Educational Psychology Service (EPS)
The Educational Psychology Service helps children and young people to overcome learning, social and emotional problems.
We work with people aged 0 to 25 years, in schools, settings, and colleges either:
- directly with a child or group of children; or
- indirectly with parents, teachers, and other professionals
What we offer
Educational psychologists can support schools with unexpected bereavement or other traumatic events. This is always our priority.
We also have a statutory function to assess children and young people who have the most severe, complex, and challenging needs.
Core activity
These activities are free to all schools and colleges:
- Support and consultation meetings - two per year for every school and college, three for schools or colleges with over 1000 pupils.
- Mental health and emotional wellbeing support.
- Assessments to help diagnose autism.
- Support for schools with Nurture Groups.
- Involvement in county-wide projects, often with other services and pilot schools.
- Critical incident support.
Schools will be targeted for many of these interventions.
Traded activity
We offer psychology-based work on an individual, group or organisational level. For information on our traded services, visit the Services to Schools Webshop.
Teaching assistants can attend our annual six-day training course to become an accredited Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA). ELSAs support children when emotional or social difficulties first emerge.
How we work
Direct work with children and young people usually involves some form of assessment. This may include:
- consultation with parents, carers, and professional colleagues
- observation, interview, or use of assessment materials
After this, we will recommend appropriate psychological or therapeutic support.
Indirect work involves support and consultation for every school and college, training, and projects involving the staff.
Refer to the Educational Psychology Service
Schools
Contact your link Educational Psychologist:
- Hastings 01424 726100
- Eastbourne 01323 463636
- Lewes 01273 336720
We will discuss and agree individual assessments in consultation planning meetings with:
- headteachers and principals
- senior leadership teams; and
- SENCOs
Together we will identify the school’s needs for the year and plan preventative and targeted support.
Parent carers
Encourage parent carers to speak with their child’s teacher or the school SENCO.
