • Ask you as parent(s) to complete a Pre-Assessment form, giving your views about your child’s strengths and difficulties
  • Ask you for copies of any relevant medical assessments or diagnoses, or reports from other involved professionals
  • With your permission, I will ask the pre-school, school or College setting about your child’s attainments and strengths, the difficulties they are experiencing, and what support has already been put in place to help your child.

I may use the following in the  Psychological Assessment:

  • Observation of  your child in their educational setting and/or at home
  • Ability or attainment tests,  or behavioural and other questionnaires depending on the nature of your child’s difficulties
  • With your permission, I will liaise with other professionals who know your child.

 Analysis and Action Planning:

  • Wherever possible I will meet with you and the educational setting to discuss the assessment and clarify the barriers to learning
  • At this meeting I can lead a Joint Problem Solving discussion to plan strategies to help your child make progress
  • You may wish to schedule a further meeting to review and revise the action plan as your child makes progress.

 The written report will:

  • Describe the background to the problem and initial information
  • Describe and explain the assessments used and the results
  • Analyse all the available information to make sense of your child’s difficulties
  • Recommend strategies for intervention. 

  Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP)

  • You or the school  can use my Independent Educational Psychology report as supporting evidence when applying for the EHCP.
  • The Local Authority usually ask their own EP service to write the formal Psychological Advice once it has been agreed to put in place an Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP). 

 

Click here for further information, costs and fees.