Essex County Council
SENCO Manual 2011
Essex County Council
Essex County Council
Educational Psychology Service
Information for Schools
Ref:
First issue:
SM1/5.5
April 2002
Essex County Council
SENCO Manual 2011
Introduction
The Essex Educational Psychology Service is a solution oriented service. Our
core professional purpose (CPP) is:
‘Working collaboratively with others to help children and young people get the
most out of their lives’
We have a set of principles which underpin our CPP. These are of equal value
and are not listed in order of importance.
We believe:

Meaningful inclusion promotes opportunities and challenges
discrimination;

Psychological theories and research inform our practice;

Empowering and enabling clients leads to improved outcomes;

Early intervention supports children most effectively;

Everyone can make a contribution;

The needs of the child are central.
All work carried out by the Essex Educational Psychology Service will reflect
our CPP and principles.
The Scope of the Work of a Local Authority Educational
Psychology Service
The work of educational psychologists falls within the following core activities:






consultation;
assessment;
intervention;
training
research;
contributing to Local Authority strategy policy and priorities.
These activities underpin the work of an educational psychologist across the
Every Child Matters ‘windscreen of need’. This is a conceptual framework for
understanding a continuum of need from universal to severe and complex.
The work of EPs across the continuum was recognised in a review of the work
of EP services, commissioned by the Department for Education and Skills
(DfES), entitled ‘A review of the Functions and Contribution of Educational
Psychologists in England and Wales in light of Every Child Matters: Change
Ref:
First issue:
SM1/5.5
April 2002
1
Essex County Council
SENCO Manual 2011
for Children’ (Farrell et al, June 2006). Educational Psychologists work
contributes to local authority strategy and policy, and school improvement.
EPs work at a systems level with whole schools or departments as well as
with groups of pupils and individuals.
Educational psychologists work with children and young people across the 019 age range; and across the continuum of need.
Delivery of Serivces 2011-12
1.
Commissioned Services
The Essex EPS is a provider service commissioned by Essex Local Authority
to meet the statutory requirements and fulfil some critical functions to meet the
needs of vulnerable children and young people. These are free to service
users at the point of delivery.
The range of service commissioned by the LA include:
Preparation for and attendance as a professional witness at Tribunals
Assessment of and Involvement with pre school children with Special
Educational Needs following a referral from Health
Attendance at LA priority Annual Reviews both in and out of County
Statutory Assessments
EP time for Special Schools (including BESD)
EP time for special units
Response to LA requests for Children Looked After
Response to requests from the Joint Agency Panel
Critical incidents support to schools following a trauma or critical
incident
Individual casework for complex cases as identified by the Statutory
assessment service
Research and Development
LA Strategic Work
Statutory work
Local authorities have a statutory duty to employ educational psychologists to
assist them in carrying out their responsibilities in relation to children and
young people with special educational needs. Section 1:11 of The SEN Code
of Practice (1996) states:
‘An essential function of the LEA is to make effective arrangements for SEN
by ensuring that the needs of children and young people with SEN are
identified and assessed quickly and matched by appropriate provision (and
Ref:
First issue:
SM1/5.5
April 2002
2
Essex County Council
SENCO Manual 2011
that) high quality support is provided for schools and early education settings
– including through educational psychology and other support services.’
Educational psychologists work within the arrangements and procedures laid
down by statute for assessing and meeting the special educational needs of
early-years and school-aged children ( Part IV of the 1996 Education Act;
2001 SEN & Disability Act.). They work with early years providers and schools
as an external, specialist support agency within the setting’s graduated
approach for assessing a child’s special educational needs and identifying
how those needs might be met. They provide psychological advice as part of
the statutory assessment of a child’s special educational needs. They can
also be involved in the annual review of children and young people with
statements of special educational needs.
EP statutory work includes:

Responding to notifications from the local health authority under
Section 332 of the Education Act 1996 of pre-school children who
may have special educational needs (assessment, report writing,
advising on appropriate provision).

Providing Psychological Advice (Appendix D) as part of a statutory
assessment under Section 329 of the Education Act 1996.

Contributing to annual reviews for children and young people with
statements (LA priorities).

Tribunal Work (consultation, assessment, intervention contributing to
LA Case Statement preparation; appearing as a tribunal witness).
Parent Helpline
Essex LA commissions the Essex Educational Psychology Service to provide
direct access to educational psychologists for parents and carers of Essex
children and young people up to the age of 19 years. This is delivered
through a telephone helpline.
The Parent Helpline is:
 confidential and personal details are not be recorded;
 staffed by qualified educational psychologists who will listen to parents
concerns and help you to find a positive way forward;
 not a referral route for further involvement with a child by an educational
psychologist.
The Parent Helpline can be contacted on
Ref:
First issue:
SM1/5.5
April 2002
3
01245 433293
Essex County Council
SENCO Manual 2011
It is between 1pm and 3pm, open every Monday during term time (not public
holidays).
Traded Services
Schools and other settings can purchase EP services for pre-statutory
services. Information has been sent to schools indicating the subscriptions
and packages of support that schools can purchase in the financial year 201112. For more information contact: eps@essex.gov.uk
Educational Psychologists
Educational Psychologists (EPs) contribute to the identification, assessment
and monitoring of children with special educational needs.
Each educational psychologist is a member of an Area team managed by an
Area Senior Educational Psychologist.
The Psychology Service is managed by the Principal Educational
Psychologist within the SEN and Children with Addional Needs Section of the
schools, children and Families Directorate.
Qualifications and Experience
Essex Educational Psychologists have:
 a first degree in psychology (or equivalent);

a range of relevant experience, amny have a teaching qualification;

a Masters degree or a Doctorate - professional training as an EP
Essex EPs are eligible for:
 membership of the Association of Educational Psychologists

registration with the Healths Professions Council, this is a statutory
requirement that any psychologist must be able to evidence
 membership of the British Psychological Society
 Chartered Psychologist status
Range of work
Educational Psychologists are trained to work with children and young people
from 0-19 years. They have skills across a number of areas
Ref:
First issue:
SM1/5.5
April 2002
4
Essex County Council
SENCO Manual 2011
Skills of Educational Psychologists
EPs are applied psychologists with training and skills in:

child and adolescent development;

intervention;

assessment;

problem-solving;

consultation;

in-service training;

research and project work;

counselling;

monitoring and evaluation;

organisational and systems development;

statistics and analysis of data.
With this diverse range of specialist skills and experience, the team of
educational psychologists is able to make a unique and broad contribution in
supporting schools to support effective learning and include children with
special educational needs.
Parental Permission
Where an EP is to work with a pupil during the visit, especially in the case of
assessment of the pupil, the school must discuss the involvement with the
parent or carer beforehand and obtain permission. In the case of EP
assessment, parents should usually be given a chance to talk to the EP.
If a child is absent on the day of the planned visit, the EP should be informed
as early as possible.
Ref:
First issue:
SM1/5.5
April 2002
5
Essex County Council
SENCO Manual 2011
West (covers Epping Forest, Uttlesford & Harlow)
Frances Prattent
The Area Senior EP
Goodman House
Station Approach
Harlow
CM20 2ET
frances.prattent@essex.gov.uk
South (covers Basildon, Brentwood, Castle Point & Rochford Districts)
Daniel Tunbridge
The Area Senior EP
The Knares,
Basildon,
Essex. SS16 5RX
daniel.tunbridge@essex.gov.uk
North East (covers Colchester & Tendring Districts)
Jill Newton
The Area Senior EP
Park Road,
Colchester.
Essex. C03 3UP
jill.newton@essex.gov.uk
Mid (covers Braintree, Chelmsford, Burnham & Maldon Districts)
Jane Ayres
The Area Senior EP
Crossman House,
Station Approach,
Braintree,
Essex. CM7 3QA
jane.ayres@essex.gov.uk
Ref:
First issue:
SM1/5.5
April 2002
6