REPORT ED PSYCHOLOGY SERVICES NI
A REPORT ON THE INSPECTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE IN NORTHERN IRELAND
1. Introduction
1.1 This inspection of the Area Boards’ Education Psychology Service in Northern Ireland was undertaken by a team of five inspectors during May 2000. In the 18 months prior to the inspection, consultation meetings were held with the principal educational psychologists at which the structure, format and protocols of the inspection were agreed. Further meetings were held, on an individual basis with the Education and Library Boards (boards), with the principal educational psychologist and the senior education officer with responsibility for the Educational Psychology Service, and with the full team of psychologists working in each board. In addition, a meeting was held with national representatives of the Association of Educational Psychologists outlining the main aims of the inspection.
1.2 Five associate assessors joined the inspection team, and undertook a survey of the schools’ perceptions of and attitudes to the Educational Psychology Service by interviewing principals and special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) across the five boards (see Appendix 1). The associate assessors are principal teachers who had received training to help them support the work of the inspectorate across all phases.
1.3 The main aims of the inspection were to:
i. survey the nature and range of services provided by educational psychologists;
ii. identify the main features of the service;
iii. evaluate, and make recommendations on, the management and delivery of the service across Northern Ireland.
1.4 There are approximately 102 full-time equivalent psychologists employed by the five boards in Northern Ireland. (See Appendix 1). All adhere to the codes of conduct of the British Psychological Society and the Association of Educational Psychologists which promote high professional standards. The code highlights the psychologists’ role in providing advice to the boards and to others; in particular, clear guidance is provided for psychologists with regard to statutory advice in the context of the requirement of statutory assessment.
1.5 The Dyson Report (1997) entitled, “Practice in Mainstream schools for Children with Special Educational Needs”, University of Newcastle, Department of Education, Special Needs Research Centre, set the context for a review of the Educational Psychology Service by carrying out research to establish a base line on the preparedness of schools in Northern Ireland for the introduction of the Code of Practice (CoP) on the Identification and Assessment of Special Educational Needs in 1998. The report highlighted the following concerns of relevance to the psychology service in Northern Ireland:
i. the staffing levels of the Educational Psychology Services (EPS) may not be adequate to meet current or future demands;
ii. there were delays in the statutory assessment process;
iii. an over-reliance on an “on demand” system of allocating Educational Psychology Service time;
iv. the relative lack of well-trained special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs);
v. the reliance on statutory assessment as a principal means of responding to special educational needs.
1.6 This inspection focused on the nature and quality of the service delivery to children, their families, the boards and to schools. The inspection team also took account of:
i. the psychologists’ contribution to in-service education and training (INSET);
ii. the contribution of psychologists to the development of board policy;
iii. the opportunities for continuing professional development of psychologists, including induction arrangements for newly appointed psychologists;
iv. the organisation and management of psychological services across the five boards;
v. the psychologists’ work with pre-school children;
vi. the psychologists’ involvement in multi-agency work.
1.7 The findings of the inspection are based on evidence from:
• work shadowing of psychologists;
• interviews with principal educational psychologists and senior board officers, senior educational psychologists, psychologists on induction, and individual basic grade psychologists;
• attendance at in-service training (INSET) courses delivered by psychologists;
• attending multi-agency meetings to which psychologists contributed;
• discussions with a small sample of parents and, separately, with pupils in schools;
• discussions with principals, SENCOs and class teachers through interviews carried out by a team of inspectors and associate assessors who visited a total of 59 schools across the five boards;
• examining documentation including information on the service sent to schools;
• attendance at psychologists’ staff meetings;
• visiting board accommodation in which psychologists work;
• reviewing resources such as information and communication technology (ICT), libraries and other resources used by psychologists.
1.8 The inspection team acknowledges with thanks the co-operation of the principal educational psychologists in establishing the protocols, and arrangements for the inspection.
1.9 Individual reports were written on the Educational Psychology Service within each of the five boards, and the findings were disseminated at meetings with senior managers in each board. This report summarises the main findings from the evidence of the inspection across the five boards, and makes recommendations with a view to establishing a greater level of consistency and equality of provision across the province. The report also details the findings of the inspection on a board by board basis.
2. Summary of Main Findings IN THE FIVE EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARDS
2.1 Strengths of the psychology service
The inspection found evidence of significant strengths in the service. These strengths include:
• the hard work and commitment of the educational psychologists across the five boards;
• meeting successfully the psychologists’ statutory duty in relation to children and young people with special educational needs;
• the diversity and range of good quality services provided by psychologists beyond their statutory duty of providing assessment advice;
• the support and advice the psychologists provide for other professionals, for schools, children, young people, parents, and the high quality of psychologists’ interaction with these groups;
• the steadily increasing involvement of educational psychologists in INSET work with teachers;
• the involvement of psychologists in multi-agency work such as early intervention clinics with medical and other professionals;
• the excellent quality of the working relationships which almost all of the psychologists have developed with schools;
• the developing co-operation with other departments within boards, such as the Behaviour Support Teams, the Educational Welfare Service and the Curriculum, Advisory and Support Service (CASS);
• the good quality of the continuing professional development programme and the involvement of the principal educational psychologists in the Master of Science (MSc) in Psychology course at Queen’s University, and the boards’ willingness to support Educational Psychologists in Training (EPIT).
The inspection also found evidence of some general and some specific weaknesses and constraints on the effectiveness of the psychology service within and amongst the boards. These constraints include:
• the aims and purpose of the service are not disseminated effectively to schools;
• client groups are often unaware of the roles and responsibilities of psychologists;
• the written advice given by psychologists is sometimes misunderstood;
• poor accommodation for the service, particularly in some board headquarters and area offices, make it difficult for the psychologists to carry out their work effectively, and with the degree of confidentially required;
• there is under-use of information and communication technology (ICT) in areas such as internet access and e-mail;
• the heavy workload of psychologists;
• lack of a personal communication system for psychologists to keep in touch with their base;
• lack of a standardised professional induction programme for newly appointed psychologists across the five boards;
• the restricted availability of places on the Queen’s University MSc course affects recruitment of new staff;
• board reliance on assessment for the purpose of allocating funding for specific support which limits the time available to support schools;
• the limited co-operation between boards on establishing common procedures and working practices;
3. GENERAL Recommendations
3.1 The boards should review the present working practices of psychologists to identify those tasks which could be done by others within the education service, thus freeing up the psychologists’ time so that they have greater opportunities to enhance the quality of support they can offer to schools, parents and children.
3.2 The boards should continue to identify areas where collaboration between them would reduce duplication of effort especially in the area of compiling support materials for use in schools, and in sharing expertise in identified specialist areas such as dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) etc.
A REPORT ON THE INSPECTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE IN THE WESTERN EDUCATIONAND LIBRARY BOARD
1. Introduction
1.1 The Western Education and Library Board (WELB) currently employs 13 psychologists and one part-time psychologist. However, a total of seven posts remain unfilled and this has inevitably resulted in an increased workload for the existing complement of staff.
1.2 The service is organised from three regional bases throughout the Board’s area, with offices in Omagh, Enniskillen and Londonderry. Each area office is managed by a senior educational psychologist although, at the time of the inspection, the position in Omagh was vacant, and was being undertaken by the principal educational psychologist in addition to her other duties.
2. Management of the Service
2.1 The principal educational psychologist has been in post since January 2000. In that time, she has extensively reviewed the service, and has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at raising the profile of the service, including its role and function as an integral part of the education service of the Board as a whole. The initiatives she has undertaken include:
• addressing the staffing problem through a vigorous recruitment programme;
• the production, in booklet form, of aims for the Educational Psychology Service in the WELB;
• the development of a quality assurance model for the Educational Psychology Service using performance indicators;
• the drafting of a support pack for schools to help cope with bereavement and trauma in schools;
• the completion of an Educational Psychology Service handbook of good working practices to be distributed to schools;
• carrying out a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of current Educational Psychology Service practice;
• developing a business plan for the Educational Psychology Service within the Special Education Division of the WELB;
• carrying out an analysis of schools’, parents’ and pupils’ perceptions of the Educational Psychology Service in Londonderry, Omagh and Enniskillen;
• establishing priorities for action within the Educational Psychology Service.
2.2 The Educational Psychology Service is an integral part of the Special Education Division of the WELB, under the management of an assistant senior education officer who has a clear understanding of the needs and priorities of the service. The good working relationship between the assistant senior education officer and the principal educational psychologist is a strength of the management of the service, and has enabled the principal educational psychologist to review the nature and extent of the task facing the service in the future.
3. Ethos
3.1 All of the work observed was characterised by the good quality of the relationships between the psychologists and the children, parents, and the staff in schools. Educational psychologists have excellent personal relationships with their schools with continuity of service with their named schools a priority. The features of good practice noted included the following:
• the collegiality that exists within the team, their excellent support of one another, their dedication and commitment to their work and their loyalty to and support of the principal educational psychologist during a stressful year on account of the staffing shortage;
• the productive professional dialogue between psychologists and teachers;
• the skilful approaches used by psychologists in working with children on a one-to-one basis;
• the supportive manner in which parents were consulted, informed and involved in the assessment process;
• the sound working relationships developed with other agencies in a multi-disciplinary approach;
• the consistency of the sound working practices adopted by all of the psychologists observed.
4. Results of the Associate Assessor Visits to Schools
4.1 Visits were made to 12 schools in the WELB, including nursery, primary and secondary schools, by an associate assessor, to carry out a survey of schools’ understanding of the role and function of the Educational Psychology Service. During these visits, discussions were held with class teachers, special educational needs co-ordinators and principals. The main findings of the visits were:
• the majority of schools visited have good working relationships with individual psychologists, and all schools have a named psychologist;
• the psychology time allocated to schools depends on a formula which includes the number of pupils in the school;
• the time allocation across the 12 schools visited varied from three to nine visits depending on the size of school per year;
• the majority of schools disseminated psychologists’ findings through the SENCO;
• the three main reasons for referrals were generalised learning difficulties, emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD), and “new syndromes” such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other conditions across the autistic spectrum;
• most schools use the psychologists’ advice when preparing individualised education plans;
• a small number of schools used psychology time for staff development in-service;
• schools were positive about the value of psychologists making follow-up visits to discuss individual cases;
• timescales from referral to assessment varied from two weeks to one year depending on staffing levels, with the majority of urgent referrals being seen in two to three weeks;
• all schools reported a desire for an increase in time allocation, although most were aware of the staff shortages which required psychologists to double up on their case load;
• all schools looked forward to the completion of the handbook;
• all schools would welcome the opportunity to participate in a quality assurance programme for the Educational Psychology Service.
4.2 From the results of the survey, it is clear that the psychology service is valued in schools. However, perceptions about the range and diversity of the service available vary widely. The production of the Working Practices document, currently being completed by the WELB psychology service, should help to ensure that schools are better informed about how the service can support the work of schools in a variety of ways. A number of schools commented favourably on the in-service programmes delivered by psychologists which include sessions on behaviour management, dyslexia, paired reading, and managing autism within mainstream classes.
5. Continuing Professional Development/Induction Programme
5.1 The psychology service in the WELB is committed to the concept of continuing professional development for its staff. Psychologists have attended a wide variety of courses, many of which focus on their particular area of expertise or interest. The opportunities for individual psychologists to enhance their knowledge of an area of expertise, for which they have responsibility, enables the service to respond effectively to schools’ requests for advice and support in areas such as ADHD, autism and behaviour management. The willingness of staff to take lead responsibilities in advising schools in managing conditions, such as asperger’s syndrome, has resulted in significant benefits for both schools and pupils.
5.2 Newly appointed psychologists undertake an induction programme which is managed by the senior educational psychologists. The well-structured induction programme based on research into the principles of induction is currently being revised to provide a standardised approach to inducting new staff.
6. Liaison with Schools
6.1 A wide range of materials is disseminated to schools by the WELB’s Educational Psychology Service. These include support packs informing schools about strategies and approaches which can be used in providing for pupils exhibiting behavioural difficulties, guidelines on early identification of learning problems, and a wide range of teaching strategies for enhancing pupils’ literacy skills. Booklets on disabilities such as dyslexia/dyspraxia, ADHD, and the Pre-School Language programme have been instrumental in raising teachers’ awareness of how to cope with the learning difficulties associated with these and similar problems.
7. Outcomes for Schools and Pupils
7.1 The evidence from the inspection shows that the Educational Psychology Service is making a valued contribution to schools, pupils and their families. Good use is being made of psychologists’ advice, both written and verbal, to enhance the quality of the educational programmes delivered to the pupils. Since the introduction of the Code of Practice in Special Educational Needs, the increasing expertise of the schools’ SENCOs has resulted in more meaningful professional dialogue, and a resulting improvement in the quality of teaching and learning. The discussions between psychologists and class teachers result in an agreed course of action to help remedy the pupils’ problems. Some schools also reported that psychologists’ advice was also used to promote whole-school approaches in staff development sessions.
7.2 Some teachers expressed concern about the length of time from referral of a pupil for assessment until a visit by the psychologist can be arranged. In some instances, such delays have a detrimental effect on pupils’ performance.
8. Links with Parents and Other Agencies
8.1 Links with parents are actively fostered by the Educational Psychology Service. From interviews with parents, it is evident that they view the intervention of the psychology service as positive. In a recent questionnaire for parents, the some stated their satisfaction with the way their child’s assessment had been carried out, and the good quality of the spoken communication with psychologists. Most welcomed the psychologists’ support, and felt comfortable during the follow-up interviews. However, a majority indicated that they would welcome shorter waiting lists, and a shorter timespan between teachers’ referrals and psychologists’ responses.
8.2 The relationship between parents and Educational Psychology Service is further enhanced by the good quality of information booklets produced for parents on a wide variety of topics. These include a support pack, “Helping Your Child At Home” designed to encourage parents to promote the development of pre-school children, and the setting up of a support group for parents of children suffering from ADHD.
8.3 Links with other agencies, involved in the care and welfare of children, are actively promoted by the Educational Psychology Service. During the inspection, there were examples observed of sound inter-professional collaboration where the contribution of the educational psychologist was clearly valued. A good example is the involvement of the psychologist in the Child Development Clinic of the Western Health and Social Services Board.
9. Quality Assurance Initiatives
9.1 In its 1998/99 Annual Report, the WELB recorded that within the Special Education Division, the Educational Psychology Service had been involved in double the number of consultations compared with the previous year, that is from 3000 to 6000 consultations. The report also indicated that the number of statements of special educational need had fallen from 215 to 150, but that special education provision had risen from 750 in 1997/98 to 850 in 1998/99. In its Corporate Plan for 1999/2000, the Board sets out its Operational Plan for the Educational Psychology Service, with the key objective of improving the efficiency and effectiveness in the provision of services for children with special educational needs.
9.2 The priorities/targets identified by the WELB Psychology Service are:
i. to enhance the working practices of the Educational Psychology Service;
ii. to develop agreed criteria for statutory assessment, and the provision of special education services;
iii. to produce handbooks for Educational Psychology Service staff and for schools and parents;
iv. to take up 85% of referrals to the service within 6 months of the date of referral;
v. to produce written reports within three weeks of assessment.
The evidence from the inspection indicates that the Board’s Psychology Service is well on the way to meeting the targets set within the time-frame specified.
9.3 An extensive range of guidelines and policy statements inform the working practice of the psychologists. These protocols and procedures are in line with those promoted as good practice by the professional associations, the British Psychological’s Society and Association of Educational Psychologists. There is evidence of consistency in the psychology service’s working practices when carrying out its range of duties with schools, pupils, parents and other professionals.
10. Working Practices of Psychologists
10.1 Owing to the current difficulties experienced by the WELB in the recruitment of psychologists, the workload of the present staff has been increased by having to add to their already extensive caseloads. While this has resulted in some curtailment of services, many of the schools visited expressed their appreciation of the way the service has responded to their increasing demands for support and advice.
10.2 Working conditions for psychologists have improved over the last year with the refurbishment of the regional offices in Omagh. The Board could usefully explore methods of improving communication between psychologists and the base offices by supplying, for example, mobile phones, and pagers to psychologists. A programme of training in enhancing psychologists’ information and communication technology (ICT) skills has commenced, and the imminent provision of laptop computers to all psychologists should increase level of efficiency and effectiveness in completing reports and advice.
10.3 The inspection of the Educational Psychology Service in the WELB demonstrates that there is a great diversity in the range of work carried out by the service. Further evidence of the variety of reasons for which schools refer pupils to the psychology service was provided in the responses to the associate assessors’ survey of schools. An analysis of the Board’s referral statistics for the year 1998/99 to the Londonderry office of the psychology service, reveals a total of 236 new referrals and 203 reviews, covering 22 categories of pupil difficulties. The heavy workload of the psychologists is obviously further compounded in the WELB where caseloads are doubled due to shortages of staff; it is also affected by the requirements of meeting deadlines for pre-school assessment, statutory assessment, and the wide range of other time-bounded demands on psychologists. A review of psychologists’ working practices during this inspection has identified areas where some of the work psychologists do could be done, under supervision and with appropriate in-service training, by teachers in schools.
11. Conclusion
The principal educational psychologist, with the support of the assistant senior education officer with responsibility for the Educational Psychology Service, has achieved much since her appointment six months ago. She is also ably supported in the delivery of an effective service by the hard work, commitment and dedication of all of the staff, and, in particular, the senior educational psychologists who are efficient in their management of the area teams. The excellent quality of the working relationships, together with the visionary leadership of the principal educational psychologist, has resulted in a service which is responding well to current challenges. When the full complement of staff is reached, the service should be well equipped to respond to the increasing demands of education in the Boards’ area. The strengths of the service identified in this report will be enhanced by further opportunities for inter-board co-operation, and the dissemination of good practice across the five boards.
A REPORT ON THE INSPECTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE IN THE NORTH-EASTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The North-Eastern Education and Library Board (NEELB) Educational Psychology Service employs 23 psychologists, six of whom are part-time. The service is presently understaffed, with two vacancies unfilled. This places some constraints on the support the service can offer.
1.2 The service has recently audited its provision, and plans are underway to restructure the service into three area teams based in Coleraine, Ballymena and Newtownabbey, and to develop a more localised and more clearly defined service to schools.
1.3 Administrative support within each regional office is in place in two of the offices, and will be available in the third by the autumn. This support helps to enhance the quality of communication between the schools and the service, and to provide a more efficient and effective response to requests and referrals from schools and other agencies.
2. MANAGEMENT OF THE SERVICE
2.1 The principal educational psychologist has an extensive range of responsibilities, and is supported in his work by three senior educational psychologists who have designated specialist responsibilities for a range of areas, including the administration of the area psychology teams, the management of the Educational Guidance Centres, and Pre-School Services. The senior educational psychologists are also the Co-ordinators of the Area Behaviour Teams which are there to enhance the co-operation of local services provided by the Board and other agencies. The SEPs are also responsible for the Primary Outreach EBD Service. This extensive range of duties is carried out with efficiency and commitment.
2.2 The principal educational psychologist manages the Board’s Educational Psychology Service along with co-ordinating the work of the Literacy Teaching Support Service (LTSS) and the Board’s Audiology Service. The principal educational psychologist is also the Board’s designated officer for child protection. The latter responsibility is frequently demanding and often takes much needed time away from other core responsibilities.
3. ETHOS
3.1 The majority of the schools inspected, expressed respect for the ethos engendered, the high level of skill and the professional approach, which the Board’s educational psychologists bring to their work. The findings highlight, in all instances, important features, which characterise this good ethos. These include:
• the friendly manner of the psychologist in settling each child, and in encouraging and interpreting responses;
• the thoughtful care taken by the psychologists to ensure that each child’s efforts are valued and praised;
• the time taken to talk to staff, to take account of their opinions, and the good quality of the written evidence of their work with each child;
• the clear explanations given of the results of the testing undertaken, the implications for planning educational programmes, and the general willingness to give additional advice and help.
4. RESULTS OF THE ASSOCIATE ASSESSOR VISITS TO SCHOOLS
4.1 The findings of the associate assessors’ visits to schools indicate great variation of opinion about the Board’s psychology service. On balance, the general impression is that the service has improved recently, but weaknesses remain concerning the quality of the Educational Psychology Service provided to the majority of the schools in the sample. At best, the majority of schools consider the allocation of a named educational psychologist as an important feature, though a few schools as yet do not have a named psychologist for their school, and are more critical of the service as a consequence. All schools consider that a written booklet setting out the range of services available, and indicating the protocols and standard criteria for the allocation of educational psychology time would be of enormous help. It is, however, noted that in most schools the principals know, through custom and practice and, through the generally excellent relationships formed between schools and individual psychologists, how best to employ the service. In this aspect, the quality of relationships developed with the service is largely good and, in some instances, is excellent. In the case of the latter, the characteristics of excellent relationships include:
• a flexible approach by the educational psychologist, which has involved making more visits and follow-up visits to help the school implement appropriate action in response to a child’s difficulties;
• sufficient time taken to explain to the key members of staff and the parents, in clear language, the results of tests, and the implications for teaching and learning;
• support, at whole school level, to enhance the teachers’ knowledge and skills, for example, in implementing the Code of Practice or managing pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
4.2 However, in the instances noted above, the practices quoted are the exception rather than the rule, and the quality of service provided to schools is more often less effective. The schools’ are aware of the constraints caused by the excessive demand, and indeed by the growing referrals of pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties, which place greater demands on the educational psychologists’ time and skills. They appreciate also the need to involve a number of other professionals in achieving an effective response. It is, praiseworthy that all schools report an immediate psychology response to emergency referrals, and the production of a written report within a short time. Also, the schools generally contact the Educational Psychology Service to access further resources or, more frequently, to remove the pupil to another setting, such as the Child Guidance Centre. This is a narrow view of the psychology service which the Board’s psychology service management has planned to address through a stronger model of partnership and consultation with the schools.
5. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT/INDUCTION PROGRAMME
5.1 In response to the Board’s Broadening Horizons Objective, the psychology service has set out a range of priorities which are central to the development of the service. The priority given to training, in relation to the Children Order and the Code of Practice, is an important aspect of these developments. The continuous professional development programme reflects the need to keep psychologists up-dated on a varied of issues pertinent to special education generally, and to the increasing public interest generated by voluntary groups and agencies. It is essential that the service considers how best to ensure consistency of approach and opinion among the psychologists, and to establish arrangements which can ensure that the skills and interests of individual psychologists can be developed to support the service as a whole. The current re-organisation, and discussion it generates, could usefully focus more fully on the specialist interests of individual psychologists in order to provide them with a more strategic input to the management of the service. This would also help the service to engage further in multi-disciplinary working practices.
5.2 The arrangements for the induction of new colleagues include a meeting with the principal educational psychologist to outline the “Guidance and General Documents for Educational Psychologists” booklet, and to make the new colleague familiar with the Board’s resources and personnel. Ongoing support is provided by the senior educational psychologists who identify the training and development needs of individual psychologists, and provide a general programme of in-service training to support professional development. The programme has been developed without reference to the other four area boards’ procedures for induction, and should be reviewed to promote consistency across the boards.
5.3 The service has recently audited psychologists’ levels of information and communication technology (ICT) skills and knowledge. All psychologists have been issued with personal lap-top computers; newly appointed psychologists are issued one on appointment. It is envisaged that this development will improve communication within the service and across the Board’s departments.
6. LIAISON WITH SCHOOLS
6.1 On balance, the schools are generally unsure of the responsibility and broader remit of the Educational Psychology Service. While all recognise that the service meets its statutory requirement, schools complain of the waiting period between referral and assessment. There is clear evidence that the schools value the importance of educational psychology; however, they are, at present, doubtful that the current arrangements are sufficient to meet their needs. Some schools, in their responses, have indicated a desire to buy in the service from elsewhere from an enhanced budget if that were possible, such is their dissatisfaction with current levels of provision. There is evidence from the inspection that the re-organisation of the service should address the main issue of informing schools, clearly and precisely, of the nature of the service, its remit, protocols, procedures, and the processes which underpin the planned reform of the service. The inspection found that those schools in closest proximity to the regional offices record an improved input and stronger working relationship than others which are geographically more distant.
6.2 During the inspection, the inspection team had the opportunity to observe psychologists and members of the Literacy Teachers Support Service (LTSS) and the Curriculum and Advisory Support Service (CASS) working together to share their skills and expertise. The sessions were well organised and planned, and demonstrated good practice. The thrust of the work was to inform all present of the importance of working in partnership to share practical approaches and strategies. The sessions were of good quality and skilfully delivered, and represent the Board’s aim of developing more consistent working practices across the services. It will be important, however, that time is afforded to planning further sessions, and to extending this aspect of work to involve, more purposefully, principal teachers, special needs co-ordinators (SENCOs), and literacy and numeracy co-ordinators.
7. OUTCOMES FOR SCHOOLS AND PUPILS
7.1 The evidence from the shadowing the work of individual educational psychologists, from discussion with school principals, SENCOs, and observation of in-service sessions indicate that the Educational Psychology Service makes a positive and valued impact on the work of individual schools.
7.2 The majority of schools reported that the written psychology statements are used appropriately to plan further for individual needs. Advice to teachers is considered helpful, and schools have a high regard for individual psychologists who provide added input to meetings with parents.
7.3 A number of schools expressed concern about the length of time taken by the service to respond to referrals, and about the system used to prioritise referrals for assessment. The Board is currently reviewing this situation. Changes which address this issue should be implemented as soon as possible.
8. LINKS WITH PARENTS AND OTHER AGENCIES
8.1 Psychologists meet parents regularly as part of their assessment remit, and it is clear that they take care, and devote considerable time, to explaining the results of their observations and tests, and their recommendations. The evidence indicates that this aspect of the work of the psychologists is regarded as crucial to the establishment of a continued level of parental confidence in the service. In the great majority of cases, the advice and assessment findings, at stage three of the Code of Practice, are well implemented. The inspection findings indicate the following:
• psychologists work hard to ensure that parents understand the assessment process;
• care and sensitivity are expressed to explain the findings, and to ensure that the parents are clear about their options with regard to provision;
• schools appreciate the role psychologists take in helping to support parents, particularly during annual reviews.
The findings also indicate that psychologists should share with one another their experiences in this area in order to improve cohesion and consistency.
8.2 Increasingly, the psychology service is fostering links with a variety of agencies. Many of the psychologists are working with a range of services such as medical, social, probation, police and educational welfare services, and this involves them in multi-disciplinary case conferences and clinics. This development enhances the work of the psychology service, and sets a challenge to the service to align its present model to ensure that the input to multi-agency work is matched to agreed working procedures, and set of common assumptions. The service has made a useful start in developing multi-disciplinary and inter-agency work; examples of this include, the principal educational psychologist and two of the seniors are active members of three of the Children’s Services Planning Sub-Groups, the three senior educational psychologists are involved in multi-disciplinary projects supporting selected schools with behaviour problems, and one educational psychologist was involved in the Crebilly Project as part of a multi-disciplinary team supporting disaffected young people.
9. QUALITY ASSURANCE INITIATIVES
9.1 As part of the NEELB’s Business Plan, the Educational Psychology Service carried out a client satisfaction survey during the spring term of 1997. The findings indicated that principal teachers were mostly satisfied with the service, especially the psychologists’ skills in dealing with children, in consulting with parents, and with the content of the psychologists’ written reports. In some instances, the principals were less satisfied, and expressed their desire for more psychology time, better arrangements for school-psychology contact, concern about the limitations of follow-up support and, most significantly, the length of time between referrals being made and assessment carried out. The current inspection findings largely confirms these earlier results and, in addition, finds a sense of frustration among some principals, many of whom consider that the psychology service needs to look more carefully at each school’s needs in a time of increasing pressure and interest in special education. The managers of the NEELB’s psychology service need to give priority to, the need to inform more effectively, and involve more regularly, the schools in the process of developing a collaborative working partnership between the service and the schools.
9.2 As part of its restructuring plans and efforts to clarify its working protocols and procedures, the psychology service and the special education service have been working to establish criteria for initiating statutory assessments of educational need, and for making statements of special educational need. The special education and psychology sections meet weekly as the Statutory Assessment Panel to discuss and decide appropriate action in difficult cases. The lead provided by the assistant senior educational officer in this exercise has been central, and has ensured that the difficulties surrounding this issue have been dealt with meticulously and sensitively. The consultation session held with the educational psychology staff was both lively and informative; the input from the working groups established within the service highlighted a number of issues which serve to inform further the action of the working party dealing with the issue. An important feature of the consultation was the sound participation, including constructive comment, of the psychologists whose task it will be to implement the criteria across the Board’s schools. The session serves to show the increasing demands made on the service, and the increasing need for accountability. The work observed reflects a useful start to setting a benchmark for the development of consistent procedures and provision within the Board’s psychology and special education sections.
9.3 A further review of the services provided by the psychology service was carried out during late 1999 and early 2000 as part of the Board’s “Best Value” initiative. The review highlighted a high level of satisfaction with the support provided to pupils. The report also noted areas where performance could be improved. These recommendations include the need to clarify the role of the psychologist, the need for consistency in service delivery, and improvements in all areas of communication regarding service delivery. The inspection findings endorse the issues mentioned, and recommends that the service should foster closer links with schools in the outworking of its business plans.
10. WORKING PRACTICES OF PSYCHOLOGISTS
10.1 Scrutiny of the various documents and memoranda reveal a wide range of educational psychology involvement in a number of areas which include:
• the development of services at pre-school level;
• the provision of training across the school sectors for the effective implementation of the Code of Practice;
• the management of behaviour in the classroom;
• the issues surrounding bullying;
• child protection advice and support;
• assessment of working practices.
These worthwhile endeavours are widely regarded as beneficial by teachers, and are heavily relied upon by schools.
11. ACCOMMODATION AND RESOURCES
11.1 The quality of accommodation provided for the psychology service is fit for purpose, and the move toward localising the service is welcomed by the schools.
11.2 The service is introducing laptop computers for use by all psychologists in an attempt to improve working efficiency. This should prove to be a helpful initiative. It would also be opportune to consider, in conjunction with the special education department, establishing a data base to help collate and retrieve information under categories of need. This development would also help to analyse trends within the special education area in the NEELB.
12. CONCLUSION
12.1 The NEELB’s Educational Psychology Service continues to meet its statutory requirements, and is an important and valued service. The current re-organisation of the service comes at an appropriate time as ever increasing demands and constraints are placing undue pressure on individual psychologists and the senior managers of the service. The reorganisation should seek to review priorities, and establish a balance between the overall needs of the service and the effective use made of the psychologists’ time. It is appropriate that significant changes are planned which include the development of a regional NEELB service, the creation of a clear set of statutory assessment criteria, and the further involvement of the service in working more closely with the special education department, and with the Board’s curriculum, advisory and support service (CASS).
12.2 The service has a clear strategic vision, to provide a locally-based service to schools and the community, to deliver a service based on a time allocation model to schools and, through a consultation model of working at strategic and local school level, to deliver a service based on stronger partnerships with schools. The production of written guidance on the range of services provided by the psychology service would be helpful to schools, and the establishment of a consistent system of time allocation, presently envisaged by the Board’s principal educational psychologist, will further support improvements. Consideration should also be given to the further development of specialist interest areas which individual psychologists could pursue in order to maximise their skills, enhance their job satisfaction, and promote consistency across the service. The service would also benefit from further opportunities for inter-board co-operation, and the sharing of the examples of good practice identified in the NEELB with the other area boards.
A REPORT ON THE INSPECTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE IN THE BELFAST EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 The Belfast Education and Library Board (BELB) Educational Psychology Service is organised in three area teams each led by a senior educational psychologist. The service currently employs the equivalent of 20.4 full-time psychologists, and operates a quota system of service to schools dependent on perceived indicators of need such as age, enrolment and performance in the transfer procedure tests.
1.2 The service has recently restructured its provision to adapt to changing demands, to make a more direct contribution to a number of areas of development of the Board’s services, and to promote and develop the skills and specialist interests of individual psychologists. The new arrangements are contributing significantly to the quality of the service, and are helping to ensure that the requests for assistance for a range of needs experienced by schools, parents and other agencies, are responded to appropriately. The service meets its statutory obligations well, and is generally valued highly in schools.
2. MANAGEMENT OF THE SERVICE
2.1 The principal educational psychologist provides effective leadership, and has developed structures and protocols which ensure the effective management and administration of the service. The arrangements are, in addition, carefully designed to promote a sense of teamwork and collegiality among the team of psychologists. The senior members of staff provide a clear sense of direction and purpose for the service. The contribution of all members of the team is actively sought by the senior managers of the service, and help and support is available for recently qualified psychologists to discuss and confirm their judgements and recommendations. The evidence from this inspection indicates that current practices are effective and efficient, and the positive ethos within the BELB’s psychology service is praiseworthy.
2.2 The introduction of psychologists taking responsibility for specialist areas, such as dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), is in the early stages of development, but the evidence to-date is that the strategy is worthwhile, and is proving effective in identifying needs through inter-agency collaboration. For example, the specialist interest in autism spectrum disorder has encouraged the development of multidisciplinary clinics which, in due course, will help to provide a framework to ensure further consistency of assessment, diagnosis and provision. A review of the practice of allocating specialist responsibility is currently being undertaken by the senior management of the service. It will be important that the review is underpinned by the notion that pupils’ special needs should be identified at an early stage and met with appropriate early responses from the various agencies. It is also important that the service develops, over a period of time, specialist interest teams which will continue to function despite career and other movement of staff. The impact of this work should, in addition, be clarified with the Board’s Curriculum and Advisory Support Service (CASS), and a working partnership arrangement further developed to enhance the work of both services.
3. ETHOS
3.1 From shadowing the work of individual psychologists, discussion with principal teachers, special educational needs co-ordinators (SENCOs) and other members of school staff, and observations of a range of meetings, it is clear that the psychologists work to a high standard, and promote successfully an excellent partnership with the schools. The strengths of the current provision include:
• the excellent rapport established between the psychologists and the schools;
• the commitment of the psychologists to assist schools in meeting the needs of individual children giving cause for concern;
• the open and pleasant approach of the psychologists to both children and parents;
• the emphasis placed on encouragement, reassurance and support for teachers;
• the flexible arrangements in place to accommodate schools’ requests for in-service and individual teacher’s support and advice;
• the good quality of the information shared with the schools, including the results of testing and the acceptable time span for written replies and reports;
• the clearly understood policy and procedures which direct the service and ensure that schools receive regular and agreed input, support and advice.
3.2 Many examples were noted of psychologists’ effective support for schools. In one school, for example, the psychologist’s input to the counselling for some secondary aged pupils was an important aspect of the pupils’ coming to terms with a tragic event in their lives. This type of support characterises the breadth of skills and experiences individual psychologists are developing to meet the diverse needs of schools. Where the service is particularly effective, individual psychologists have invested considerable time in developing good working partnerships with the schools. In particular, these schools reported the regular visits and the interest taken to follow-up case work. In these examples, the schools felt the work of the psychologists complemented the work of the SENCOs, especially in monitoring the implementation of education plans.
4. RESULTS OF THE ASSOCIATE ASSESSOR’S VISITS TO SCHOOLS
4.1 The visits by the associate assessors confirmed that almost all of the principals visited are very satisfied with the work of the BELB’s psychology service, and recognised the service as supportive. The principals regard the service as important, seeing it as a trustworthy external assurance of the school’s views in assessing its pupils, and in helping to access additional resources. The in-service courses, and the support given to individual teachers in
most schools surveyed, were identified as major qualities described by the principals. The advice given on specific areas such as brain injury, asperger syndrome and ADHD, was frequently referred to as a very worthwhile aspect of the provision. The findings also indicate a number of challenges which the service should consider in order to enhance the best aspects of current practice, and to address some confusion which presently exists. These challenges fall into two broad areas:
• the demand for more of the psychologists’ time;
• the need for more specific information.
A small number of schools reported that they were unsure of the rationale which formed the basis of the Board’s quota system, and reflected this in a demand for more psychology time. A number of schools considered that psychology reports were insufficiently detailed to help teachers devise their education plans effectively, particularly for pupils with behavioural difficulties. While these views were expressed by a small number of school principals, nevertheless they were significant for the school concerned, and the services will wish to invest time in developing more effective monitoring strategies to evaluate regularly its impact on each school’s development. A written brochure indicating the range of services available from the psychology service, and detailing the procedures to access the provision, would be helpful to schools.
4.2 The schools broadly welcome the quota system which determines the amount of psychology time allocated, the provision of a named psychologist to the school, and the approach whereby psychologists specialise in particular disabilities. In particular, the principals generally consider that the current level of provision:
• helps the schools to prioritise their referrals;
• enhances further the status of the special needs provision of the school;
• improves the involvement of teachers in the assessment process;
• helps to formalise the schools’ recording and sharing of information with parents, ensuring that pupils’ special needs are identified.
5. CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND NEW PSYCHOLOGISTS’ INDUCTION PROGRAMME
5.1 During the inspection, there were opportunities to observe a number of meetings including a general staff meeting, a senior psychologists’ meeting, a moderating panel meeting, and a peer supervision meeting. These meetings signify a commendable commitment to the promotion of the service, and are very effective in establishing a climate where good use is made of the expertise of the psychologists to support and enrich one another’s work. At the staff meeting, for example, a wide ranging agenda provided a useful forum for the exchange of views, and for the promotion of a common approach to working practices. The meeting also ensured that the team were conversant with current thinking on a range of topics, and with actions taken by members who were involved in specialist areas. The report, for example, of the long term evaluation of the placement of pupils in speech and language units, provides the service with an evidence base on which to make firm recommendations in respect of access to this provision. The discussion of other items such as the role of inclusion or the update of information on special interests was informative and thought-provoking, and contributed to the development of a shared and consistent view among the staff.
5.2 The moderating panel is a feature of the provision in the BELB which allows recommendations in respect of placement to be challenged, and sets criteria for resources or intervention by the learning support services to be discussed. The panel helps to ensure that the needs of some children can be reconsidered and, where appropriate, decisions reviewed. This good practice also provides a professional forum where the validity of the criteria can be explored and modified.
5.3 A peer-supervision meeting is a new concept designed to support new members of staff in making informed decisions, and warrants further development. The forum could assist more psychologists to affirm difficult decisions by means of peer evaluation.
5.4 Considerable work has been undertaken by the psychology service to support the development of behaviour support teams and the Board’s behaviour strategies working plans. This has lead to a degree of rationalisation of the service. The service had identified this area as a major priority, and the principal educational psychologist has been instrumental in providing a significant input into the development of the Board’s plans for coping with children with behavioural difficulties.
5.5 The range of in-service courses attended by the psychologists, and opportunities for continuous professional development are extensive, and it is clear that priority is given to this aspect of the service. The psychology service has built up a substantial library which provides a wide data base to assist research, and to encourage the development of specialist interests. The introduction of an appraisal system, which is planned for the coming year, will link in-service to individual psychologist’s identified training needs and interests. Such an appraisal system should also inform the development of an induction programme for newly appointed staff, and can act as a baseline to match individual psychologists’ strengths and interests to the needs of the service as a whole.
5.6 In-service sessions, for example, the ADHD training day provided for SENCOs, were of a high standard, and the teachers’ evaluations expressed appreciation of the knowledge and skills shared. It should be noted, however, that the increasing involvement of the Educational Psychology Service in in-service support to schools places additional demands on already stretched resources.
6. LIAISON WITH SCHOOLS
6.1 The psychology service maintains a constant link with its schools, and attempts to meet referral requests within a set timescale. In practice, most of the psychologists give schools more time than the quota of time allocated to them. This response is appreciated by the schools.
6.2 The service does not provide schools with a written manual setting out the range of support offered by the service, but instead places greater emphasis on personal visits and telephone replies. While this system works for some schools with good relationships with their named psychologist, it is time-consuming, and also information would be more consistent if a psychology service booklet detailing the range of provision was available.
7. OUTCOMES FOR SCHOOLS AND PUPILS
7.1 This report refers throughout to the positive impact of the psychology service to schools. The evidence indicates that schools benefit particularly from:
• the support and advice given, especially at stage three of the Code of Practice for special education needs;
• the information and test findings which help focus teachers’ attention on differentiation of provision according to pupils’ needs;
• the support to SENCOs in formulating, monitoring and evaluating the school’s special needs provision;
• informal and statutory assessment processes which bring external resources or placement.
8. LINKS WITH PARENTS AND OTHER AGENCIES
8.1 The psychology service has developed good working practices with parents and other agencies. In the majority of instances, the assessment of individual children’s learning needs is the first point of professional contact parents have with the service, and at this meeting they are informed of the level of learning difficulty encountered by their child, and the type of intervention which needs to be made. This aspect of work is one of the more sensitive and difficult areas for the service, and is, without doubt, an area which is demanding on individual psychologists. From accompanying psychologists on a small number of home visits, it is clear that the psychologists carry out this aspect of their work with sensitivity and, in the main, enjoy a sound relationship with the majority of parents. Appropriate arrangements are in place to support parents when they remain concerned about the assessment procedures and outcomes for their children.
8.2 More recently, the service has been active in establishing collaborative links with other agencies. This augurs well for inter-agency developments which can enrich the quality of the assessment process, and help to bring an inter-board focus to decision-making and provision.
9. QUALITY ASSURANCE INITIATIVES
9.1 The service has made a useful start on self-evaluation, and a number of issues requiring attention have been identified and shared with the whole staff. These priorities have been incorporated into performance targets for 1999-2000, and set within the Board’s Education Department Business Plan. The issue of the effectiveness of stage 3 assessment, highlighted by a majority of staff, for example, led to a workshop discussion on developing strategies for improvement. This proved to be a practical way forward which could be followed-up annually to ensure that the process can continue to make a contribution to the raising of standards. The process would be further enhanced if the issues raised are shared with the schools in order to seek their responses when improvements are introduced. The current development of a system of measuring quality is promising, and the collated data, detailing a number of aspects of the work of the service such as the length of time between referral and assessment, would be of even greater benefit if disseminated to schools and other relevant bodies.
9.2 The publication of the Best Value Review provides public commentary on the status of the service, and it is notable that the consultation process expressed a high level of satisfaction with the service. The proposals for further action are largely endorsed by the findings of this inspection also.
10. WORKING PRACTICES OF PSYCHOLOGISTS
10.1 The service has a long-established system of storing data electronically, which helps it to work efficiently and effectively. The current software package has been piloted by the Board, and specifically customised to suit the needs of the psychology service. The existing communication systems of recording and storing information are soon to be supplemented by the allocation of laptop computers to each psychologist. These will provide access to the internet and to the Board’s intranet service. There are training implications for the team of psychologists in these developments if the psychology service is to benefit fully from the technology.
11. ACCOMMODATION AND RESOURCES
11.1 It is evident that the open -plan office arrangements of the accommodation for psychology constrains the effectiveness of the work of the service. In the particular circumstances of the BELB, there is merit in the centralisation of the service in the board headquarters given the small geographical area served by the board, but the current level of accommodation does not enable the psychologists to work in private, or to deal with sensitive issues over the phone in a quiet atmosphere. On occasion, when there are several psychologists working in the open bays; there is overcrowding and limited space. A review of the accommodation needs of the service should be undertaken.
12. CONCLUSION
12.1 The BELB Educational Psychology Service meets its statutory requirements well, it is highly valued by the schools, and displays many aspects of good practice. The principal ,and senior psychologists provide effective leadership, and the management of the service is outstandingly good. Individual psychologists play a full part in the promotion and operation of the service, and its values are shared by the schools it serves. The strengths of the service include the generally excellent partnerships established with schools, the strong ethos and sense of collegiality amongst staff, their hard work, and the increasing expertise of the service. The priorities for action, identified by the services own recent quality assurance procedures, and referred to in this report, set a number of challenges for the service, which, when resolved, will promote even more effective quality assurance, if worked through in close partnership with schools.
A REPORT ON THE INSPECTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE IN THE SOUTHERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD
1. Introduction
1.1 The Southern Education and Library Board (SELB) currently employs 25 psychologists (22.86 full-time equivalent) including the principal educational psychologist and an additional two senior educational psychologists in the Behaviour Management Team. There is currently a shortfall in staffing of one permanent post and one temporary post; also three members of staff are currently on maternity leave. The staffing shortfall causes some difficulties for the service, and the principal educational psychologist has identified, as a priority, the need to retain present staff, if possible, and to offer a variety of changes in working patterns to attract new staff.
1.2 The Board’s Educational Psychology Service is organised at three bases, with an office in Portadown, Newry and Dungannon. Each area office is managed by a senior educational psychologist. In addition, two senior educational psychologists are employed to support the work of the SELB Behaviour Management Teams based at Thiepval House in Portadown and to manage the Kinnego Centre for pupils with behavioural difficulties.
1.3 In addition to her responsibility for these services, the principal educational psychologist has responsibility for the Learning Support Team, consisting of five advisory teachers and an assistant advisory officer for Autistic Spectrum Disorder. This responsibility, as the Board’s special educational needs adviser, is a time consuming and demanding job, and involves the principal educational psychologist in considerable commitments in addition to her primary role as principal psychologist. The SELB should review this arrangement to ensure that this heavy workload is not detrimental to the development of the psychology service.
2. Management of the Service
2.1 The principal educational psychologist has achieved much since her appointment. She actively promotes a positive ethos characterised by good communication and good relationships among all the psychology staff and other Board officers. She provides a clear vision for the future development of the service, and is ably supported by a team of educational psychologists who bring a high level of skill to their work. The service is well placed to move forward on the issues raised by the findings of this inspection.
2.2 The principal educational psychologist has been in post since October, 1998. In that time, she has reviewed the service extensively, and has introduced a number of initiatives aimed at improving its profile with schools, and identifying more clearly its role and function as an integral part of the education service. These initiatives have included:
• a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) analysis of current Educational Psychology Service practice;
• the identification of key issues for action to ensure consistency of practice;
• the development of a Business Plan for the Educational Psychology Service within the SELB Children and Young Peoples Services area of the Board’s education department;
• the development of links with other Board services to improve the quality of psychology provision;
• the establishment of four working groups to recommend improvements in key areas including comprehensive assessment procedures, stage three report writing and psychological advice, staff induction, and office resources;
• a review of administrative procedures to improve efficiency;
The service should also review the use of information and communication technology (ICT) to support the psychology service, and to provide individual psychologists with access to the Internet.
3. Ethos
3.1 The Educational Psychology Service in the SELB maintains effective links with the special education division of the Board. Good working relationships ensure the efficient operation of the psychology service in schools. Within its management structure, the principal educational psychologist has been empowered to review the nature and extent of the task facing her service in the future.
3.2 The ethos promoted by individual psychologists in their work with children, schools, parents and other professionals shows a high level of interpersonal skills. The evidence from observation of assessments, parents’ meetings, multi-disciplinary co-operation and school visits indicates good quality relationships, and reflect individual psychologist’s careful planning and thoughtful advice and support. The psychology staff work hard, and are evidently committed to meeting the demands made on the service.
4. Results of the Associate Assessor visits to schools
4.1 Visits were made to 13 schools in the SELB by an associate assessor to carry out a survey of the schools’ understanding of the role and function of the Board’s Educational Psychology Service. Overall, the findings of the associate assessors’ visits confirm a steady improvement in the quality of the service over the past two years. The main findings were as follows:
• the schools value the support of the psychology service, and have established good working relationships with individual psychologists;
• the schools know how to access the psychology service, but are unsure of the range of services available. By contrast, some schools are aware that they can involve individual psychologists to provide in-service training for their staff;
• the considerable length of time taken to receive a written report following school referrals;
• the demand for increased psychology support from schools;
• the developing role of the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO), most of whom link with, and disseminate information from, the psychology service;
• the helpful advice given by the psychology service to teachers to help them produce more focused education plans.
4.2 The strengths of the psychology service reported by the schools include:
• the good quality and useful advice provided by the psychologists;
• the open and pleasant manner of individual psychologists;
• the close links established between the service and the SENCOs;
• the resources recommended to help the schools plan more effectively.
4.3 Issues reported by the schools include:
• the length of time taken by the service to respond to referrals;
• the schools’ need for more psychology time;
• the difficulties accessing provision such as referral to the Behaviour Support Teams;
• the small number of psychologists involved with individual nursery schools and speech and language units.
5. Continuing professional development and new psychologists’ induction programme
5.1 The psychology service in the SELB considers the continuing professional development of its staff to be a priority. Psychologists have attended a variety of courses, many of which are linked to specific areas of expertise and interest. Staff development opportunities have, however, to be balanced with the demands of heavy caseloads. Nevertheless, opportunities for professional development have enabled individual psychologists to respond effectively to schools’ requests for advice and in-service.
5.2 The recent production of a manual for induction of new staff provides a clear set of procedures to support staff with all aspects of their work, and, in practice, this manual has proved helpful. However, it is important to ensure that the model of induction is consistent across the boards, and is carefully monitored to ensure its effectiveness.
6. Liaison with schools
A range of materials is disseminated to schools by the Board’s Educational Psychology Service, and the scope and content is currently under review. The service has recently audited the library materials available to each area team.
6.1 The service maintains regular contact with schools, and responds well to requests for support and assessment. Referrals are prioritised usually on a first come first served basis, and the senior educational psychologists make good efforts to acknowledge referrals very promptly, despite heavy caseloads. Urgent requests are dealt with speedily. Some schools expressed concern about the delay in answering telephone queries.
6.2 Schools receive a range of materials from the service providing advice about a number of conditions, and suggesting suitable teaching strategies. Work is underway to review each area team’s library resources. The service needs to ensure that the psychologists have access to a range of ICT material, including the Internet, to keep abreast of the most recent research information and materials.
7. Outcomes for Schools
7.1 During the inspection, psychologists were observed carrying out a variety of duties which included:
• visits to schools to assess pupils;
• interviewing parents on the outcomes of assessment;
• home visits;
• attendance at multi-agency meetings;
• staff meetings;
• discussions with principals, class teachers and SENCOs;
• multi-disciplinary meetings of Behaviour Support Teams;
• involvement in in-service support meetings;
• participation in meetings with the Board’s Curriculum Advisory and Support Service (CASS) personnel.
7.2 In addition, there were opportunities during the inspection to meet with staff with specialist expertise, including those involved in Reading Centres, Educational Psychologists in Training (EPIT) supervision, Child Development Clinics, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) clinics, Autistic Spectrum Disorder, School Training Education Partnerships, links with Queens University as contributors to the MSc Educational Psychology course, and to observe presentations by the principal educational psychologist to key SELB personnel.
7.3 The psychologists work across a wide range of ages and ability levels, and give objective advice in circumstances which are often difficult and traumatic. Some features of good practice noted were:
• the good quality of the relationships between psychologists and teachers;
• the sound working relationships developed with other agencies in a multi-disciplinary approach;
• the consistency in the practices observed;
• the good quality of the assessments and follow-up support.
8. Links with parents and other agencies
8.1 The psychology service has sound links with a number of agencies and parents. The allocation of a named psychologist to work with the Child Development Clinic in Lurgan, for example, helps to ensure that pre-school children make the transition to school life with the optimum help and support. The collaborative work of another psychologist and a consultant paediatrician provides effective support to some pupils with ADHD. These examples are models of good practice which the service should endeavour to promote further.
8.2 Psychologists meet parents on a regular basis. They are sensitive and supportive during these sessions, and take considerable time to explain the results of assessment and their implications. They often make arrangements for parents to visit schools in order to decide on a placement before finalising an assessment statement. Parents interviewed during the inspection expressed their appreciation of the time and support provided by individual psychologists. It was not uncommon to find psychologists making several visit to parents to give advice on home teaching activities and on appropriate materials. The inspection findings clearly indicate that these home visits are important, and identifies the need to ensure that time is afforded to psychologists to maintain this practice, particularly in rural areas.
9. Quality assurance initiatives
9.1 The service has made an initial start to developing arrangement to evaluate its practices. The service finds the informal feedback from schools and parents a useful indicator of satisfaction, and is currently exploring other means of measuring its effectiveness. It is important that a more formal and systematic method is developed to help the service plan for improvements. It would be appropriate for the principal educational psychologists to consider monitoring practices across the boards to ensure best practice and consistency.
10. Working practices of psychologists
10.1 The psychologists in the Board carry out a wide range of duties and have extensive casework. Much of their time is given to assessment and reporting, and meeting the requirements of the Code of Practice. Some time is afforded to providing support for individual teachers, parents, and for meetings with other professionals. On balance, the psychologists work hard to meet their statutory commitment, but do not have sufficient flexible time to develop further their individual interests and expertise.
10.2 The introduction of area teams promotes a sense of local teamwork, and allows small groups of psychologists to share information and confirm decisions. Staff meetings provide a forum for discussion and debate, and help to ensure that all are well informed of developments in the service.
11. Accommodation and Resources
11.1 The accommodation varies across the Board, and is best where the psychologists have ample space to work, can speak freely and privately on the phone, and can hold confidential meetings with visitors. In one area, the accommodation is poor and cramped, and is not conducive to effective work.
12. Conclusion
12.1 The appointment of a new principal educational psychologist has helped to focus attention on the service. The principal educational psychologist has a clear vision for the service, and is ably supported by her staff. Progress has already been notable and steady. The inspection has identified a number of important strengths including the sense of teamwork of the service, the mainly positive responses of schools to the work of the psychologists, the good levels of skill and knowledge of individual psychologists, and the quality of leadership of the principal educational psychologist and the senior members of staff. The Board’s Educational Psychology Service can now address with confidence the issues raised in this report. The service in the SELB should do all it can to agree and promote consistency in provision and approaches across the five boards.
A REPORT ON THE INSPECTION OF THE EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE IN THE SOUTH-EASTERN EDUCATION AND LIBRARY BOARD
1. Introduction
1.1 The South-Eastern Education and Library Board (SEELB) currently employs the equivalent of 21 full-time psychologists, and a principal educational psychologist. The Educational Psychology Service is managed by the principal educational psychologist, and the work is organised in four area teams, each headed by a senior educational psychologist. The psychology section also has staff allocated to specialist support services; for example, one senior education psychologist supports the work of the Behaviour Support Team and one education psychologist the work of the Bereavement and Counselling Support Service for schools.
2. Management of the service
2.1 The principal educational psychologist provides effective leadership and management arrangements, and succeeds in promoting a sense of teamwork among the psychologists. The management and administration of the service is efficient and well organised. The senior members of staff provide a clear sense of direction and purpose to the service, and the contribution of all members of the team is actively sought by the senior managers. The Educational Psychology Service liaises effectively with the Special Education Division of the SEELB, which is managed by a senior education officer, and there is a shared understanding of the needs and priorities of the service. Those issues which require co-operation with a range of Board personnel are managed effectively, reflecting the wide experience of the principal educational psychologist, and the value which officers place on his knowledge of the issues within special education. Of particular note, is the network of SEELB personnel involved in the transfer of Lakewood Special School to the SEELB. The input from the principal educational psychologist was invaluable in supporting the Task Group assembled by senior management in SEELB to liaise with, and support, the school in relation to the identification of needs, concerns, difficulties, and planning the way forward. His insight and awareness of the need for careful diagnosis of the problems associated with the transfer to SEELB, and the allocation of two staff to support this initiative was instrumental in ensuring that transition problems were minimised. A conference held to facilitate better communication between care and teaching staff at Lakewood was greatly enhanced by the interpersonal skills and professional knowledge which the education psychology staff provided in partnership with the Board’s CASS personnel.
3. Ethos
3.1 The principal educational psychologist has achieved much in promoting a positive ethos. There are good communication and professional relationships which facilitate psychology staff working effectively with colleagues in special education, CASS, and other SEELB services to meet the requirements of young people with special needs. The principal educational psychologist has also provided a clear vision for the future based on sound professional principles, and supported by a team of educational psychologists who bring a high level of skills to their work. Through his hard work, thorough planning and good interpersonal skills the service is now well placed to move forward on the issues arising from the inspection. A notable feature in SEELB is the developing and strengthening of links with other Board services which are directly related to the work of the Educational Psychology Service, and to the delivery of services to young people with special educational needs and their families. The recent conference on co-ordinating Behaviour Support Services for the Board provided evidence of good practice in this respect. The principal educational psychologist and senior educational psychologist provided sound, well informed presentations to the conference, and their contributions were well received by colleagues. These links, co-ordinated by a senior officer from SEELB, have been instrumental in ensuring that the experience and expertise of psychology staff are used to best advantage.
4. Results of Associate Assessor’s visits to schools
4.1 The findings of the associate assessor, based on discussions with a sample of school principals, confirm that almost all of the principals are satisfied with the work of the service. The principals regard the service as important in confirming the school’s views and assessment of its pupils, and in helping to access additional resources. It is evident that the service is recognised as supportive: a majority of the schools visited described the educational psychologists as open, approachable, willing to share information, and to engage in dialogue with the special educational needs co-ordinator (SENCO) and the class teacher.
Details of the main findings are as follows:
• the majority of schools disseminate the psychologists’ assessments through the SENCO;
• most schools use the psychologists advice when preparing individualised education plans, and regard them as providing focus and precision. Some schools feel that if reports were written in a more direct and clear style this could help them to improve their planning;
• a small number of schools use psychologists to lead staff development and in-service sessions;
• schools are positive about the quality of work of individual psychologists.
4.2 While most of the findings are positive, the evidence also indicates a number of challenges which the service should consider in order to enhance the best aspects of current practice, and to address some confusion which presently exists. These challenges fall into two broad areas:
• the demand for more psychology time. Some schools expressed the view that a system of allocating psychology time according to pupil numbers or size of school, would enhance their planning and liaison arrangements with education psychology. The response time from the schools’ referral of pupils for assessment to the production of the written report, is considered too long. All schools reported a desire for an increase in time allocation, although most are aware of the current demands for psychology time at all levels;
• the need for more specific information from the psychology service on the range and diversity of services available, and how to access these.
5. Continuing Professional Development and New Psychologists’ Induction Programme
5.1 The psychology service in SEELB is committed to the concept of continuing professional development for its staff. Psychologists have attended a wide variety of courses, many of which are specifically linked to their area of expertise or interest. While much of the work in continuing professional development is delivered under the auspices of the Queen’s University Psychology Department, regular staff meetings are held in which the psychology team share their expertise, and develop their practice in line with current thinking. It is evident that the staff’s willingness to develop their particular specialist interests in areas such as dyslexia, behaviour management and bereavement support has resulted in positive outcomes for schools by way of advice, support, and the production of resources to enhance the quality of provision for pupils.
5.2 The help and support available for recently qualified psychologists through the Board’s well structured induction programme is guided by clear documentation, and is highly valued by new members of staff. This induction programme is a model of good practice, with newly appointed staff undergoing a six month programme designed to introduce them gradually, as members of the team, to undertaking a full case load. The careful mentoring of the inductees’ progress, together with regular advice and support of senior colleagues, results in psychologists who are confident in carrying out the full range of duties allocated to them on completion of induction. The psychologists interviewed were appreciative of the commitment of senior staff in this process, and commented favourably on the guidance and supportive management they received.
6. Liaison with schools
6.1 A range of good quality materials is disseminated to schools by the Educational Psychology Service in the SEELB. These provide advice and guidance on a diverse range of topics, eg paired reading, reading games and activities, building a social sight vocabulary, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, and guidance on coping with bereavement for schools. Many of the materials are professionally produced, and represent a considerable investment of time and resources. Many of the schools visited commented favourably on the quality of materials, and have participated in school-based in-service in a number of areas using the psychology materials as a guide. Many of these materials could usefully be made available to other boards on a reciprocal basis.
7. Outcomes for Schools and Pupils
7.1 The findings from the inspection evidence collated through the shadowing of the work of individual psychologists, discussion with principal teachers, SENCOs and other members of staff, and observations of a range of meetings, clearly indicate that the psychologists work to a high standard, and promote successfully, in the vast majority of instances, an effective partnership with the schools. This partnership is most evident when psychologists are
working with schools in areas such as behaviour support, bereavement counselling, and when dealing with pupils suffering from autistic spectrum disorder. On occasions, psychologists make very informative, specialist presentations to teachers on areas of specific or current interest, eg interpreting children’s drawings. All of the work observed was characterised by the good quality of the relationships between the psychologists, the parents, children, the staff in schools, and with other professionals. Some other notable features of good practice included:
• the good rapport between psychologists and the schools and teachers, despite the psychologists’ diverse and heavy caseloads;
• the sound working relationships developed with other agencies, with the aim of developing a multi-disciplinary approach;
• the consistency of the working practices adopted by all of the psychologists;
• the commitment of the psychologists to assisting the schools in meeting the needs of individual children giving cause for concern;
• the flexible arrangements in place to accommodate schools’ requests for in-service and individual teacher’s support and advice;
• the good quality of most of the information shared with the schools, including the results of testing and written reports;
• the clearly understood policies and procedures which direct the service, and ensure that schools receive regular and agreed input, support and advice.
8. Links with parents and other agencies
8.1 The service has sound links with a number of agencies, and there is evidence that these links are of great benefit in ensuring that staff have all the relevant information when working with children. These links between the various agencies involved with children in SEELB area and the psychology service are crucial in enabling informed decisions to be made, and in providing a sound basis of good professional relationships on which to build further in the future.
8.2 Psychologists meet parents on a regular basis, and sometimes in circumstances which require considerable sensitivity. It is clear that individual psychologists work hard to inform parents about the process of assessment, and take care to explain developments and procedures as their work progresses. Parents of children with specific syndromes or named disabilities, for example, autistic spectrum disorder, acknowledge the great benefits to them in accessing advice and support in helping their children at home.
9. Quality Assurance Initiatives
9.1 The service has made a useful start to self-evaluation through a series of questionnaires to schools. These have formed part of the SEELB psychology department strategy to seek views on its work on an annual basis over a four year period by the four area teams. The priorities identified through this process have subsequently been incorporated into performance targets for the education psychology service. On balance, the development of a system of measuring quality is promising, and, if developed further, could provide useful data to continue to inform policy for the future. The operational plan for 1999/2000 identifies a number of key challenges for the service, and reflects clear and strategic thinking by managers, based on identified priorities. Within the present constraints of resources and increasing demands for services, the Education Psychology Service is well placed to meet these challenges effectively.
10. Working Practices of Psychologists
10.1 The inspection team observed a range of working situations in which SEELB psychologists carried out a very diverse and challenging variety of duties. The evidence is that this work is almost always highly valued by the teachers, parents and professionals who access the service.
11. Accommodation and Resources
11.1 It is evident that the present open plan accommodation, and the large numbers of staff using it, constrains the effectiveness of the work of the service. The current level of accommodation does not enable the psychologists to work in private, to deal with sensitive issues over the telephone in a quiet atmosphere, and, on occasion when there are several psychologists working in the open bays resulting in overcrowding in the limited space available. A review of the accommodation needs of the service should be undertaken as a matter of urgency. Other general issues identified through discussions with staff and managers included the problem of recruitment and retention of staff, the management of ever increasing demands on the service, and the potential of ICT in helping to improve effectiveness and efficiency.
12. CONCLUSION
12.1 The SEELB Educational Psychology Service meets its statutory requirements well. It is highly valued in schools, and incorporates many aspects of good practice. The principal and senior psychologists provide effective leadership, and the management of the service is excellent. Individual psychologists play a full part in the promotion and the activities of the service, and its values are shared by the schools it serves. Considerable strengths include the generally excellent partnerships established with schools, the strong ethos and sense of collegiality amongst staff, and the increasing expertise of the service. The priorities for action identified by this report, substantiated by the service itself, and through analysis of best practice, set challenges for the service which it is well placed to meet.
Appendix 1
List of Schools visited by Associate Assessors
WELB
Trench Road PS Londonderry
Termoncanice PS Limavady
St Mary’s Boys’ PS Strabane
Jones Memorial PS Enniskillen
Clondermott High School Londonderry
St Brigid’s High School Londonderry
St Patrick’s High School Dungiven
St John’s High School Dromore
Duke of Westminister High School Kesh
St Mary’s Secondary School Brollagh
Belmont Nursery School
Lisnagelvin Nursery School
SELB
King’s Park PS Lurgan
Saints and Scholars Integrated PS Armagh
Millington PS Portadown
St Clare’s Convent PS Newry
Edendork PS Dungannon
St.Joseph’s High School Crossmaglen
St Catherine’s College Armagh
Drumcree College Portadown
Dungannon Integrated College
St Joseph’s Boys High School Newry
Clounagh Junior High School Portadown
NEELB
Cairncastle PS Larne
Camphill PS Ballymena
Holy Family PS Magherafelt
Millburn PS Coleraine
St Joseph’s PS Stiles Antrim
Ballee Community High School Ballymena
Ballymoney High School
Belfast High School Newtownabbey
Coleraine Girls’ Secondary School
St Joseph’s High School Coleraine
St Patrick’s College Maghera
Ballyclare Nursery School
Magherafelt Nursery School
SEELB
Carrickmannon PS
Cregagh PS Belfast
Crawfordsburn PS Bangor
Holywood PS
Newcastle PS
Knockbreda High School Belfast
Glastry High School
Laurehill High School Lisburn
St Malachy’s High School Castlewellan
St Columbanus High School Bangor
Knockbreda Nursery School
Barbour Nursery School Lisburn
BELB
Botanic PS
Holy Child PS
Harmony Hill PS
Ballysillan PS
Hazelwood Integrated PS
St Matthew’s PS (Markets)
Hazelwood Integrated College
Ashfield Boys’ High School
St Louise’s Comprehensive College
Christian Brothers’ Glen Road
Boys’ Model Secondary School
Appendix 2
|Education and Library Board |School Age Population |Number of Educational |Number of Pupils per Psychologist|
| |October 1999 |Psychologists 1999/2000 |1999/2000 |
|BELFAST |65,969 |21.4 |3,083 |
|WESTERN |64,253 |15* |4,284* |
|NORTH-EASTERN |74,657 |21 |3,555 |
|SOUTH-EASTERN |66,567 |21 |3,170 |
|SOUTHERN |76,137 |23.86 |3,191 |
* Ratio is higher in Western Board because of the number of unfilled posts
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