How we work

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 are organised so that each school, Early Learning Centre and Partnership Nursery has a link educational psychologist.

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 negotiated and planned with the school or follows the timescales set out in the legislation that governs our work.

We receive Requests for Assistance from schools, Social Work, the Additional Support for Learning Team as well as directly from parents. We will also accepts requests from allied health professionals, SCRA and the voluntary sector. Our response to any such request needs to be planned jointly with the key people involved in supporting the child.

For most parents they should discuss the progress of their child with the school or ELC staff before considering whether an Educational Psychologist is required. Parents can also make a request directly to our service.  This is termed a Parental Request for Assessment. Where Falkirk Council is responsible for providing the education for the child the parental request follows the TAC level of involvement below. Where Falkirk Council is not responsible we may provide either general advice or a Level 1 consultation, depending on circumstances.

We provide our service in the following ways:

Level 1 Consultation:                 

This our first line response for individual children and can usually be arranged within a few weeks. A meeting or call is set up, usually with the school, nursery or ELC key staff where we can rapidly explore some of the key issues and provide advice early about evidence based approaches. Some children require a follow up to this. Parents are not usually involved at this stage but will have to have given consent.  This level of support can be provided to social workers or other partners. A copy of this advice is available in the child’s file.

Where we agree to become involved in more depth, active consent from the parents or young person will be sought. It then follows the Team Around the Child level of involvement.

There is further information for practitioners.

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 to identify an appropriate level of involvement for the psychologist. 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 initial request if a Parental Request for Assessment we usually ask that a Team Around the Child 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.

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.