EP-Specific Services

School packages - link EP role

We offer a link EP service, where schools or organisations can purchase regular days of time with a consistent EP across an academic year, such as half-termly (6 days), or monthly (11 days).

Please get in contact for our Link EP information sheet and school contract.

Person-centred planning

PATH: Exploring a shared vision of a positive and possible future, and the goals/steps required to get there.
MAP: Similar to a PATH, but exploring the journey to date, and fears for the future.
Circle of adults: Group problem-solving to help provide a deeper understanding of a YP's needs - helpful for SEMH cases.
Solution circles: Similar to CofA (but a shorter process), to help staff become 'unstuck'.
Person-centred review: Exploring what is working and not working - helpful at transition/planning/review points.
Multi-element plan: 'Functional analysis' of behaviour and identification of supporting strategies.

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Supervision

As defined by The Tavistock 'supervision is a work-based learning relationship, characterised by relating and reflecting.' Within this, sessions aim to provide professional, emotional and peer support to professionals within a safe, reflective, containing and therapeutic space to support the development of knowledge, skills, confidence, reflective practice, and wellbeing. GPS can offer the following:

One-to-one supervision for professionals working with children and young people, such as in schools and residential children's homes.
Group supervision for teams of staff or professionals working with children and young people.

Please get in contact for a more detailed supervision information sheet.

Intervention

This may include individual or group therapeutic work to promote staff or student development and wellbeing. Sessions offered include:

EBSA support (school anxiety) sessions - assessment and intervention work around school-based anxieties to help reintegrate back into school.
Sibling support sessions - providing the time and space to reflect on and process family experiences of being a sibling.
General emotional literacy, regulation and/or anxiety sessions.
CBT-based approaches e.g. working through the starving the anxiety or anger gremlin workbooks.
Positive psychology workshops - to promote staff and student wellbeing.
Exam stress workshops.
Circle of friends - to help a child experiencing friendship difficulties.
VIG (Video Interaction Guidance) - promoting communication & relationships (e.g. parent-child or teacher-student).

We can also offer:

Acceptance & commitment therapy approaches
Childhood bereavement support
Therapeutic story-writing
Life story work
Resilience programmes e.g. Smart Moves, and FRIENDS
Mindfulness-based approaches
Breath-work groups
Self-esteem workshops
Social skills interventions

Consultation

Telephone, video/virtual, or face-to-face meetings e.g.:

Initial consultations.
Key adult/parent/staff consultations.
Staff surgeries.
SENCo circles.
Person-centred planning meetings for children/young people (see opposite).
PATHs/MAPs for schools/ organisations/ teams (see opposite).

EP assessment

The stages of a full EP assessment over time typically include:

An initial consultation - typically online.
A key adults consultation or mini-PCP meeting.
Setting observation (or home visit if not attending school).
One-to-one work to elicit views.
Direct assessment work.
A full written EP report.
Feedback/target setting meeting and updated report.
Review meeting and updated report.

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Training

Training may include a whole day, half day, or twilight sessions/workshops for school staff, professionals and/or parents/carers. All training sessions require an implementation initial consultation prior to planning and delivery. Training can be facilitated in a range of areas related to psychology e.g.:

Trauma and attachment (see below)
Attachment and nurtured parenting approaches
Emotionally-based school avoidance
Understanding behaviour
Student, staff or parent wellbeing
Positive psychology
Mindfulness
Emotion coaching
Autism
Adaptive teaching
Literacy
Executive functioning
Working memory
The psychology of literacy or maths
Precision Teaching
Solution-oriented approaches and Solution Circles - a staff supervision tool.
ELSA - Emotional Literacy Support Assistant training programme
MeLSA - Mediated Learning Support Approach programme
The EP role e.g. for professionals, or college or university psychology students

EP work

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Services

Information regarding EP services for schools, professionals, parents/carers, and children and young people, as well as FAQs related to referrals and requests.

Trauma-Informed Training

Please get in contact for a more detailed information sheet regarding our trauma-informed training packages for schools. Following completion of the NME Trainer programme with the Neurosequential Network in America, our training incorporates core concepts/key principles from Dr Bruce Perry and colleagues’ Neurosequential Model in Education (NME). The NME is a developmentally-sensitive, neurobiologically-respectful, evidence-based, trauma-informed framework for schools, which promotes regulation, relationships, and readiness for learning.

An introduction to stress, trauma and attachment

A full day's introductory training, including:

Brain development, including the impact of stress and trauma on the brain.
Attachment/relationships, including attachment strategies and relational connection.
Understanding behaviour, including behaviour as communication and an expression of unmet needs.
Trauma-informed strategies and interventions, including a consideration of practical applications.

For more in-depth training in this area (e.g. for specialist SEMH schools), please refer to our trauma-informed training in education package for schools opposite.

Trauma-informed training in education

A three day training package, covering the following:

Brain development, including neurosequential brain organisation (how the brain develops, organises and functions).
Developmental trauma, including the impact of early adversity on the brain and development, as well as neuroplasticity.
The impact of stress on the brain, including concepts related to stress biology.
Attachment and relationships, including the power of connection and co-regulation.
Therapeutic strategies and interventions, including regulatory and relational activities.
Implementation and review, including practical applications specific to your school context.

Trauma

Family support

Family Support

Sibling events

Half-day interactive session for siblings of children with additional needs, their parents/carers, and professionals, which includes:

Exploring the experiences of siblings - common benefits and challenges.
Sibling research.
Workshop for siblings exploring individual risk and resilience factors.
Workshop for parents on supporting siblings.

Please get in contact for a more detailed sibling event information sheet.

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Sibling support groups

We can offer workshops for siblings based on the Sibs' charity's FRAME model:

Fun.
Relieve isolation.
Acknowledge feelings.
Model coping strategies.
Enhance knowledge.

Please refer to the Super Siblings local charity for information regarding regular sibling support sessions and events - for siblings of children with additional needs in the West Sussex area.

Sibling therapeutic work

We can offer a series of one-to-one therapeutic sessions, where children/young people have the time and a safe space to explore/reflect on/process their unique family experiences being a sibling to someone with additional needs. This may include an exploration of positives and challenges, a discussion around any relevant psychological theory and research in this area, enhancing knowledge around their sibling's condition, and an exploration of ideas that may help support siblings and promote their wellbeing.

Please get in contact for a more detailed sibling support information sheet.

Parent/carer support

Offering a safe reflective space for family members through:

Parent/carer telephone consultations - stand-alone or a series of sessions.
Parent/carer drop-ins in schools.
Neuroscience-informed consultations, workshops, and support groups for parents/carers of early years children (0-3) - providing a reflective space that prioritises parental wellbeing, and evidence-based attachment and nurtured parenting approaches.

Please get in contact for more detailed information sheets in these areas.

FAQs

Do you take on parent-commissioned work? Yes, although we prioritise school-commissioned work (such as link EP work directly with schools). This approach supports equity of access for children and young people, and reflects the importance of a shared commitment from schools to work collaboratively as well as a commitment from school to work collaboratively to achieve positive outcomes. That said, GPS is deeply committed to family support, so we continue to offer dedicated family support services.

Do you carry out virtual assessments? Wherever possible, we aim to carry out assessments face-to-face. Virtual assessments would only be considered in exceptional circumstances, depending on the nature of the case.

How much do you charge? Feeds depend on the type of service being delivered, what you are hoping to gain from EP involvement, and the level of input required. These details are discussed and agreed together during an initial consultation.

What does an initial consultation involve? Before agreeing any next steps for casework, an initial consultation is required with the person making the referral (e.g. school staff or family member). The aims of this meeting are to: - Provide information about the EP role. - Gain an overview of the young person’s strengths and needs. - Explore what would be helpful from EP involvement. - Outline possible options for support. - Agree and clarify the EP role. - Provide information about costings. - Answer any questions and plan next steps.

How long is your waiting list? Waiting times depend on the service being requested. Typically, we can offer: - An initial consultation within one month. - Consultation-based work within two months. - Assessment work within three months. Please contact us for up-to-date information about current capacity and waiting times.

Do you make diagnoses? (E.g. dyslexia, dyscalculia, ADHD, autism) We do not typically provide formal 'diagnoses' as part of our service. Our role focuses on developing a psychological understanding of a young person's needs, and identifying appropriate individualised support.

Do you assess for EHCPs, EHCP appeals, or tribunals? GPS is a non-statutory service independent from local authorities. As such, we do not independently undertake statutory assessment work, including Education Health and Care Needs Assessments (EHCNAs), appeals or tribunals, beyond work commissioned directly through WSCC.

How can I find an EP who specialises in Expert Witness work? You may wish to consult the British Psychological Society (BPS), Association of Child Psychologists in Private Practice (ACPIPP), or the HCPC register. A legal representative may also be able to signpost you to an appropriate professional.

Can you assess for exam access arrangements? Schools (e.g. SENCos) are usually responsible for determining whether a student meets criteria for exam access arrangements and for submitting applications to the Joint Council of Qualifications (JCQ). Decisions are based on evidence of need, demonstrating that adjustments reflect the student's typical way of working in the classroom (e.g. use of a reader, extra time, or a scribe). A diagnosis is not required and cannot be used as evidence in isolation.

Why might you not use a standardised cognitive assessment for a child with a history of trauma? For children with a history of developmental trauma, standardised assessment scores can be misleading and may therefore be inappropriate. Dysregulation can significantly affect access to cognitive skills, meaning lower scores may reflect emotional and regulatory factors, rather than underlying cognitive skills. Where used, these assessments must be interpreted with a high degree of caution and within a trauma formulation.

What are dynamic cognitive assessments? When a cognitive assessment is considered appropriate, or in addition to standardised assessments, we typically use dynamic assessment approaches. These explore not only cognitive strengths and needs, but also emotional and motivational factors that may influence learning, alongside identifying strategies that support progress. Please see our handout on standardised versus dynamic assessments for further information.

Do you offer EP shadowing opportunities? We are happy to talk with aspiring EPs and answer questions about the role. However, we are usually unable to offer shadowing opportunities due to confidentiality and data protection considerations. Shadowing is not a requirement for EP training; instead, applicants need to demonstrate that they have actively sought information about the role. Further information about EP training can be found via the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) or individual university programmes.

FAQs