If an EHC needs assessment has been agreed for your child or young person, an Educational Psychologist (EP) is assigned to provide advice and information towards the assessment.
For all children and young people undergoing an EHC needs assessment, the EP gets to know about their areas of strengths and areas of need by:
- talking with parents and/or carers
- reading all the documents that have been shared about your child or young person
- talking with their educational setting (and if relevant, with other professionals involved)
- getting the views of your child or young person directly, depending on their age and ability
The involvement the EP has with your child or young person will be individualised and tailored. This will be agreed through the conversations that take place and will be based on the information that has been gathered.
The type of involvement from the EP will be different for each child or young person. The EP will carry out a range of activities using applied psychology to support the identification your child or young person’s strengths and needs. The activities could include:
- observation
- consultation with the adults involved
- finding out the child or young person's views
- other tasks with the child or young person
We will always aim to:
- work together with parents/carers and staff in settings, schools and colleges to develop outcomes and suggested provision that is required for your child or young person
- keep the voice of the child or young person at the centre of our considerations
- provide advice that is suitable and proportionate, avoiding the duplication of existing information
A written record of our involvement will be shared with parents/carers, the SEND team, and those involved with the education of a child or young person. This completes the EP involvement of the EHC needs assessment process.