EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE
Introduction
Somerset Educational Psychology Service supports schools, Early Years settings
and others supporting the needs of children and young people through a graduated
approach, based on the Assess, Plan, Do, Review process. We also provide
Psychological advice to the Local Authority for children and young people as part of
the Educational Health Care Assessment.
The service works on behalf of children and young people from birth to 25 years and
those responsible for their care by working together through shared goals and
strategies to promote emotional well-being and mental health, learning and general
development.
This is done by:
 Working together in partnership with families, schools, Early Years and other
settings and services
 Supporting, problem solving and action planning at early stages
 Having a shared interest for the outcomes
 Emphasising the need to review action plans to check that progress has been
made
Through the practical application of psychology we can help people make sense of
the world in which they live and their own role within it, this is often known as ‘their
model of the world’. This is important because the way that we learn, make choices,
our behaviour and attitudes are all linked to the way we understand the world and
how we think about ourselves within it.
Our individual life experiences mean that we all have different ways of seeing things.
In some cases we can readily understand how a child or young person’s behaviour
and attitude makes sense given their experience, and in other cases it can be harder
to understand. In practice we work to help make sense of the young person’s
perspective so we can help and support change.
In our work we pay attention to:
 Identity – who a person is, how they see themselves; the sort of person they
want to be and don’t want to be
 Values –what is important to a child and their family, and how this links to
values from any setting or school they may attend in addition to, peers, media
and culture
 Beliefs – a person’s understanding of the world and their expectations
 Capabilities- a person’s knowledge, the way they think and how they do
things all will affect their learning and behaviour
 Behaviour – what a person’s behaviour communicates and how this reflects
their identity, values, beliefs and capability.
Psychologists support change through work with school staff, parents and carers as
the key people in the child/young person’s life. By working together we can help the
child/young person review how they see themselves and their values, belief and
capability with the prospect of making a sustained change in their behaviour,
learning, attitude and approach.
This work can be approached through individual casework, consultation and
discussion with school staff and parents, and training for parents, schools and other
staff.
For children in the early years, psychologists support change by working with their
parents and carers, and staff in any setting they may attend, as these are key people
in a young child’s life. By working together we can help a young child to engage with
their environment - learning through play, whilst developing their identity, values,
beliefs and capabilities.
Educational Psychology Service in Schools and Settings
The Educational Psychology Service is available to all Early Years settings,
maintained schools, academies and free schools throughout Somerset.
The service works with educational settings as part of their graduated response to
support their provision to make a positive difference in the child and young person’s
learning and in their social, emotional and general development.
How we work and what we do
The Educational Psychologist works with those involved to:
 Listen to concerns: child/young person, school, parent/carer
 Gaining of an understanding of why these concerns are happening
 Agreeing what is important for everyone and what we all hope to achieve as
an outcome
 Making and agreeing an action plan
 Reviewing the action plan and whether we have achieved our outcomes.
This approach can be applied through discussion and does not necessarily mean the
psychologist will work directly with the child or young person in all circumstances.
The service also works closely with other services who may be able to help, which
could include specialist advisory teachers from the Autism Service, Learning Support
Service, Sensory Physical and Medical Support Service, Behaviour support teachers
and Team 4. In addition we work closely with colleagues from Health and Social
Care services where they have a close involvement which impact on school issues.
For children in the early years, approaches may include a referral to MAISEY
(Multiagency Identification and Support in the Early Years), intervention through the
Time Together Service, through Portage, or in an EY setting. An EP may also be
involved in School Entry Planning or a Family Service Plan.
The Educational Psychology Service also provides support to schools and Early
Years settings at times of a critical incident (Critical Incident Support) which can
include issues of sexually harmful behaviour.
How to access this service
Schools
The service can be accessed through your SENCo or pastoral staff within schools.
As a parent/carer or a young person, if you have any concerns and you think that
Educational Psychologists (EPs) may be able to help, you should speak to the
SENCo or a member of pastoral staff.
With your consent, your school can have some discussions with the EP. These
discussions may suggest ways the school can help more effectively. We may be
able to come into the school, college or academy and have discussions with you,
your parents and school. We would need to your/parent carer written consent to do
this.
At times, other professionals may suggest educational psychology involvement
would be helpful. Where this is the case the professional should contact the school
(or setting) to discuss progress and the issues about which they are concerned, to
determine if it is appropriate for the school to discuss with the Educational
Psychologist.
Early Years Settings
For children who are in the early years but pre-Reception age (i.e., not yet in school),
the service can be accessed through the SENCo in an Early Years setting. If your
child is in the early years and does not attend an Early Years setting, then you
should speak to your Health Visitor or GP, or, if another health professional is
involved, you can speak to them. With your consent, the Early Years setting will most
likely contact their Area SENCo in the first instance (link needed to Area SENCO
leaflet), who may then have some discussions with the EP. If you have raised your
concerns with a health professional, with your consent, they may have discussions
with an EP.
Educational Psychology Service and the Local Authority.
The Local Authority engages the Educational Psychology Service to provide
Psychological advice as part of the Educational Health Care (EHC) assessment
process. Parents, Carers and young people can request the local authority to carry
out an assessment. (link to reference for EHC assessment request by parent)
In providing this advice the EP will consider all documents which have been made
available to the local authority in making the request, in addition to any information
already on file. They will also have direct contact with the child or young person and
their parents/carers as necessary to gain further information, to be able to give their
advice.
There are also times when the service is asked by the Local Authority to be a
witness at a Special Educational Needs and Disability Tribunal, which can decide
outcomes where there has been a disagreement between the local authority and
parents/carers.
If requested by the Local Authority, the Educational Psychology service will facilitate
a meeting with parent/carer and school, where the Local Authority has refused to
carry out an assessment requested by a parent/carer.
How the Educational Psychology Service is provided
The service is provided through contributions directly from the Local authority and
through the central schools budget which is jointly agreed by schools and the local
authority.
The service provides time to each school based on an index of need. However,
individual schools and groups of schools are increasingly commissioning additional
support from the service. This provides additional consultation time, casework,
priority case reviews, training, projects and research.
Further details are provided in:Commissioning blocks