WIRRAL EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY TEAM 2019 - 2020

1. WIRRAL EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY TEAM 2019 - 2020

2. Contents • Our Aims and Principles • 2 Meet the Team • Services we Provide… • Supporting Quality first teaching • Developing Systems for Raising Achievement • EP involvement with Individual Pupils • EP support continued • Understand how we work- Service delivery • Measuring impact • How to make the best use of your EP’s time • EP Involvement with EHC Needs Assessment (Pre assessment) • EP Involvement with EHC Needs Assessment (During assessment) • EP Involvement with EHC Needs Assessment (Post assessment) • Support for Wirral Council • Working agreement & Memorandum of understanding • EP Team Standards • Complaints Procedures

3. At its core, educational psychology underpins our understanding of how children learn and develop. Educational psychologists (EPs) are trained in applied scientific methods and diagnostic and assessment skills, and have a thorough understanding of children and young people and their development. EPs help local authorities to deliver statutory services for the assessment of special educational needs. However, they also work at preventative, early intervention and direct intervention levels to deliver services with other education, welfare, health and social professionals which help local government to meet its statutory responsibilities and priorities right across children’s policy (AEP 2010). Our service uses psychology to promote the well being and educational success of children and young people by empowering other professionals, parents and carers and through direct interventions. Our Aims and Principles • Principles: • We believe that children and young people should be fully included in the communities in which they live, learn and work. • To facilitate this we: • Have consistent and transparent procedures and be clear about what we do; • Help others develop effective systems; • Work with children and their direct carers and staff in their settings and other involved; • Review levels of concern about progress, maintain records of our work and monitor impact; • Keep abreast of the latest developments in psychology and education in order to promote evidence based interventions, challenge current assumptions, respond and adapt to changing needs and ensure we have the skills to meet the needs of the community and the LA. • Partnership working • We do this in two ways: • At a whole school level: by helping others develop effective systems; • At an individual level: by working to reduce levels of concern about a pupil. • We do this by: • Listening to the needs of service users; • Acting as a sounding board; • Challenging or confirming users’ views assessments/approaches, provision etc. • Reframing the situation to allow different perspectives or mindsets; • Applying evidence-based approaches. 1

4. Meet the Team… Sue Jamieson-Quinn Senior Educational Psychologist Social communication and Autism Cathy O’Connor Principal Educational Psychologist Strategic development/Early years Simon Ward (0.8) Senior Educational Psychologist Social emotional and mental health Pauline Mellor Educational Psychologist Early years Rachael Kenny Educational Psychologist Behaviour and exclusions Jill Mulligan Educational Psychologist Cognition and Learning Judith Temlett Educational Psychologist Melissa Carey Educational Psychologist YOS Anita Curran Educational Psychologist Mindfulness Tom Clements Assistant Educational Psychologist Birkenhead/South Schools Wallasey/West Schools

5. Services that we provide… • Statutory Support to maintained settings schools academies & post 16 providers • Statutory assessment of a Wirral child/young person’s special educational needs. • Contributions to multi-agency meetings and additional support plans. • Post EHCP planning meeting upon request • Support for Wirral special schools and their pupils. • Provide advice, assessments, reassessments, reports for Annual reviews. • Attend Annual Review meetings particularly for children educated out of borough. • Undertake assessments of 2 year olds’ and Early Years children as requested. • Undertake assessments of post 19 year olds’ as requested. • Additional support to settings/schools/academies/post 16 providers • EP support is designed to support strategic planning, provision management and capacity building and may involve: • The development of systems to check progress, identify need and arrange support for individual children. • Developing teaching skills suited to pupils’ social, emotional, mental health and learning needs. • Identifying and use proven support strategies and evaluate how effective and worthwhile they are. • Supporting schools/settings at times of crisis. • Running optional training packages. • Core Support to The Local Authority • Apart from the Statutory role, the EP team also undertakes a range of activities to help the local authority deliver its core functions, for example we: • Provide advice and support for children and staff in Early Years settings. • Monitor provision to ensure achievement, progression towards . • successful outcomes and value for money • Assist with strategic development of SEN provision within the borough. • Provide support for schools at times of crisis. • Contribute to SEN Decision Making Groups/Strategy Groups. 3

6. SUPPORTING QUALITY FIRST TEACHING • Drop-in sessions for SENDCos: joint problem solving, informal consultation, shared experiences and review. • Individual coaching (for Senior managers), consultation, supervision, staff surgeries, class observation and feedback • Group work – workshops, staff sharing, peer supervision • Inset/bespoke in-school training based on: • practical applications of theories of learning – e.g. behaviour management, differentiation, solution focused thinking (to identify targets and strategies) • The SEND advice and procedures re Children and Families (2014) and SEND regulations (2015). • Access to on-line guidance papers on specific policy issues e.g. educating students out of their chronological age group. • Developing effective learning environments. • Guidance to individuals wanting to become EPs. • Advice about choosing interventions e.g. for learning, that match need and are based on evidence of effectiveness. • reassurance and practical advice. • advice about support for staff, pupils and parents. • signposting to other services.

7. Advice on using school data to monitor progress, identify need and inform practice. • At an individual level: e.g. children with SEN, Children Looked After, excluded pupils, children with behaviour/mental health difficulties, children with EHCP’s. • At an organisational level: e.g. measuring the effectiveness of support strategies for pupils with additional needs, identifying whole school issues from data, monitoring the effectiveness of statutory support for individual pupils. • Strategic meetings which focus on planning and monitoring individual pupils’ progress and enable schools to deal with their concerns more efficiently e.g. through Yearly planner meetings, MAP meetings, termly planning and review meetings. • Support for developing systems for tracking the progress of vulnerable pupils and evaluating/monitoring outcomes. • Identifying organisational issues that need addressing by offering opportunities for reflection and planning. Advising schools on behaviour management and whole school wellbeing development. • Support for developing school policies with regard to, for example: inclusion, SEN, behaviour, implementation of the Equality Act (2010). DEVELOPING SYSTEMS FOR RAISING ACHIEVEMENT 5

8. All requests for direct involvement with children and young people in schools need to come through that school. We cannot accept direct requests from children/young people and their carers unless they are below statutory school age Request for EP Involvement This form must be completed prior to any direct EP involvement – discussion, observation or one-to-one work NB Schools may request EP involvement for any pupil about whom they have a concern provided parent/carers have given their informed consent What schools need to do: • Discuss possible EP involvement at a Planning Meeting. • Discuss EP involvement with parents. and ask them to sign the ‘Request for EP involvement’ form. • Involve and inform pupils – make sure they’ve seen the Pupil leaflet. • Plan the visit with the EP in advance. • Tell the parents and pupil when the EP will be visiting and invite the parents to school if requested by the EP. Arrange an interpreter if appropriate. • Let the EP and parents know of any changes to the agreed schedule as soon as possible and rearrange as necessary. • Get a member of staff who knows the child well to facilitate the visit and/or be free for consultation if needed. • Allocate a suitable location/room. • Check that the pupil’s records, including any additional support plans and Profiling forms, are to hand during the visit. • Schedule a review meeting to monitor progress (See Memorandum of Understanding in the Appendices) DIRECT WORK WITH AN INDIVIDUAL PUPIL

9. EP Support continued. • Strategic Management • Critical incidents • Proactive planning • Support for policy development • Drawing up practical guidelines in advance • Help to manage an incident • Support for school leadership team • Research • to identify evidence based interventions for specific school concerns related to raising achievement, behaviour, emotional health. • Working with Headteacher/SENDCo • to identify key issues and offering support for schools at risk of failing with regard to SEN provision. • Evidence Based Practice • Promoting the pupil voice in school. Support for measuring children’s progress, evaluating interventions and evaluating value for money. Signposting to other services providing evidence based interventions. • Community Involvement • Helping schools set up and run multi-agency planning meetings/CAF TAF meetings. • Identifying and brokering support from other support services networks. • Helping schools develop effective transition processes. • Helping schools develop links with the wider community. 7

10. Understanding how we work – Service Delivery We deliver our services through a consultation approach. This approach involves working through the stages outlined below. Planning Meeting There are no prescribed assessment tools or techniques. EPs use a range of information gathering activities conducted over time and guided by a problem-solving framework, it involves making and testing hypotheses to identify strengths and areas of need and informs intervention. Information gathering Review Explore hypotheses Agree and implement interventions 8

11. Measuring Impact EPs usually work with those who consult with them (e.g. parents, teachers and other professionals) but at times we work directly with children and young people. We evaluate the impact of our work by measuring increases in the confidence of teachers and parents to manage the presenting concerns and the progress of children/young people to achieving their outcomes. MEASURING IMPACT

12. How to make use of your EP’s time… Each EP is currently allocated a cluster group of schools which they visit as part of a time allocation to schools/districts. They are also given direct casework requests from settings, Post 16 providers, out of authority schools & Wirral SEN Team. • They do not respond to direct requests from parents unless the children are under 5 and not accessing provision.  • This core allocation of EP support is designed to support strategic planning, provision management and capacity building. • Completing the Yearly Planner has in the past proved to be a good way to start the year and gives an overview of the possible needs of the cluster over the year which enables better planning and work distribution. • The Yearly Planner can be used to discuss, plan and prioritise for EP involvement and support for the coming academic year, any potential need for statutory work should take priority in the planning process. • Experience has shown that planning meetings are essential in order to make the best use of time and prioritise work. • As a summary, schools will wish to consider at the beginning of each year. • What statutory work they think will be required for this year: Priority needs to be given to EHC needs assessment. • Pupils for whom the school has requested or is likely to make a request for EHC needs assessment. • Pupils with EHCP’s who are causing concern and may require EP input in their Annual Review/transfer – especially pupils whose EHC Plans will need amending and their psychological advice is out of date or a parent requests an up to date report. • Other work may include: • Attending multi agency planning meetings (MAP) • INSET • Work to improve the school’s systems for pupils with learning, emotional or mental health, including, possibly, the use of funding for high incidence needs • End of year review – to reflect on the year’s work and begin to identify new priorities for the next academic year. • Consultation and interventions at the individual and group level: for example: • Identifying aspirations, outcomes and targets or strategies • Observations and feedback on classroom management • Consultation reviews – to review the progress of pupils who have been the subject of an earlier consultation. EHCP work takes precedence over other activities and may, occasionally, affect the timing of other planned work. 10

13. EP involvement in EHC needs assessments 1 Pre assessment • It is the school’s or parent’s decision whether to request an EHCP needs assessment from the LA, not the EPs. • EPs do not have the right to approve or refuse a request. • It is good practice to involve the EP before submitting a request for assessment • Before a request is made, to the LA for an EHC needs assessment, the school is required to have consulted with and involved external specialists. This should include EPs. • It is a good use of EP time to consult before and will in the longer term save time as the child/young person will already be known to the service • Parents, schools and other professionals may, however, ask EPs to comment on whether the evidence is sufficient and/or clear enough for the LA to make a judgment and/or whether the child’s needs appear to meet the criteria • The EPs undertakes an EHC needs assessment only upon receipt of a formal request for advice from the SEN Team. Upon receipt the EP will then: • note the timescales for submitting advice • contact the school - if appropriate – and make provisional arrangements • contact parents/carers either directly or usually via the school • They should already have had some involvement with the child before the request is submitted to enable the statutory deadlines to be met. There are no prescribed assessment tools or techniques as this is a matter of professional judgment based upon the circumstances of the pupil, previous assessments and the appropriateness of tests available. 11

14. EP involvement in EHC needs assessments 2 During the process • EHC needs assessment advice will always require the EP to spend time with the CYP • The assessment may take place over a couple of sessions and/or in different settings. • There is no set time for how long the assessment will take but EPs will always endeavour to complete the advice within the specified statutory timescales, (usually a six-week period). • It is impossible to put timescales on activities given the complex nature of human beings and the intricate personal circumstances of the families involved. • Where a holiday of two weeks or more falls within the deadline, the deadline may be extended – so long as the SEN Team can draft the Plan within 20 weeks. • Parents’/carers’ views are crucial to the EPs assessment for CYP aged 16 yrs and below. Meetings with parents are usually made either before or as soon after the assessment as possible. • Whilst the EP is at liberty to discuss the types of provision s/he feels may best meet the child’s special educational needs, the EP is not in a position to suggest specific schools. Their role is to identify need NOT specify provision. 12

15. EP involvement in EHC needs assessments 3 Post assessment • Post EHCP planning meetings • We may support teachers to develop and implement tailored learning plans for children with EHCP’s or for those who have higher level need but have not secured a plan. • Annual review meetings • As requested by the SEN Team, we may also provide assessments and reports for and/or attend Annual Review meetings/Transfer Meeting. • Advice on meeting the needs of pupils with ongoing EHCPs • We may also provide advice on meeting a pupil’s ongoing needs where this is specified and qualified in a plan. 2 terms of support 6 weeks from request Annually 13

16. EP Support for Wirral Council Requests for statutory work with Wirral pupils attending out of borough schools and independent schools both in Wirral and elsewhere Support for Wirral special schools and their pupils • Participation in Local Authority panels and decision making • Support re SEND Ofsted inspections • Participation in strategic groups, projects and interventions e.g. All Age Disability Strategy • Working with other agencies within Wirral’s CYP Department and other agencies i.e. health, CAMHS etc. Coordination/ Management of ASC team • Research, quantitative study & in house projects • Responding to urgent or emergency situations (Traumatic Events) • Expert witness work including representation at SEN tribunals/IRP • Support for Wirral schools causing concern Supervision of EP’s in training

17. Expectations • The expectations that the school can have of the EP are: • The EP will be reliable and punctual in attending appointments; • The EP will be reliable in undertaking agreed work; • The EP will be available to contact by phone and email; • Messages will be responded to in a timely manner. As a general principle, email or phone messages will be responded to within 5 working days unless on annual leave or on sick leave; • Timescales for report completion will be agreed between the EP and the SENCo, depending on school priorities. The EP will agree with the SENCo a date which reports will be provided, once the casework required has been completed; • Training will be provided on request and may be delivered by any member of the team depending on specialist expertise and interest • The Educational Psychologist can expect: • A completed ‘request for involvement’/referral form with parental signature. It is helpful if this is provided in advance of the planned school visit, so that the EP can plan the work effectively before arriving in school; • A quiet space in which to work effectively on arrival in school; • Access to classrooms for observations; • Planned access to key members of staff for discussions, where agreed in advance; • The SENDCo will keep parents informed of events and of EP visits The purpose of this agreement is to outline working arrangements between the Educational Psychologist from Wirral LA EP Team and the school SENDCo. The aim is to facilitate a way of working together that ensures best outcomes for children, young people and their families. This agreement will be reviewed on an annual basis, including a discussion of working arrangements between the Link EP, the school SENDCo and where possible the Headteacher. Working Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding

18. Working Agreement and Memorandum of Understanding continued • Working arrangements • Arrangements that help to ensure the best use of the time available include: • The time is distributed across the year, through prior negotiation with the school usually through an initial planning meeting at the start of the year; • Recognition that the time commissioned will involve time “off site” for report writing, liaison with other agencies, administration (e.g. phone calls and emails). Report-writing time should be planned into the diary as part of the time commissioned by the school; • Dates of visits and the range of work to be undertaken are negotiated in advance. It is helpful if there are regular planning meetings, at least annually, or termly depending on preference; • It is helpful if the SENDCo is available as a first point of contact on arrival and the final point of contact on completion of the visit. Time in school can be arranged to fit with SENDCo non-contact time as far as possible; and • The school makes relevant documents available for the EP, for example school records, report from other agencies. It makes good use of the time available if copies of relevant reports are provided for the EP in advance. Additional notes for guidance Like SENDCos, educational psychologists work with situations that are often complex, highly-charged and emotional. This means that work does not always proceed as planned. Sometimes the nature of the work required changes, for example a routine assessment turns into a need to request EHCP assessment, or a case that appeared to require a rapid assessment in fact needs a longer-term piece of work following a ‘plan-do-review’ process. For these it is not always possible to be precise about how long a piece of work will take. Occasionally, EPs may need to re-prioritise work for one school in order to respond to a crisis situation in another school. The educational psychologist will always discuss priorities with the SENDCo and negotiate any changes to a planned work programme in collaboration with the school SENDCo. If a school is unhappy with the service they have received from a Wirral EP they should let us know: First of all discuss the situation with your link EP. Problems sometimes arise through misunderstandings or miscommunication. These can generally be resolved through an open conversation between the people concerned; If the situation is not resolved, or if concerns continue, please contact Cathy O’Connor to discuss the matter. We aim to develop long-term sustainable relationships with our schools. This requires open and honest communication on both sides. If we get something wrong, let us know! We welcome feedback from all partners as this helps us to review and modify service delivery to ensure best outcomes for children, young people and their families. 16

19. EP TEAM STANDARDS • Standard 1 • Progress towards outcomes is systematically recorded and monitored. • Standard 2 • The service promotes the use of interventions based on up-to-date specialist knowledge and expertise of suitable qualified professional staff. • Standard 3 • Parents are always consulted and where appropriate involved in supporting the learning and development of their child as part of any intervention • Standard 4 • Clear outcomes are agreed by the service and user, and steps taken to avoid the development of a culture of dependency. • Standard 5 • The service has a clear purpose which takes into account Local Authority policies, the Children and Young People’s Plan, the needs of particular schools, early years settings and other provision in the area, and the range of children and young people’s needs. • Standard 6 • The service regularly collects feedback about its interventions and uses it to improve the quality of service

20. You have the right to voice any concerns about our service and to have them addressed. The EPS follows the complaints procedure of Wirral Council. Many concerns – as opposed to complaints – can be easily addressed through discussion with the individual psychologist. You may ask for such a meeting either by letter or phone. If however you wish to discuss things further with the Principal Educational Psychologist, please contact Cathy O’Connor by phone or writing (see contact details below). The issues raised will always be followed up with the individual psychologist concerned. If you wish to make a formal complaint, please contact Cath O’Connor by phone or in writing (see contact details below). We will try to resolve your complaint immediately. If this is not possible we will investigate further and reply to you within 15 working days Wirral Educational Psychology Team Hamilton Building Conway Street Birkenhead Wirral CH41 4FD Tel: 0151 666 4377 Fax: 0151 666 4690 Email: catherineoconnor@wirral.gov.uk COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE

21. Helpful documents are attached to the letter sent to head teachers in September 2018 19