WHAT IS AN EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGIST?

What is an Educational Psychologist?

An Educational Psychologist is a professional psychologist with specialist knowledge and expertise in areas related to child development and the educational system.  They use this expertise to help children and young adults with learning difficulties, social and emotional problems, developmental disorders, and other Special Educational Needs (SEN).  They can work both with schools and local authorities to make recommendations that help improve the educational experience of all children, and with individual children and their parents to help them to achieve their full potential.

What is the role of an Educational Psychologist?

The role of an Educational Psychologist is to support children and those who care and teach for them to overcome any barriers to learning that they may be experiencing.  It should be noted that your Educational Psychologist will not diagnose Autistic Spectrum Disorder or ADHD.

Why might a child be referred to see an Educational Psychologist?

There are a wide range of reasons a child might be referred to an Educational Psychologist, but generally a referral is the result of parents and/or teachers having concerns about the learning, development, or behaviour of a child.  If a child is referred to an Educational Psychologist, this can help them to get support that they need, and may provide suggestions or strategies for parents and teachers to use to reduce the barriers to learning for the child.  This advice is often used to support Education Health and Care Plan applications or updates.