How to access Educational Psychology

Referrals to Educational Psychology are made via a child’s school, or by a health professional if they are of pre-school age and not attending a statutory nursery unit or school.

If you have a concern about your child, speak to their teacher or a healthcare professional, such as a GP or social worker, who will be able to provide advice and guidance on the issue. 

If your child’s teacher and the school’s Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo) have a significant concern about your child’s progress, they will discuss this with you. They will also review any school-based provision that has been put in place to support your child’s Special Educational Needs.

If the school staff think your child is not making adequate progress with this provision, they may seek support from their Education Authority Local Impact Team or request a consultation with an Educational Psychologist. If your child does not attend an educational setting, a paediatrician or health professional may contact our service. The school will always seek parental consent before any contact is made with the Education Authority.

Parents, schools and other professionals can also contact the Education Psychology Service for advice if they have concerns about a child who may have a learning difficulty that is not yet diagnosed.

Schools and statutory pre-school settings seeking involvement for a child or young person can consult directly with their named Educational Psychologist. 

We are involved with children and young people attending school and statutory preschool settings on an individual basis in line with the Graduated Response Framework. This involvement can include:

• Indirect Consultation
• Direct Psychological Consultation
• Statutory Assessment
• Statutory Review
• Intervention

This is an initial discussion with the child or young person’s setting which allows us to: 

•  Explore concerns; 
•  Clarify needs; and 
• Agree on the most appropriate support and next steps. 

This may include: 

• Continued advice/support from our service.
• Signposting to an appropriate service.
• Training for staff.
• A recommendation for Direct Psychological Consultation.

This may be appropriate when:

• a child’s needs are unclear or complex 
• progress is limited despite targeted interventions. 

This may include:

• Collaborative problem-solving;
• Observation, assessment, intervention, and review; and 
• Co-created action plans to support positive change. 

Settings no longer require EP consultation before submitting a request for consideration of statutory assessment in line with the Graduated Response Framework. Schools, nurseries and playgroups can make these requests on EA Connect. 

While we do not make recommendations to progress statutory assessment requests, if the child is known to us, we will provide evidence of the child’s level of need.

EPs continue to provide statutory advice when a statutory assessment has been progressed. 

The aim of statutory advice is to clarify needs, provide objectives and make recommendations as to the provision required to achieve these objectives.

Our involvement can be requested by school or SARS to contribute to the annual review of a pupil who has a statement of SEN when:

• The school has identified a need for additional information on the child’s SEN
• There is a significant change in the pupil’s SEN 
• There is clear evidence that the current placement type is no longer meeting the child’s SEN (i.e. child needs to move from mainstream to special or vice versa)

Children can be referred to our service prior to the transition to pre-school if they are likely to require specialist placement or additional support in a mainstream placement. 

These referrals are made by Community Paediatricians or Allied Health Professionals who are involved with the child. 

Referrals are considered at regular triage meetings, and an appropriate pathway is considered.

We are only involved with children attending non-statutory pre-school settings participating in the Pre-School Education Programme (PSEP) when they have been referred by a paediatrician or allied health professional or when a statutory assessment has been progressed. 

Settings concerned about a child can speak to the SEND support and advice team by calling SEND Central on 028 9031 7777 and selecting Option 2.

Settings can request a statutory assessment on EA Connect in line with the graduated response framework.

Our team deliver evidence-based interventions to children and young people individually or in a group to support their learning, development and/or emotional wellbeing.

Our team develop and deliver training to schools, other EA services and to those who care for our children and young people at home. This training is designed in response to need and aims to:

• Positively influence policy development within settings
• Provide psychoeducation that furthers knowledge and understanding
• Support early identification of needs 
• Promote the use of evidence-based teaching methods, strategies and resources