EMMA VINER is an educational psychologist (EP) at Tower Hamlets Council in London.
‘EPs help children or young people experiencing problems within an educational setting. I work in a large team of about 25 full and part-time EPs. We have an office in Tower Hamlets Town Hall, but most days I’m out visiting nurseries, schools, children’s centres and families at home.
‘I have a number of children’s settings allocated to me at the start of each school year. In Tower Hamlets, every maintained setting receives a core number of EP visits. They can also purchase additional time. Private schools or nurseries tend to buy EP services from private providers. It works differently across local authorities.
‘A special educational needs co-ordinator and I plan how my allocated settings will use my services. They liaise with practitioners to suggest priorities, such as focusing on particular children who are not progressing, providing training for staff, or addressing whole-school concerns such as bullying. Common issues for under-fives include toileting, feeding or sleeping problems.
‘When I have a single-child case, I begin by collecting as much information as possible about the problems and find out what steps people around the child have already taken. At a nursery I’ll look at EYFS assessments. I might consult the staff working with that child and the family. I can observe children in the setting, at home, or both. I may also do individual work with that child, such as drawing alongside a conversation. I try to make the experience fun and enjoyable.
‘A big part of the role is to represent children’s needs and views. It’s amazing how children love having attention from somebody who has come to see them – it rings true all the way up the age range. I’m often a stranger, but they’re happy to speak to me.
‘Afterwards I work with a team to develop a plan that responds to the child’s needs. Because of time constraints, it’s rarely EPs that deliver the interventions we put in place. And, the most effective people to deliver interventions are those who see the child most.
‘I might spend the morning at a nursery or school and in the afternoon go back to the office to write up visits. I could be there until 7pm depending on my workload. Alternatively, I go straight home and catch up on emails and paperwork there.
‘I also spend one day each week based at a children’s centre. My target there is supporting parents with children aged under five. This involves home visits and running courses at the centre, such as parenting or play workshops.
‘As an EP you have fortnightly, individual supervision with your line manager. This is an opportunity to discuss any challenging cases. Our team also has peer supervision sessions every half term. Additionally, I supervise a trainee, which involves reading their reports and supporting their development. This takes about half a day a week.
‘EPs also accept referrals from other professionals working in health and education settings. For example, if a child has been picked up by a speech and language therapist, they notify the local authority and we are then appointed to work with the family. Sometimes we see children as young as one if they have complex needs. We know they’ll need extra support when they go to nursery, so make sure the right support is in place before they start. EPs also contribute to education, health and care plans for children with special educational needs.
‘One of the challenges of the role is being responsible for your own time. With lots to fit in, time management is a skill you learn quickly. Another challenge is that psychology is complicated. By the time an EP is called in we see cases that are far-gone, and we don’t have a magic wand.
‘But the job offers much variety, the opportunity to work with other great professionals, and the chance to make a real difference to a child’s life.’
CV
Qualifications
BSc psychology, University of Birmingham, 2002
Primary PGCE, Institute of Education, 2003
Doctorate in education and child psychology, University College London, 2009
Employment history
2009-present: Educational psychologist, Tower Hamlets Council
2003-2006: Primary school teacher, UK and Australia
TRAINING
Training takes five years under the Educational Psychology Funded Training scheme, which provides full funding for trainee EPs and is administered by NCTL. The first three years are a full-time doctorate degree followed by two years of employment in England (the route is different in Scotland). Applicants must have either an undergraduate degree in psychology, a psychology Master’s or complete a British Psychological Society-accredited conversion course. They must also have a minimum of one year’s experience working with children within an early years setting, education, social care, youth justice or health. EPs can specialise, for example, in children with autism.
Useful websites
BPS, http://careers.bps.org.uk/area/educational
Government funding for EP training, www.gov.uk/guidance/educational-psychology-funded-training-scheme
Association of Educational Psychologists, www.aep.org.uk/training
