The Psychology Service

 

The Psychology Service works with parents, schools and early years settings with children and young people who have the most significant and complex difficulties with learning, behaviour, relationships and mental health. Using a consultation model, we work jointly with school and setting staff, parents, other Local Authority services and agencies such as Health to improve outcomes and raise the attainment of children and young people.  For further information please see the Service Guide.

Promoting good mental health is at the forefront of our role and we aim to prioritise work with children and young people whose behaviour is affecting their educational progress and the development of positive relationships. We also work with parents to develop their understanding of the importance of positive relationships for their child’s future mental health and learning.

To support our consultation approach, we work directly with children and young people through observation, assessment and evidence-based interventions. We always provide advice for parents and can support staff development through training.

Around one child in twelve is discussed with or seen by an educational psychologist at some point in their education as a result of concerns about an aspect of their development. This can only happen with the agreement of parents.   A Guide for Parents & Carers is available which describes what is involved. This guide is organised around the questions that are most frequently asked.

In addition to our work in early years’settings and mainstream schools, there are four different specialist themes within the Service

We are organised into three locality teams serving the needs of Leicestershire.

All the educational psychologists in the service are fully qualified to practice as applied practitioner psychologists in the UK and are members of The Association of Educational Psychologists and/or British Psychological Society. We are subject to statutory regulation by the Health Professions Council. The HPC’s ethical codes cover competence, consent, confidentiality and personal conduct. Trainee educational psychologists’ professional work is supervised by an experienced educational psychologist.

We work with a range of other services to support children. We have close links with other Local Authority Services, locality based Social Care Teams and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services.

We are often involved in joint work with Specialist Community Child Health Services and colleagues from therapy services, particularly around the identification of children with possible Autism Spectrum Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder through agreed multi-agency pathways.

We like to have close contact with community services such as Children’s Centres, with parent organisations such as the Parent Partnership Service and the voluntary sector.

A Consultation Request Form is usually completed by the Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) of the school. We also receive referrals from paediatricians, speech and language therapists and health visitors for children who are under 5 and not yet in school. These requests are considered at an Early Years Panel.

The educational psychologist will discuss the child with parents and the professionals already involved at an initial consultation meeting. The date for this will be arranged with the school/setting and parents. Occasionally, the educational psychologist will do some observation, assessment or meet with the parents before the first consultation meeting.

This will be agreed between the psychologist, SENCO and parent. Alternatively, observation/assessment or individual work with the child/young person or their parents/carers can take place over time, the psychologist using their evolving knowledge and expertise to contribute to subsequent consultation meetings.

The educational psychologist will be asked to provide a specialist report (statutory advice) by the Local Authority within legal timescales. Parents are notified of these timescales. The educational psychologist usually has had prior involvement with the child and family but may need to undertake further observation, assessment and discussion with the parents and adults who work with the child before writing their report. Parents will be informed of these arrangements and when they will meet the psychologist.

If the child is not already known to the Psychology Service, parents will be contacted by letter to let them know the name of the psychologist who will be working with their child, when the child will be seen and when the psychologist will meet them.

The service provides training for schools, early years’ settings, other services/ agencies and community groups. Please contact the service for details of costs and the range of course available. Bespoke training can be arranged.

The Psychology Service maintains a daily duty call service, open to parents and professionals. It is available between 8.30 and 5.00 pm (4.30 pm on Fridays) on 0116 3055110.

The Psychology Service responds quickly to bereavements or other crises in schools and early years’settings. Please contact the Local Authority’s Crisis Line on 0800 953 1515

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