Specialist Teaching Services

Essex County Council SENCO Manual 2011

Essex County Council

Educational Psychology Service

Information for Schools

Ref: SM1/5.5 First issue: April 2002 Essex County Council SENCO Manual 2011

Introduction

The Essex Educational Psychology Service is a solution oriented service. Our core professional purpose (CPP) is:

‘Working collaboratively with others to help children and young people get the most out of their lives’

We have a set of principles which underpin our CPP. These are of equal value and are not listed in order of importance. We believe:

. Meaningful inclusion promotes opportunities and challenges discrimination;

. Psychological theories and research inform our practice;

. Empowering and enabling clients leads to improved outcomes;

. Early intervention supports children most effectively;

. Everyone can make a contribution;

. The needs of the child are central. All work carried out by the Essex Educational Psychology Service will reflect our CPP and principles.

The Scope of the Work of a Local Authority Educational Psychology Service

The work of educational psychologists falls within the following core activities:

 consultation;  assessment;  intervention;  training  research;  contributing to Local Authority strategy policy and priorities.

These activities underpin the work of an educational psychologist across the Every Child Matters ‘windscreen of need’. This is a conceptual framework for understanding a continuum of need from universal to severe and complex. The work of EPs across the continuum was recognised in a review of the work of EP services, commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills (DfES), entitled ‘A review of the Functions and Contribution of Educational Psychologists in England and Wales in light of Every Child Matters: Change

Ref: SM1/5.5 2 First issue: April 2002 Essex County Council SENCO Manual 2011

for Children’ (Farrell et al, June 2006). Educational Psychologists work contributes to local authority strategy and policy, and school improvement. EPs work at a systems level with whole schools or departments as well as with groups of pupils and individuals.

Educational psychologists work with children and young people across the 0- 19 age range; and across the continuum of need.

Delivery of Serivces 2011-12

1. Commissioned Services

The Essex EPS is a provider service commissioned by Essex Local Authority to meet the statutory requirements and fulfil some critical functions to meet the needs of vulnerable children and young people. These are free to service users at the point of delivery.

The range of service commissioned by the LA include:

Preparation for and attendance as a professional witness at Tribunals Assessment of and Involvement with pre school children with Special Educational Needs following a referral from Health Attendance at LA priority Annual Reviews both in and out of County Statutory Assessments EP time for Special Schools (including BESD) EP time for special units Response to LA requests for Children Looked After Response to requests from the Joint Agency Panel Critical incidents support to schools following a trauma or critical incident Individual casework for complex cases as identified by the Statutory assessment service Research and Development LA Strategic Work

Statutory work Local authorities have a statutory duty to employ educational psychologists to assist them in carrying out their responsibilities in relation to children and young people with special educational needs. Section 1:11 of The SEN Code of Practice (1996) states:

‘An essential function of the LEA is to make effective arrangements for SEN by ensuring that the needs of children and young people with SEN are identified and assessed quickly and matched by appropriate provision (and that) high quality support is provided for schools and early education settings – including through educational psychology and other support services.’

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 ( 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 setting’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.

EP statutory work includes:

 Responding to notifications from the local health authority under Section 332 of the Education Act 1996 of pre-school children who may have special educational needs (assessment, report writing, advising on appropriate provision).

 Providing Psychological Advice (Appendix D) as part of a statutory assessment under Section 329 of the Education Act 1996.

 Contributing to annual reviews for children and young people with statements (LA priorities).

 Tribunal Work (consultation, assessment, intervention contributing to LA Case Statement preparation; appearing as a tribunal witness).

Parent Helpline

Essex LA commissions the Essex Educational Psychology Service to provide direct access to educational psychologists for parents and carers of Essex children and young people up to the age of 19 years. This is delivered through a telephone helpline.

The Parent Helpline is:

 confidential and personal details are not be recorded;

 staffed by qualified educational psychologists who will listen to parents concerns and help you to find a positive way forward;

 not a referral route for further involvement with a child by an educational psychologist.

The Parent Helpline can be contacted on 01245 433293

It is between 1pm and 3pm, open every Monday during term time (not public holidays).

Traded Services

Schools and other settings can purchase EP services for pre-statutory services. Information has been sent to schools indicating the subscriptions and packages of support that schools can purchase in the financial year 2011- 12. For more information contact: [email protected]

Educational Psychologists

Educational Psychologists (EPs) contribute to the identification, assessment and monitoring of children with special educational needs. Each educational psychologist is a member of an Area team managed by an Area Senior Educational Psychologist.

The Psychology Service is managed by the Principal Educational Psychologist within the SEN and Children with Addional Needs Section of the schools, children and Families Directorate.

Qualifications and Experience

Essex Educational Psychologists have:  a first degree in psychology (or equivalent);

 a range of relevant experience, amny have a teaching qualification;

 a Masters degree or a Doctorate - professional training as an EP

Essex EPs are eligible for:  membership of the Association of Educational Psychologists

 registration with the Healths Professions Council, this is a statutory requirement that any psychologist must be able to evidence

 membership of the British Psychological Society

 Chartered Psychologist status

Range of work

Educational Psychologists are trained to work with children and young people from 0-19 years. They have skills across a number of areas

Skills of Educational Psychologists

EPs are applied psychologists with training and skills in:

 child and adolescent development;

 intervention;

 assessment;

 problem-solving;

 consultation;

 in-service training;

 research and project work;

 counselling;

 monitoring and evaluation;

 organisational and systems development;

 statistics and analysis of data.

With this diverse range of specialist skills and experience, the team of educational psychologists is able to make a unique and broad contribution in supporting schools to support effective learning and include children with special educational needs.

Parental Permission

Where an EP is to work with a pupil during the visit, especially in the case of assessment of the pupil, the school must discuss the involvement with the parent or carer beforehand and obtain permission. In the case of EP assessment, parents should usually be given a chance to talk to the EP.

If a child is absent on the day of the planned visit, the EP should be informed as early as possible.

West (covers Epping Forest, Uttlesford & Harlow)

Frances Prattent The Area Senior EP Goodman House Station Approach Harlow CM20 2ET [email protected]

South (covers Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point & Rochford Districts)

Daniel Tunbridge The Area Senior EP The Knares, Basildon, Essex. SS16 5RX [email protected]

North East (covers Colchester & Tendring Districts)

Jill Newton The Area Senior EP Park Road, Colchester. Essex. C03 3UP [email protected]

Mid (covers Braintree, Chelmsford, Burnham & Maldon Districts)

Jane Ayres The Area Senior EP Crossman House, Station Approach, Braintree, Essex. CM7 3QA [email protected]

Ref: SM1/5.5 7 FirstThis issue: Appendix DApril meets 2002 the EPS Quality Standards Name: Signed …………………………………..