Harrow Educational Psychology Service
We are a team of Educational Psychologists (EPs) who are involved in promoting the learning and development of children and young people. We work with children and young people, teachers, parents/carers and other professionals to bring about positive change.
We have degrees in psychology and a masters or doctoral level qualification in educational psychology. We are registered members of the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). We have previously been teachers, or have experience of working in educational or community settings.
We use our knowledge and understanding of psychology to:
- listen to concerns
- share ideas
- provide information on children and young people's learning, behaviour, social and emotional development.
Educational Psychologists listen to concerns, share ideas and provide information on children and young people's learning, behaviour, social and emotional development. This includes assessing their needs and advising parents / carers, schools or the local authority about ways to support them with their development and learning. You can download our leaflet here.
If you are young person, you can download our youth version of this leaflet here.
If you are a setting wishing to commission Educational Psychology Services (EPS) you can download a copy of our Service Level Agreement.
Who is the Educational Psychology Service for?
The service is for children and young people from birth to 25 years of age, with special educational needs or disabilities. In addition it is also for other vulnerable young people such as those in public care, for whom there are concerns about development and progress. It is also for maintained schools within the borough that require support and advice about those young people.
What does the service provide?
We are a team of qualified and experienced educational psychologists who use applied psychological methods to:
- promote personal, social and emotional well-being.
- increase educational access and success.
- work to empower other professionals, parents and carers through consultation and direct interventions.
- work within the learning context, usually pre-school settings, schools or colleges.
We provide advice, training and support in the event of a critical incident, loss or bereavement.
How do I access the service?
Every maintained school within the borough has a Link Educational Psychologist from the service and we have regular contact with our schools and other settings. Initial concerns about a child or young person should usually be addressed to the school or setting, who will assess the needs of the child or young person.
Where necessary, they will discuss concerns with the educational psychologist and involve parents/carers, other professionals and the young person themselves in addressing and meeting those needs.
If a child/young person has an Education, Health and Care plan, an educational psychologist will assess their needs and provide psychological advice. They will also be involved in assessment and monitoring over time through consultation, annual reviews and planning meetings, both at an individual and systemic level.
Critical Incidents and the Educational Psychology services
Critical Incidents are not a typical part of school life, but they do sometimes occur. This may include, for example, the sudden or traumatic death of a pupil or member of staff, or other serious incident involving children and/or school personnel. This is a reminder that the Harrow Educational Psychology Service place critical incidents as a priority and will respond to those involved helping them to understand and cope with the immediate aftermath. No two incidents are the same and all children and young people, and adults, will deal with these incidents in individual and unique ways. The response of the EPS is therefore flexible; working with and alongside school staff, the EPS can provide support after a critical incident in a number of ways:
- Helping the school implement guidance from our Loss, Bereavement and Critical Incident booklet
- Working with staff groups to plan how to respond to individual and group needs.
- Providing information about typical reactions to traumatic events.
- Providing advice on ways to support individual pupils.
- Possible provision of short-term support where appropriate.
You can download a copy of our Helping a friend leaflet here.
You can download a copy of our Helping children and young people cope leaflet here.
You can download a copy of our Suffering a loss leaflet here.
Contact us
Educational Psychology Service
Harrow Council
PO Box 1358
Harrow
HA3 3QN
Tel: 0208 051 8380
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Make an online enquiry: enquiry form