Criteria for Requests for Assistance


For an Educational Psychologist (EP) to become actively involved for a child or young person, there needs to be an existing Single Agency or Multi‑Agency Plan. EP Involvement will also require that:

  • The child or young person's needs are not yet well understood.
  • The current interventions are not effective.
  • The child is at Stage 3 or 4 of the Stages of Intervention (those moving from Stage 2 → Stage 3 may also be considered).
  • There is a clear and distinct role for the Educational Psychologist.
  • The Educational Psychologist is the most suitable agency to support next steps (consider Dumfries & Galloway Children’s Service Information).
  • There is an identified need for psychologically informed educational assessment and intervention.

    • Our Casework Management Process

  • The image above summarises Dumfries and Galloway Educational Psychology Services' new Casework Management Process.
  • Schools will send Requests for Assistance into the EPS central moderation team. This team will then allocate cases in the following priority: the link EP, a locality EP, and finally an EP with capacity.
  • If no EP has capacity, the child or young person will then go to the EPS’ waiting list until such a time that an EP has capacity to become actively involved.
  • If the outcome of the moderation team is that the RFA does not require an open file then schools will be directed to either virtual consultation, group consultation, parent consultation, or to appropriate resources/agencies..
  • If the outcome of the moderation team is that the RFA does require an open file, then an EP will be allocated to carry out an 8-week assessment block which could include gathering views, attending meetings, assessing needs. The EP will then provide a written summary and either close the file or, if they determine that there is a further role for the EP, go back to moderation to determine whether educational psychological intervention is needed.
  • If a further role is agreed upon by the moderation team, an EP will be allocated dependent on capacity, to carry out a 12-week intervention block. This could include Video Interactive Guidance, consultations over time. After this period, the EP will either close the file or refer back to the moderation team for further input.