Educational Psychology Service (EPS)

What the EPS does

The Educational Psychology Service (EPS) carries out:

Assistant educational psychologists have started to develop drop-in sessions on a range of topics for parents and carers at community hubs. 

Fore more information about these sessions, email education.psychology@medway.gov.uk.

Find out more about the ways in which educational psychologists work on the National Association of Principal Educational Psychologists (NAPEP) website.

Statutory work

Educational psychologists offer psychological advice as a part of the education, health and care (EHC) needs assessment process.

This might include:

  • visiting the student at school or at home
  • meeting with parents or carers
  • meeting with school staff.

All information is written into a report, along with recommendations to support the child or young person.

This report is shared with the setting, family and the SEN Panel at Medway Council. A decision is then made about whether to issue an education, health and care plan (EHCP).

More about education, health and care plans (EHCPs).

Tribunal work

Sometimes, educational psychologists are asked to give information to help the SEND Tribunal decision making process.

Early intervention and inclusion support work

Every state-funded school in Medway has a link educational psychologist or trainee educational psychologist to support them in providing inclusive education within their communities.

Previously we have provided early inclusion and support work to state-funded and other schools and partners as part of a core offer or via a traded service. Currently, there is an emphasis on statutory work, and time for early intervention and inclusion support work is limited.

Psychological review of inclusion support meetings (PRISMs)

After feedback from schools during our annual EPS review, we now offer 2 psychological review of inclusion support meetings (PRISMs) to each school per academic year.

These meetings look at the school's current context and how best to use available resources to support inclusion within the school community. This might include:

  • looking at the needs of specific groups of children and young people in each school
  • training or support needs for staff
  • reviews of policies and practices that impact on inclusion.

In some cases, it could also involve discussing individual children. Where schools do wish to discuss individual children by name, they'll need to have parental consent to do this.

Watch our video on YouTube to find out more about PRISMs.

Training for practitioners

The EPS offer training to early years practitioners through the Autism Education Trust (now known as the Neuroinclusive Education Network).

To find out more about upcoming training sessions, visit the Neuroinclusive Education Network website.

Partnerships for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS)

This year, the EPS are supporting a second cohort of primary schools working with the Partnership for Inclusion of Neurodiversity in Schools (PINS).

This is a national programme that partners health and education professionals and parents and carers to improve support for neurodivergent pupils in mainstream schools.

Find out more about PINS.

Traded work

All schools have the option of purchasing traded days from the EPS. 

Every school in Medway has a linked educational psychologist or trainee educational psychologist who your school's SENCo will liaise with. They'll decide what activities to do in the number of days your school has purchased.

This is bespoke so that the activities meet the school’s needs. For example, a school may decide to use some of their time for:

  • staff training
  • direct work with pupils
  • consultations about groups of pupils.

Your school can purchase days on the Education Services Medway website.

Only members of staff with finance authority can login and purchase traded days.

Purchase traded days on the Education Services Medway website

For more information email education.psychology@medway.gov.uk, or for support with accessing the service email tradedservices@medway.gov.uk.

Direct work with pupils

Where capacity permits, school can request to use their traded time for direct work with pupils. Usually this would happen when parents and the SENCo have agreed this would be helpful.

If this is deemed psychologically appropriate, educational psychologists will assess children and young people's needs by trying to gain as much information as possible.

This could include some or all of the following:

  • talking to the pupil
  • observing the pupil in class, at play and with other children and young people
  • working with the pupil in the classroom
  • looking at the pupil's work
  • talking to the pupil's teachers and other adults who work with them
  • talking to the parents and other people who have responsibility for caring for them
  • carrying out tests to understand the pupil's thinking skills
  • carrying out tests that help check the pupil's ability in reading, writing and number work
  • asking the pupil to do some drawings or a play activity
  • discussing the pupil with other professionals who have worked either with them or the family
  • discussing the pupil's school-based plan.

To help understand a pupil's educational needs better, the educational psychologist may wish to meet with parents at some point and talk about:

  • what concerns parents may have about their child
  • how parents have seen their child develop
  • the child's behaviour at home
  • how the child gets on with other people and the rest of the family
  • the child's interests
  • what are seen as the child's strengths
  • ways that parents have tried to help their child
  • any medical investigations that have taken place
  • ways in which parents think their child might best be helped in the future, both at home and in partnership with the school.

In most cases, assessments and meetings with an educational psychologist would be expected to take place on school premises and as far as possible within school hours.

Training for school staff

We also deliver training to schools in Medway.

Schools can use some of their purchased traded days to request training on specific topics, or they can purchase a separate training package such as ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants).

In the past we have offered training on topics such as:

  • neurodiversity, Autism and ADHD awareness
  • precision teaching
  • ELSA (Emotional Literacy Support Assistants), a training programme with ongoing supervision from a qualified educational psychologist
  • MeLSA (Mediating Learning Support Approach), a training programme with ongoing supervision from a qualified educational psychologist.

Critical incident or sad event support for schools

The EPS offers support and advice to schools, institutions and the wider community following a critical incident or sad event.

These events can be large or small scale and include:

  • accidents on school premises
  • an illness or death of a pupil, staff member, or parent
  • larger scale incidents affecting the school and local community.

Most schools and institutions have pastoral support systems to deal with these incidents, but sometimes these can be disrupted following a critical incident or sad event. 

For most critical incidents and sad events, good quality intervention from schools or institutions as well as involvement from friends and family can help the events to be processed emotionally.

However, when things are more complex, overwhelming, or more support is needed, educational psychologists can come in to support you and the school community.

We'll also signpost to other agencies where appropriate.

How schools and settings can access support

You can choose to talk things through with an educational psychologist if you need help with:

  • making a plan of action
  • working out who might need support
  • thinking about resources you have in the school community.

To get in contact phone 01634 335 647 or email education.psychology@medway.gov.uk.

The EPS sometimes finds out about these events through council communications. In this case, if the event is thought to be a critical incident, a member of the team will phone the school.

Other times we find out about the event only when a member of school staff phones us, often the headteacher or a member of the senior leadership team.

In the call, we'll ask you questions about:

  • what happened
  • who was involved
  • who this event may impact.

We'll also invite you to talk about what support you feel you might need. This might include:

  • no further educational psychologist involvement
  • an educational psychologist to visit your school
  • sign-posting to services and resources.

There are also lots of resources online that offer advice and support:

For more information about the EPS response, read our guidance for supporting critical incidents and sad events.

Suicide

Educational psychologists can also support schools and institutions to identify those who may be at increased risk of experiencing suicidal thoughts, and plan how to support them.

For resources to support your school, visit our suicide prevention and support for schools page.

Large scale disasters and civil emergencies

With large-scale disasters and civil emergencies, which require a multi-agency response, Medway EPS will be a part of the council's emergency response.

They'll work alongside other services to support schools and the wider community.

In this case, there is no need to contact us directly. Instead, view Medway's emergency plan.