East Renfrewshire Council
Department of Education
Psychological Service
The development of a Post School Psychological Service (PSPS)
East Renfrewshire’s Post School Psychological Service aims to further support
school leavers with additional support need, to go onto further education,
employment or training. It supports the wider strategic goals of the local authority
and works within the context set out by the Scottish Government for the
development of a post school psychological service.
As a result of this development, East Renfrewshire psychological service has
been working in partnership with schools, colleges, Skills Development Scotland
(SDS) and post school providers in order to identify early intervention strategies
and preventative measures for targeting children and young people who may be
in need of more choices, more chances in the future.
Early Intervention
At present there is extensive transition work undertaken by authority nurseries,
which seeks to identify those who will require extended transitions to school as
well as additional supports. In addition, the psychological service runs transition
groups routinely in both the primary and secondary sector. These groups aim to
assist vulnerable young people with the transition process. Other initiatives, such
as the therapeutic intervention team, learning centre initiatives, CBT group work,
also have a clear focus on early intervention with an aim to target vulnerable
young people and more particularly the MCMC cohort.
Strategic Working
Within a multi-stranded framework of supporting young people likely to be in
need of more choices more chances, Psychological Services are key
participants in the wider authority MCMC strategy group. The strategy group
aims to co-ordinate the input of key partners, in planning for those likely to be in
need of more choices more chances. This multi-disciplinary forum allows also
allows for the sharing of information and good practice. Psychological Services
have also contributed to the wider authorities outcome focused planning for
MCMC.
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Consultancy / Training
Psychological Service currently works alongside the local authority in
supporting school based MCMC coordinators to enhance involvement in
strategic planning for young people in need of More Choices, More Chances.
The service has also provided training to Careers Scotland, liaised with Adult
and Family Learning service and developed links with the authority’s
employability team. The service has further developed links with other
psychological services which has allowed for sharing and highlighting of good
practice as well as effective joined up working.
Working with Colleges
This year has seen the development of a named person allocated to all
colleges that East Renfrewshire young people attend. The aim is to provide a
service which will further support the transition process, for young people,
schools and Colleges. The named psychologists will work in collaboration with
colleges through consultation, training and relevant action research as well as
being a source of information regarding East Renfrewshire’s young people. A
regular visiting pattern has been established between the three most popular
College choices for East Renfrewshire’s young people and one that has been
identified as providing excellent support for young people with Autistic
Spectrum Disorder (ASD). As a result of these visits, practice level agreements
have been developed and a planned schedule of work, consisting of training
and strategic input, has been agreed.
Research
Psychological services are undertaking two key pieces of action research to
develop understanding and practice in relation to supporting vulnerable young
people to the age of 24.
One of the research projects currently being undertaken aims to investigate the
risk and protective factors which may contribute to East Renfrewshire’s young
people being able to sustain a positive destination in the FE sector. The project
aims to look at 3 areas: preparation for the transition to college, supports in place
at college and reasons / factors for why young people may have dropped out or
sustained their place at college. This longitudinal study aims to develop
understanding of risk and protective factors to further clarify how we can
intervene early to reduce the number of young people not in education,
employment or training.
The second project examines the use of transition passports as a means for the
young person to express who they are, what they have achieved, their plans for
the future and what and who they will need to support them. At the time of
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writing passports are being piloted in two high schools. The aim of the passport
is to create a document which empowers the young person, aids communication
and enhances sharing of information regarding the young person’s needs at a
level they are comfortable with. The pilot will be evaluated, taking into account
the views of the young person, post school providers and school staff on its
usefulness as a means of sharing information and building confidence about
moving on from High School.
Impact / Outcome
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Psychological service has an increased awareness of strategic
development in relation to the More Choices, More Chances, 16 +
Learning Choices and the GIRFEC agenda.
More young people feel supported and informed about their choices
for the future and the supports available to them during transitions
Psychological Service, schools and the wider authority have an
increased awareness of factors most likely to result in children and
young people being in need of MCMC
Stakeholders have a greater understanding of the role of the
Psychological Service
Increased effective multi disciplinary working
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