Education and Children’s Services

Improving the achievement and psychological well-being of children and young people in Leicester City

Traded Services for the Academic Year 2016/17

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Contents

Introduction – About Us - Page 4

Who We Are - Page 7

What We Do - Page 8

Why Buy From Leicester City Psychology Service? - Page 9

What Can You Buy From Leicester City Psychology Service? - Page 11

Training and Therapeutic Group Work - Page 11

How Much Will the Service Cost Me? - Page 13

Compliments or Complaints - Page 14

Ethical Framework - Page 14

“An excellent all round service, supportive and very professional” (City school, 2013)

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Introduction – About Us Leicester City Psychology Service is the longest established educational psychology service in the country. It was established in May 1931 and was the first full time school psychological service in the country. Educational Psychology Services can make an important contribution to support schools and others in being effective in their work with children and families and also to assist them in achieving their developmental aims. Promoting children’s social and emotional wellbeing in schools is one example of this type of work:

Educational Psychologists have knowledge of schools and their local context and have the ability to work at individual, group and whole school levels:

Leicester City Psychology Service has staff with a range of professional backgrounds and expertise. Staff work together to produce the most effective team to deliver what is required by a child, family or school. Currently in the service we have:

- Educational Psychologists (Health Care Professions Council registered)

- Qualified Social Worker - Mental Health Manager

- Assistant Educational Psychologists

- Bilingual Teacher Consultant

- Bilingual Support Assistants

- Administrative and Support Team

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This group of professionals bring together a range of experience, skills and abilities that together combine to produce what is a highly skilled, innovative and responsive service. Leicester City Psychology Service has an excellent working knowledge of local procedures, policies and services as well as legislative frameworks and national policies and initiatives. This means that the Service can navigate the best route to support for children and young people you may refer to the service for support and help. In addition the service has developed a reputation for excellence in service delivery. This has been recognised nationally with members of the service serving on:

• government advisory groups • national bodies (for example the National Advisory Council for Child Mental

Health) • regional bodies

The work of the service has also been cited in national guidance for multi-agency working. Members of the Service also have a range of papers and reviews published on a regular basis.

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Who We Are

a. What is an Educational Psychologist?

All Educational Psychologists have had significant experience working with children and young people and have a first degree in psychology. In addition they have had professional post graduate training in educational psychology. An increasing number have a doctorate in psychology and many also have significant experience in teaching. All Educational Psychologists are required by law to be registered with the Health Care Professions Council (HCPC). All Leicester City Educational Psychologists are registered. In addition, many Leicester City Educational Psychologists are Chartered Psychologists (C.Psychol) with the British Psychological Society (BPS).

b. What are Assistant (Educational) Psychologists?

These are graduate psychologists who are working towards applying for doctoral training at UK universities in either Educational or Clinical Psychology. They have significant experience in working with children and young people (over 2 years at least) and hold a first degree in Psychology. All Assistant Psychologists are supervised by qualified and experienced Educational Psychologists.

c. What are the Bilingual Teacher Consultant and the Bilingual Support Assistants?

These professionals work as part of the Community Cohesion Team in the Service. They are skilled and trained to work in a number of different languages. The Teacher Consultant has additional qualifications in language development. The team do far more than translate and interpret. They understand the cultural aspects of education and special educational needs. They plan assessments using teaching techniques and deliver training on a wide range of topics. They are integral to the work of a service in an ethnically diverse community like Leicester.

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What we do The Leicester City Psychology Service is a funded Local Authority support service which provides a comprehensive range of psychological services to all maintained schools. Currently all City-Maintained schools receive a service fully funded by the Local Authority which includes many of the elements detailed below: • 2 x 1 hour Joint Planning Meetings per year. • An allocation of time based on a clear and transparent formula reflecting a

school’s size and SEN profile. • Assessments of children and young people with SEN and disabilities (including

those children with emotional well-being issues). These assessments often include the following:

Discussion/consultation with school staff Observation of child in context (school/home) Administering standardised assessments Meeting/discussion with child/young person Written advice with recommendations Liaison with other services and agencies Recommendations for further follow up work

• Statutory work (towards the production of an Education, Health and Care

Plan/Statement of Special Educational Needs) – which includes much of the work above.

• Attendance at relevant Annual Reviews/Transitional Reviews.

• Advice about appropriateness of placement and provision.

• Children who are “looked after”, at risk of permanent exclusion and those in the youth justice system are a priority for the service.

This package is available for purchase by non-maintained Leicester City schools – private providers. Please contact Dr J Dawson, Principal Educational Psychologist to discuss your requirements on 0116 4545470, or e-mail joe.dawson@leicester.gov.uk

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Why Buy From Leicester City Psychology Service?

1) You will receive a service from psychologists who are not only highly trained, qualified and registered but a service that has access to a range of other professionals.

2) All staff are aware of the unique aspects of Leicester City and know your school setting. The Service makes use of detailed knowledge of your school, its context and the wider context in Leicester, the East Midlands and nationally/internationally.

3) The Service includes the Community Cohesion Team which is essential for appropriate assessment and intervention planning for children, young people and families from different cultural, language and ethnic backgrounds within Leicester City.

4) A service that is highly regarded – members of Leicester City Psychology Service have served in national and regional bodies (such as National Advisory Council for CAMHS, advisory work for DFE)

5) Leicester City Psychology Service educational psychologists and family support workers keep up to date with recent research and developments in psychology, child development, education and SEN/disability.

What have people said about our service? Leicester City Psychology Service regularly evaluates its work. Schools, parents and young people are asked what they think of the service.

1. Schools The most recent (2012-2013) school evaluations showed that:

• 95% of school thought the QUALITY of the advice they received from the service was good or very good.

• 90% thought the QUALITY of our work with parents was good or very

good.

• 90% thought the quality of our assessments was good or very good.

• 90% thought the quality of our therapeutic work was good or very good.

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Some quotes from school colleagues:

“Extremely impressed and grateful for the level of support, commitment and communication from the service – a definite positive impact on the lives and progress of our students” (City secondary school) “The psychologist has been reliable, supportive and an excellent source of advice and has really helped with the engagement of parents.” (City primary school) “The psychologist has made a valuable contribution to moving forward some very challenging young people and has been sympathetic to the needs of staff, students and parents. Many thanks!” “The quality of advice received is always of a high standard”

2. Parents The most recent (2012-2013) parental evaluations showed that: 99% of parents/carers surveyed said that the psychologist had helped them understand their child’s difficulties. 100% of parents/carers stated that they found the written and verbal advice from the service was clear and understandable. Some quotes from parents:

“Really helpful, proactive, positive, listened to my views – can’t ask for more!” “Very helpful and approachable” “Provided support – the best worker I have seen”

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What can you buy from Leicester City Psychology Service? In addition to the “core” service, Leicester City Psychology Service are able to offer an additional service which can be purchased:

• Assessments and advice for children and young people with special

educational needs and disabilities (SEND) • Advice, support and consultation for individual children and wider school

issues supporting early intervention; • Consultation, advice and assessment for complex cases; • Parenting groups; • Solihull approach (eg, parenting, early years development, parent-child

interaction) • Therapeutic group work interventions in the community or in schools

delivered by the full range of staff in the service; • Advice, consultation, assessment and support for the most vulnerable children

and young people (i.e., those looked after, in the Youth Justice system and those at risk of permanent exclusion);

• Training and support for school/settings staff around individual pupil needs. • Anti-bullying advice and support; • Liaison role with mental health services and community paediatrics. • Training and advice on a range of SEN and educational issues

Assessment and advice for

a child or young person

Better learning

Social and emotional well-being

School improvement

Better outcomes

Improved achievements

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• Advice and training on school wide issues (such as enhancing teaching and learning, behaviour management, whole school approaches to social, mental and emotional need, working effectively with parents/carers).

• Advice, training on special educational needs and English as an additional language.

• Whole school approaches to SEN Training and Therapeutic Group Work We offer a range of training in schools including group work. The work we offer includes the following: (this is not an exhaustive list)

A. Therapeutic Interventions:

• Playing, Interacting, Providing, Sharing (PIPS) - PIPS is a play-based group for vulnerable parents/carers and their infant aged children.

• Special ProSocial Assertive Resilient Kids (SPARKS) – SPARKS promotes social growth in young children. Its aim is to increase children’s social development and enhance their emotional well-being, thereby impacting on their academic progress

• Friendship Skills targets those children who are experiencing difficulties making and maintaining friendships, and lack the necessary social skills to get on well with peers and resolve social problems appropriately.

• Managing Feelings helps children identify and name their feelings, understand the feelings of other people and effectively communicate their feelings in an acceptable way.

• Guided Imagery is a programme of directed thoughts & suggestions, which guide an individual’s imagination towards a relaxed & focused state. This helps the individual to overcome and solve problems.

• Growing Optimism introduces thinking strategies and techniques developed in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy and opportunities for children in year 5&6 to practice these.

• Transitions Programme is for year 6 pupils who may find the move from primary to secondary school difficult primarily due to a lack of confidence, social skills, shyness, and difficulty in making new friends or feelings of anxiety about change.

• ‘Bliss’ is a self-development programme that aims to raise young girls’ self-esteem and self-confidence around body image.

• Recognise and Overcome Obstacles To Succeed (ROOTS) is designed to support students who are currently finding it difficult to engage with whole school expectations and may be finding aspects of their life difficult to manage.

• Confident Parents, Confident Children. A school based parenting course.

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B. Training courses –enhance learning and teaching in your school/setting

• Motivational Interviewing

• The psychology of learning and teaching

• Emotions and learning – how to improve learning in your school

• Using Solution Focussed approaches in the classroom

• Emotional development of children

• Trauma and learning

• Whole school, class and individual approaches for managing behaviour

How much will the service cost me? The service can offer you the opportunity to buy additional time for your school/setting or establishment. The basic rate for an Educational Psychologist is £260 per half day and £500 for a full day. A half day is 3 hours 45 minutes, with a full day being 7 hours 30 minutes. The exact work that will be carried out will be negotiated and agreed by the purchaser and the psychologist carrying out the work before any work is begun. This will help to ensure clarity of expectations by both parties. Please note: The prices above are for Leicester City Maintained Schools. Non-Maintained Schools (Academies, Non-Maintained Independent Schools) will be subject to VAT at 20%. It will be possible to negotiate a number of youngsters to be seen and assessed on one day and to negotiate what report writing and recording is required and when this will be carried out. The service will do its best to ensure the psychologist who carries out additional work for your school knows your school but due to service demands this cannot be guaranteed. However, the quality of the work is guaranteed. The service is keen to encourage forward planning and suggests purchasing time well in advance. The service is happy to look at other options with you. To discuss please call the Principal Educational Psychologist, Dr Joe Dawson, on 0116 4545470 or e-mail joe.dawson@leicester.gov.uk

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Compliments or Complaints Please contact Dr Joe Dawson, 0116 4545470, joe.dawson@leicester.gov.uk if you wish to make a complaint or pass on a compliment about the service that you have received. Complaints about the service are rare but when there are concerns we will always respond promptly to resolve any issues that are raised with us. Ethical Framework All psychologists are bound by the BPS and HCPC codes of working and ethics. If you have any questions connected to the work a member of the Service is undertaking you can take it up with them or with a member of the Service Management Team by contacting the Service on 0116 4545470. We aim to run a safe and effective service and would like to hear from you if you feel we have not done so.

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Education & Children’s Services Leicester City Psychology Service,

Collegiate House, College Street, Leicester LE2 0JX Tel: (0116) 454 5470