Inspection of the education functions of local authorities Summary of evaluation of the educational psychology service Comhairle nan Eilean Siar 3 February 2009 Definition of terms used in this report. HM Inspectors use published criteria when making evaluations. They are published as quality indicators which relate evaluations to six levels. HMIE began using a six-point scale to make evaluations in August 2005. The table below shows how the six-point scale relates to the four-point scale that we used previously. Old level Very good Good New level Excellent Very good Good Fair Unsatisfactory Satisfactory Weak Unsatisfactory Description Outstanding, sector leading Major strengths Important strengths with some areas for improvement Strengths just outweigh weaknesses Important weaknesses Major weaknesses This report also uses the following words to describe numbers and proportions: almost all most majority less than half few over 90% 75-90% 50-74% 15-49% up to 15% Contents Page 1. The aims, nature and scope of the inspection 1 2. What key outcomes has the service achieved? 1 3. How well does the service meet the needs of its stakeholders? 2 4. How good is the service’s delivery of key processes? 2 5. How good is the service’s management? 3 6. How good is leadership? 3 Appendix 1 - Quality indicators 5 1. The aims, nature and scope of the inspection The education functions of each local authority in Scotland were inspected between 2000 and 2005. A second cycle of inspections began in 2006 which incorporates an evaluation of educational psychology services (EPS). Section 9 of the Standards in Scotland’s Schools etc. Act 2000 charges HM Inspectorate of Education (HMIE), on behalf of the Scottish Ministers, to provide an external evaluation of the effectiveness of the local authority in its quality assurance of educational provision within the Council and of its support to schools in improving quality. The inspection of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar included the evaluation of the quality of educational psychology provision on behalf of stakeholders. The evaluation of EPS was conducted within a framework of quality indicators which embody the Government’s policy on Best Value. The inspection team also included an Associate Assessor who was a principal educational psychologist (PEP) serving in another Scottish local authority. This web-based report should be read alongside the report on the inspection of the education functions of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar which sets out the wider context in which EPS are delivered. The Educational Psychology Service The Western Isles (Eilean Siar) EPS was based in Stornoway. Over the last four years there had been significant changes in the position of PEP. A new PEP had been appointed in June 2007. At the time of inspection the service consisted of a PEP, and a part-time educational psychologist. The service complement was 1.6 full-time equivalent. In addition, the EPS was supported by a central team of administrative staff. 2. What key outcomes has the service achieved? The EPS was involved in a range of initiatives to improve outcomes for a range of children and young people. For example, the service had taken a lead role in the development of an After Hours group to support children and young people with autism spectrum disorders. The service had also been key players in the successful development of a whole school initiative to improve behaviour at the primary stages. It had made a valuable contribution to the development of the inclusion teams and the children’s services database. The senior service manager and the PEP were actively developing services to support the wider needs of children and young people across the authority. Staff had a good knowledge and understanding of their statutory duties. The service complied with appropriate guidance and legislation, particularly in relation to The Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 2004 (ASL). Further work was now required in relation to the duties of the service with regard to the work of the children’s hearing system. 1 3. How well does the service meet the needs of its stakeholders? Evidence from surveys and focus groups undertaken during the inspection indicated that the service had developed satisfactory working relationships with children, young people and good working partnerships with families. Overall, most parents felt that they were well supported by the EPS and that educational psychologists provided a helpful link between themselves and their child’s school. However, a few parents and families felt that the quality of service was variable across the authority. The roles, remits and functions of the EPS were not yet clear to all stakeholders. A majority of stakeholders commented on the limited scope of the EPS in terms of the range of services and the allocation of time. All staff within the service felt valued and supported. Educational psychologists felt very well supported. They were encouraged to be creative and find innovative solutions to improving services to children and young people. For example, the development work on the creation of an Integrated Psychology Service in partnership with Western Isles Health Board. Educational psychologists were highly motivated and participated in a wide range of personal development opportunities to improve their skills and knowledge. The support of the administrative staff was valued by the service. They were appropriately involved in service planning and developments. The service was outward looking, seeking examples of effective practice from other EPS which could be reviewed and adapted to the needs of the Western Isles community. 4. How good is the service’s delivery of key processes? The EPS delivered satisfactory services relating to consultation and advice, assessment, and training and development. Service interventions were making a positive difference to schools, families and children. Individual practitioners carried out specific pieces of innovative work. For example, the service had made a strong contribution to the development of resources and materials to support the authority’s staged intervention process. However, the EPS had not yet made a significant contribution to research across the authority. While the service was actively engaged in reviewing its approach to service delivery, it had not as yet established a comprehensive strategy for the delivery of services or a consistent approach to evaluating their effectiveness. Equality and fairness were embedded in service practice. 2 Features of good practice: Social Communication Team Comhairle nan Eilean Siar educational psychology services in collaboration with health and allied health professionals had developed a creative and high quality service to meet the local need of families and children with language and communication difficulties, and autism spectrum disorders. The ‘Social Communication Team’ through strong partnership working had enabled children and families to access high quality services and targeted provision within their own community. More detailed information is available at www.hmie.gov.uk 5. How good is the service’s management? The PEP had established a strong working relationship with the senior service manager. Together, they had worked in a determined manner to improve and extend the range of provision being delivered across the authority. However, arrangements for managing change and taking forward the work of the EPS were not sufficiently well established. There was no policy framework which covered the main areas of activity and responsibility of the service. This had led to inconsistent practice across the service. Stakeholder engagement and consultation was at an early stage of development across the service. While the service demonstrated a commitment to joint planning with stakeholders and partner organisations, service development work did not yet involve service users sufficiently. 6. How good is leadership? The PEP had joined the authority at a time of considerable change. He was highly committed to the service and to further improving the range of provision offered by the EPS. He had the capacity to provide effective leadership for the service. The EPS had not yet developed a sufficiently robust evidence base for performance management. The service now needed to develop its strategic role in planning for improvements and to extend its procedures for monitoring performance and outcomes. The authority, in conjunction with the service, was in the process of determining how best the EPS could build capacity and further develop its respective roles and responsibilities. 3 Key strengths The service had: • established good working relationships with a number of children and young people, families, teachers and health professionals; • created a well motivated staff group who were innovative and worked effectively in multidisciplinary teams; • contributed, along with other professionals, to the development of the authority’s approach to inclusion; and • made a positive start to service review and development through the work of the new principal educational psychologist and the support of the service manager. Main points for action The service should: • ensure that targets for improvement show clearly the intended impact and outcomes for stakeholders, particularly children and young people; • systematically involve all stakeholders in service development and improvement activities, particularly with regard to the development of a research programme; • review and improve policy and planning arrangements to improve the quality and consistency of services delivered across the authority; and • develop a more rigorous approach to self-evaluation involving all stakeholders in service development and improvement. The authority has been asked to prepare an action plan indicating how it will address the main findings of the report. HMIE will maintain contact with the authority and will make a return visit within one year to evaluate progress. Annette Bruton HM Chief Inspector Directorate 5 3 February 2009 4 Appendix 1 Quality Indicator Improvements in performance Fulfilment of statutory duties Impact on children and young people Impact on parents, carers and families Impact on staff Impact on the local community Impact on the wider community Consultation and advice Assessment Intervention Provision of professional development and training for other groups including parents, teachers and health professionals Research and strategic development Inclusion, equality and fairness Policy development and review Participation of stakeholders Operational planning Partnership working Leadership and direction Leadership of change and improvement Evaluation satisfactory good satisfactory good very good satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory good satisfactory weak good weak weak weak satisfactory satisfactory satisfactory 5 How can you contact us? HMIE Feedback and Complaints Procedure Should you wish to comment on any aspect of education authority inspections you should write in the first instance to Annette Bruton, HMCI, at HM Inspectorate of Education, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston EH54 6GA. If you have a concern about this report, you should write in the first instance to our Complaints Manager, HMIE Business Management and Communications Team, Second Floor, Denholm House, Almondvale Business Park, Almondvale Way, Livingston, EH54 6GA. You can also e-mail HMIEComplaints@hmie.gsi.gov.uk. A copy of our complaints procedure is available from this office, by telephoning 01506 600200 or from our website at www.hmie.gov.uk. If you are not satisfied with the action we have taken at the end of our complaints procedure, you can raise your complaint with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO). The SPSO is fully independent and has powers to investigate complaints about Government departments and agencies. You should write to the SPSO, Freepost EH641, Edinburgh EH3 0BR. You can also telephone 0800 377 7330 (fax 0800 377 7331) or e-mail: ask@spso.org.uk. More information about the Ombudsman’s office can be obtained from the website: www.spso.org.uk. Crown Copyright 2009 HM Inspectorate of Education This report may be reproduced in whole or in part, except for commercial purposes or in connection with a prospectus or advertisement, provided that the source and date thereof are stated. The work of HM Inspectorate of Education. HM Inspectors undertake first-hand, independent evaluations of the quality of education. We publish our evaluation in clear and concise reports. Our inspections and reviews report on the establishment’s pursuit of continuous improvement through the process of self-evaluation. We ensure that inspection and review activities include the full range of pupils, students and participants in an educational establishment, giving due regard, without unfair discrimination, to disability awareness, equality and inclusion, child protection and racial equality. Each year we also investigate and publish reports on key aspects of education. Our collation, analysis and publication of the evidence and conclusions from all evaluations identify and promote best practice in continuous improvement. We draw on the results of our evaluations, and our overall knowledge of the system, to provide independent professional advice to the Scottish Ministers, relevant departments of the Scottish Government and others. Further information on the work of HM Inspectorate of Education and its role in Scottish education is available on our website. You will also find easy access to our inspection and review reports and wide range of other publications. http://www.hmie.gov.uk