The Educational Psychology Service is a statutory function of the local authority. Our role  is to assess and provide advice on the additional support needs of children. We use our knowledge of psychology, child development and education to provide an informed perspective. We fulfil this role through a consultation based approach for children and families where we consider what assessment and intervention is needed and problem solve with the key people.

In order to do this effectively we have to prioritise with whom we work. The service prioritises working with schools and families where there is a critical incident and there is a need for psychological support. All other work is either prioritised based on the information provided to us, through the Online Request for Assistance Form or through the ongoing work at Team Around the Child Level.

We receive Requests for Assistance from schools, ELCs, Social Work, the Additional Support for Learning Team and parents. We will also accepts requests from The Care Group, allied health professionals, SCRA and the voluntary sector. Young People over 16 can self refer. Children over 12 can self-refer but need additional consent from their parents. Our initial response will be based on the information provided. If we agree to become involved this is and Episode. when we agree to become involved we will communicate with the parents and requester, by email, the Episode Type – see table . Our consultation based approach means that the service provided can be planned jointly with the key people involved in supporting the child and we will communicate if the Episode Type changes.

Table of involvement

Episode Type

Episode duration

Detail
1.      Least intrusive 2 months Up to 2 problem-solving meetings,

initial and follow-up
2.      Focused 3 months Meeting, assessment, meeting
3.      Assessment over time 12 months Meeting, assessment, meeting and follow-up within 12 months
4.      Longer term involvement +12 months Ongoing reviews and assessment as required, with intervention if appropriate
5.      Parent/child request 10 to 16 weeks Meeting/discussion, assessment, report and meeting
6.      Authority request 10 to 16 weeks Meeting/discussion, assessment, report and meeting

 

The value of meetings – Team Around the Child

When we agree to become involved, the Team Around the Child has usually already undertaken assessment and intervention on the child’s areas of strengths and difficulty and the Educational Psychologist joins that process. The Educational Psychologist will discuss the child and their progress with the parents and the members of the Team Around the Child, such as the staff in the school or nursery. It may involve further assessment from the Educational Psychologist such as through observation or another specific assessment method which the psychologist will advise you on.

If the request is a Parental Request for Assessment or an Authority Request we usually ask that a Team Around the Child Meeting is convened where the above process is followed, but we may have discussed undertaking some assessment activity prior to that first meeting. A written report, rather than a verbal report, is provided within 10 weeks of the request in most circumstances, and within 16 weeks where there are delays.

In the support for individual children we keep records of our involvement and the details of what records we keep, and how a parent or young person can access them is described in our privacy notice.

Wider role

We also provide:

We publish on reports on how well we are preforming, alongside our plan.

ADDITIONAL SERVICES 

Currently we provide additional services with funding in the following areas:

  • Community Mental Health and Wellbeing Service development – 0.4 fte Educational Psychologist

Please discuss with Nick Balchin, Principal Educational Psychologist, if you have an initiative that would benefit from educational psychology.
We have a good track record of supporting short term project based work of between 1 and 4 years thorough additional funding for backfilling a member of our team.

Virtual meetings/video conference calls

When we are involved at a Team Around the Child meeting  we will often join the meeting using video technology.  While this was prompted by  safe working practices during the Covid-19 pandemic it is now an option within our approach to service delivery. Services in Falkirk Council currently use Microsoft Teams as the platform for online video meetings. Where parents do not wish this, in person meetings can be accommodated. This is also common practice.