BURY EDUCATIONAL

PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE

BROCHURE
2016-2017

Contents

Introduction: Welcome to Bury EPS2

The Team3

Why Bury EPS?4

Bury EPS Service Delivery Model5-6

LA Funded Work (Core Work)5

Traded Services (Paid Work)5-6

Ethical Trading6

What Services do Bury EPS Provide?7-13

Assess-Plan-Do-Review and Consultation7-8

Why Assess-Plan-Do-Review9

The Division of Educational and Child

Psychology (DECP) Model10

Goal Attainment Scaling11

Training, Intervention and Project Work12-13

Feedback and Contact Information 14

Introduction: Welcome to our 2016-17 Brochure

BuryEducational Psychology Service (EPS) offers a wide range of evidence based psychological services. We carry out identification, analysis and holistic assessment of children and young people's strengths and needs and provide intervention and recommendations to support Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) by working directly with children and young people and consulting with others involved with them. A consultative approach where actions and strategies are agreed and reviewed in negotiation with people involved is promoted and psychological models of professional practice are used to structure an EP’s work.

In line with the SEND Code of Practice and the local thresholds for making decisions about Statutory Assessment our work incorporates afour-part assess-plan-do-review (apdr)cycle. This approach draws on more detailed and relevant methods of assessment; more regular consultation and planning with children/ young people, families, staff and other professionals; and more frequent review in successive and systematic cycles in order to set targets for desired outcomes and to match evidence based support and intervention to the pupil’s strengths and needs. Put approach has continually been evaluated positively by Bury schools, for example staff have appreciated support in making the apdr process meaningful and practical within their setting, the use of a wider range of assessments to provide different perspectives on specific needs, practical advice that can be implemented in the classroom, the joint problem solving process helping to clarify thinking and increased opportunities for collaborative working.

Bury EPS fulfils the Local Authority’s Statutory duties under the terms of the Children and Families Act 2014 and provides Psychological Advice as part of the Statutory Education Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment to inform an EHC Plan when requested by the Local Authority SEN Team. We also provide advice for SEND Support Plus Funding. Over the transition period from Statements to EHC Plans, Bury EPS will provide updated Advice for current pupils with Statements who are transferring to EHC plans, where appropriate and when requested by the SEN Team. The EPS will also support and develop the Person Centred Planning (PCP) process which is integral to the SEND reforms. Please see our separate brochure around supporting the transfer review process.

Bury EPS has the equivalent of one full time Senior EP delivering a service to the 232 Private Voluntary and Independent settings (PVIs) in Bury. This includes consultation, assessment and advice for individual children and their families as well as training and strategic work.

We have established an Early Years Panel that provides funding for children in receipt of two and three year old Free Early Educational Entitlement at the Support (following two cycles of a-p-d-r) and Support Plus (following at least 4 cycles of a-p-d-r). This is chaired by the SEN Manager and includes the SEP, representatives from Portage and Reaching Children and Families Team as well as PVI and school SENCos. Appropriate paperwork has been devised and can be accessed at

Wesuccessfully deliver training; research; project; intervention; and strategic work in a number of related psychological areas within schools, through the Learning Collaborative and across Children’s Services. The latter part of this brochure details some examples.

Our Consultation Summary and Advice Reportis used consistently to provide written feedback across the team.

In all cases an EPS Request for Involvement form will need to be fully completed and signed by whoever has parental responsibility (PR) (if pupil is under 18) before any work can take place.

The Team

We are positioned within the Inclusion and Vulnerable Children Division and work closely with the SEN Team; Additional Needs Team; Attendance Team; CAMHS; the PRUS; and the Anti-bullying Co-ordinator.

We are a dedicated, professional and highly skilled team of psychologists who are keen to use our skills and experience to promote development and best practice across the four broad areas of needwithin schools, settings and partner agencies including cognition and learning; social, emotional and mental health;communication and interaction; and sensory and physical needs.

The Bury team is currently made up of aPrincipal EP (PEP), 5 Senior EPs, 3 Specialist Practitioner EPs, 2 main grade EPs anda Year 2 and a Year 3 bursary trainee. We also have a member of staff employed flexibly and a number of existing part time staff completing additional work linked to the SEND reforms and the SEND Implementation Grant. The current staffing makes up in total the equivalent of 7.5full time positions, although one full time member of staff is on maternity leave this year leaving us with 6.5.. Senior and Specialist EPs have specialisms in Early Years, Emotional Health and Well-Being, Cognition, Learning and Post 16 and Safeguarding and Critical Incidents. The Service links with the University of Manchester and hosts a number of trainees on various placements. The PEP and one of the Senior EPs are associate tutors on the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology course at Manchester University. A Senior EP works jointly with the Health Service as part of a multi-agency team at the Child Development Centre for 0.2.

Why Bury EPS?

  • Each member of the team is linked to specific designated schoolsand we have dedicated specialists in early years that are linked to our Early Years Settings resulting in consistent working relationships and a flexible and responsive approach to our schools’ and settings’needs.
  • We have an extensive knowledge of the SEND processes within Bury and an excellent working relationship with the SEN Team. The interventions we work with are recognised and accepted by the LA.
  • We are very familiar with the context, communities and other support services associated with Bury schools and Early Years settings and we have continued positive working relationships with them and other Bury support teams.
  • We continue to have excellent links with the University of Manchester and we currently have a number of Trainees on placement with us. The Principal EPand one of the Senior EPs are associate tutors on the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology course at Manchester University. These links with the University ensure the highest quality of research knowledge and evidence based practice.
  • Our Early Years Senior EPs work jointly with the Health Service as part of a multi-agency team at the Child Development Centre which facilitates signposting and positive working relationships with our colleagues in this area.
  • Each member of the team is dedicated to CPD and we have all developed our own specialist knowledge in particular areas of psychology. The team fosters a learning environment where the sharing of resources and peer supervision are highly regarded.
  • We offer a supportive network within the team which maximises capacity to fulfil our professional practice guidelines set out by the Health Care and Professions Council (HCPC).

Bury EPS Service Delivery Model

LA Funded Work from September 2016

  • Feedback from you has suggested that you value having a consistent EP therefore all schools and settings will continue to have a named EP who will attend planning meetings (1 hour per term/3 hours per year to be allocated to this).
  • All schools will receive a minimum of8 LA funded hours per term/24 hours per year from their named EP. Special and resourced provision schools will receive a minimum of 16 LA funded hours per term/48 hours per year from their named EP.
  • All EP work will be booked in via completion of a Service Level Agreement(SLA) between the setting and the named EP.
  • The EP Consultation Summary and Advice Report will be used to record all involvement and outcomes and to provide psychological advice as part of the Statutory Education, Health and Care (EHC) Needs Assessment to inform an EHC Plan when requested by the Local Authority SEN Team.
  • Bury EPS will provide updated Advice for current Statemented pupils who are converting to EHC plans, where appropriate and only when requested by the SEN Team.
  • We will become involved in other work commissioned by the Local Authority via the SEND panel.
  • The Early Years SEP will agree appropriate follow up for children assessed at the Child Development Centre multi disciplinary assessment for Children in Foundation Stage 1 attending Bury schools.Traded Services (Paid Work)

In addition to the above statutory services, schools, settings and partner agencies have the opportunity of purchasing a wide range of additional packages of support for children, young people and their families.

Who will carry out traded work?

The EPS recognises consistency as being a key factor when supporting schools and therefore the school’s designated EP will usually carry out the traded work within their allocated schools where possible and when time allows. Similarly one of our Early Years Specialists will usually carry out the work in Early Years Settings. Another EP may become involved if a specific piece of work is requested that links to another EP’s specialism or when a large amount of work is required. In the case of sickness or long term absence the EPS will cover this work by means of agreement with the setting and the Principal EP.

How can traded work be commissioned?

Traded work should be discussed and agreed with your EP at the termly planning and review meeting through completion of an SLA. We will accept requests outside of the Planning Meeting if necessary. Work will be completed within a given term if it is agreed at the meeting and whilst we will try to complete work commissioned outside the meeting during the same term we cannot guarantee it. In all cases a completed Request for EP Involvement Form must be completed and returned to the EPS before any work is carried out. This form must be signed by parents when children / young people are directly involved and are under the age of 18. We operate a 24 hour cancellation policy whereby without this notice agreed services will have to be paid for.If circumstances arise which prevent the delivery of services that are beyond the control of either party to the agreement then this SLA may be renegotiated to the satisfaction of both parties.

How much does it cost?

Services will be charged at £70 (plus VAT) an hour within Bury and £90 (plus VAT) an hour for establishments outside Bury / Academies / Private Sector. Bulk purchases of sessions will be charged on a reducing sliding scale (to be negotiated).

Please note:
  • Hourly rates include preparation time, delivery of work and completion of written feedbackin agreement with the school, setting or partner agency.
  • How long a piece of work will take will be discussed and agreed at the termly planning and review meeting.
  • When multiple sessions are purchased these will usually be equally spread throughout the year in agreement with the school, setting or partner agency.
  • All fees will be invoiced promptly and clearlyimmediately following delivery of the service. Any additional charges will be discussed and agreed with the school before the service is undertaken.
  • The exact nature and time required for the work will be determined at the termly planning and review meeting or afterwards through discussion with the school’s EP following receipt of a completed Request for Service Involvement Form.

Ethical Trading

The trading context highlights the need for ethical mindfulness at the whole service as well as the individual level. Bury EPS sees the following as priorities in our endeavour to trade in a fair and ethical environment:

  • Ensuring that we are not practising in a way that may be seen to be unfair;
  • Ensuring that wepractise with competence and develop professionally;
  • Integrate ethical reflection into our practice;
  • Adhere to the Framework for Considering Ethical Dilemmas (Code of Ethics and Conduct, BPS, 2009a, p.7-8) and Ethical Trading(BPS, DECP, 2013) when making decisions

What Services do Bury EPS provide?

ASSESS-PLAN-DO-REVIEW AND CONSULTATION

Our work incorporates the four-part assess-plan-do-review cycle which draws on more detailed and relevant methods of assessment; more regular consultation and planning with children/ young people, families, staff and other professionals; and more frequent review in successive and systematic cycles in order to set targets for desired outcomes and to match evidence based support and intervention to the pupil’s strengths and needs.

A consultative approach where evidence based strategies are agreed and reviewed in negotiation with people involved is used in all our work. Consultation is a problem solving meeting facilitated by the psychologist who uses an approach which enables the expertise of school staff, parents, other agencies and the psychologist to be utilised within a structured time frame. This framework enables school and setting staff to reflect on their practice and gain clarity on recommendations and how they fit within their own environment and experience.Consultations may involve parents, establishment staff or other agencies / professionals. A written record of the discussion and the agreed action plan is provided by means of the EPS Consultation Summary and Advice Report. Follow up and review consultations will be arranged as required.

Assess

A psychological assessment involves the use of a variety of tools, techniques and approaches that draw on relevant psychological theory and research. The purpose of the assessment is to generateunderstanding of what is happening, who is concerned, why there is a problem and what can be done to make a difference to the situation. The process of EP assessment involves a number of activities and can take place at different levels. It sometimes may involve a consultation whereby a range of assessment information is explored. There will always be a direct link between the assessment activities and the resulting intervention in order to support the pupil’s progress. EP assessments need to be conducted over time and in relation to different contexts and involve a creative investigation of a broad range of hypotheses.

In identifying a child as needing SEND support the school or setting will have already carried out a clear analysis of a pupil’s needs and will have evaluated the pupil’s response to appropriate intervention. There will also frequently be assessment information available from other professionals or agencies that have been involved with the pupil and their family. The EP can liaise with the school, setting and / or other agency to help inform these assessments. The EP canadvise schools and settings on early identification of SEN and on effective support and interventions. This holistic assessment information can be discussed, analysed and interpreted at the EP initial consultation.

In addition, if appropriate the EP may carry out some detailed and more specific assessments to build on the school’s or setting’s data to inform outcomes and target setting. This might includesocial communication and interaction assessment; observation; functional analysis; emotional health and well-being assessment, developmental or play based assessment; cognitive assessment; or attainment assessment.

Plan

The EP will involve relevant school and setting staff, parents/carers, the pupil(where appropriate) and other professionals in a consultation to consider and agree a range of evidence based and effective teaching approaches, appropriate equipment, strategies and interventions. The consultation will also explore the expected impact on progressdevelopment or behaviour (outcomes), along with a clear date for review. The EP will record this plan along with any relevant assessment information on an EPS Consultation Summary and Advice Report so that the pupil’s family and all staff who work with the pupil can be made aware of the pupil’s strengths and needs, the outcomes sought, the support provided and any teaching strategies or approaches that are required.

Do

The EP’s role will most frequently involve advising, supporting and / or training with staff on the effective implementation of support and intervention. In a small number of cases we may become involved in the delivery of very specific psychological interventions usually in partnership with staff from the school or setting. The EP will support school and setting staff in planning and assessing the impact of support and interventions.

Review

The effectiveness of the support and interventions and their impact on the pupil’s progress are reviewed with the EP during a review consultation. At this meeting the impact and quality of the support and interventions will be evaluated, along with the views of pupils and their parents / carers. This information will feedback into the analysis of the pupil’s strengths and needs. The EP will support the school and setting staff involved in the meeting to revise the support in light of the pupil’s progress and development and decide on any changes. The pupil and their family will be involved in planning these next steps and a new date will be set for the next cycle of assess-plan-do-review.

Why Assess – Plan – Do – Review?