Education Resources Psychological Service

The Psychological Service is part of the Inclusion Service within South Lanarkshire Council Education Resources. Educational psychologists are registered practitioners with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). We are sometimes part of the network of support offered to children and young people (aged 0-19 years) to ensure they get the most out of their education. We also have strategic, advisory, research, and training roles within the council.

What do educational psychologists do?

Educational psychologists support the wellbeing, learning and inclusion of children and young people. We work to help improve these outcomes by working with parents/carers and schools and nurseries. In many cases, we work with partner agencies, such as social work services, health services, or voluntary agencies.

How will the educational psychologist become involved with my child?

Schools and nurseries put strategies in place to support children’s/young people’s wellbeing, learning and inclusion. This is in line with Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) and South Lanarkshire Council’s Staged Intervention procedures.

When schools and nurseries are requesting additional support from the Psychological Service, they will ask for parents’/carers’ agreement to have a consultation with an educational psychologist (called a Level 1 Consultation). This meeting involves only school/nursery staff and the educational psychologist.

The outcome of the Level 1 Consultation will be one of the following:

• The offer of indirect involvement. Sometimes indirect work by the psychologist is the best way to support your child/young person (e.g. consultation, advice or training for staff). Other strategies to support your child/young person may also be agreed and reviewed by the school.
• A Level 2 Consultation meeting may be arranged, which will involve you, staff from the school or nursery and the educational psychologist (and if appropriate your child/young person). In line with partnership working and GIRFEC, other professionals may also attend this meeting. At this meeting further involvement of the educational psychologist might be agreed.
• No further involvement from the educational psychologist at that time. In this case additional appropriate strategies to support your child will be agreed and reviewed by the school or nursery.

What will happen if a Level 2 Consultation meeting is agreed?

The head teacher will be in touch to arrange this. If further direct involvement with your child/young person is agreed at this meeting, it will most likely be to carry out a specific short piece of work.

Any involvement of the Psychological Service will be reviewed on a regular basis, in line with your child’s progress.

When the agreed work has been completed, your child’s Psychological Service casefile will be closed.