Educational Psychology Service
The Service
The Educational Psychology Service in the Western Isles is part of Education and Children’s Services. The Educational Psychology Service employs a Principal Educational Psychologist, an Educational Psychologist and an Art Therapist. All Educational Psychologists employed in the service are registered as Practitioner Psychologists with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and the Art Therapist is registered with The British Association of Art Therapists (BAAT).
The Vision
The learning and well-being needs of all children and young people within the Western Isles will be met through inclusive, child-centred and equitable practice informed by the rights of the child.
Values
- Keep children and young people at the centre of all our work
- Promote relationship-based approaches
- Work in a solution focused way to promote inclusion for all
- Respect and celebrate diversity
- Value all and recognise their skills and experiences
- Ongoing service evaluation to support improvement
The Role of the Educational Psychologists
Our role is to apply psychology to improve the inclusion, attainment and wellbeing of all children and young people. Educational Psychologists will work collaboratively with:
- parents and carers
- colleagues in the local authority
- educational settings
- other agencies
We will work together towards enabling every child and young person to be fully included, actively engaging with their learning experiences and achieving their full potential.
Educational Psychologists will work within GIRFEC to consider the child or young person in their world, recognising that it is those who the child spends most time with who can make the most difference. Much of our work will be gathering information about the child in context and contributing to solution focused discussions and planning.
We will use our skills and knowledge of psychology and evidence-based practice to embed whole setting and classroom/room strategies to support inclusion of all, including those with additional or diverse needs.
The Role of the Art Therapist
Art Therapists main aim is to effect change and growth on a personal level across all areas of development (Safe, Healthy, Achieving, Nurtured, Active, Respected, Responsible, and Included). The impact of Art Therapy on a child or young person’s development can support children and young people to improve their well-being and reach their full potential.
Art Therapy is an intensive intervention, and it is important that the children referred have high level needs that require a more intensive intervention, have needs that are best addressed through Art Therapy, and given their current life circumstances are in a position to benefit from Art Therapy at the time of referral.
Therapeutic support for parents and families may also be deemed appropriate in some cases and sessions can be offered to explore and understand difficulties within relationships and to help communicate more easily.