Any psychologists out there?

[bamamama]

I am looking for a post baby career change and am considering retraining as an Educational Psychologist. Does anyone have any experience of this? Is the workplace flooded with trained people and no jobs? Would you recommend it? Is there a better alternative? Im in my mid-thirties so dont want to spend 5 years (minimum) training for something that I wont be able to work in so any advice (positive and negative) would be gratefully recieved.

Many thanks.

[bamamama]

I take it then there are no psychologists on MN or if there are they are very very very busy people indeed!

[muppetgirl]

Hi there,
You sound like me! I have just started with the ou in re training to be an ed psych.
The market doesn't seem flooded with them but it is qa long road to travel before you get qualified.

I am a qualified teacher with 5 yrs experience and I am taking the 'Introducing psychology' unit with the ou I need to do another 2 years to get the diploma to convert my degree into a psychology degree. It can be done in 2 years by taking 2 units each year but I'm finding 1 unit a push with dh working in london and me at home with 3 year old ds and 5 months pregnant with ds2.
After the diploma I then have to do a placement with an LEA in order to do a doctorate 2-3 years i think (can't remember) but at least you do get paid during the placement.
I wanted a change of career as although I love teaching I can't stand all the burocracy (Spelling sorry!) that goes with it.
Not sure if that really helps!

[bamamama]

Cheers muppetgirl, thought I was going to be talking to myself on this one! . Do you know how easy it is to get a placement with an LEA?

[muppetgirl]

No, I've not got to that bit yet and to be honest that was going to be a bit of a hurdle as what happens if you're lea doesn;t have a placement but another one does? Do you move?
My husband works in london and commutes but he's made it clear that we can move but only to another commutable destination especially as he puts it 'the placement might not turn into a job and then we'd need to move again'
Worth phoneing up the lea and asking to chat with the psycholgy team or asking to speak directly to an ed psych. I was thinking of asking to do a bit of work experience with them as like you, really wanted to check that this was what i wanted to do but fell pregnant so plans are a little behind at the mo.

[ShinyNewShoes]

muppetgirl - erm, you won't find that working as an EP is without beaurocracy, I'm afraid! (Sorry, I can't spell it either but YKWIM!)
Am not an EP but work with them. Starting pay is not brill in comparison with a management-position teaching salary, I think, and you don't get school holidays.

[bamamama]

I've contacted my local council (setup seems a bit different here in Scotland) so will see if I can rustle up some work experience. I'm just not in a position to move hence a little nervous about embarking on all this study!

[LynetteScavo]

I think the psychologists on MN want to stay annonymous, to avoud being hounded by the rest of us.

I only checked out this thread to find out who is a psychologist!

[bamamama]

ahh good point.. I think there are plenty of MNers who think they should be psychologists..

[muppetgirl]

Yeah i know shinynewshoes and form filling/pointess paperwork/no funding/lack of resources/frustrating parents etc...
More chance to freelance though, set own hours, work from home, arrange meetings around children so will possibly see their sports day/ nativity's/ have greater respect from those asking what you do (All i used to get -'You're a teacher, god you're brave' or 'rather you than me!')
Money is not everything though I do take you're point. I'd have to go through threshhold to earn any significant amount more which is a horrendous amount of form filling, justification and inspection.

[ShinyNewShoes]

Wasn't trying to put you off, muppetgirl! - Just glad that you're aware of the pros and cons.
I'm sometimes tempted to train as an EP simply so I can work privately and bug the hell out of schools and LEAs

[muppetgirl]

Sorry I took that too personally!
Just fed up with current education system and being told that i'm bright and have good deas but 'that's not how we do it'.
Being recommended for management training but not getting it as i wasn't a catholic (I was in a catholic school)
Being pregenant and told when i returned from christmas break (due to go on maternity leave in feb half term) that i wouldn't be teaching my class but being a supply teacher instead.
Being told that taking 2 days off to care for my son and dh who had nasty rota virus i would have to take the time as unpaid...

to name but a few....

[ShinyNewShoes]

No problem. Hope it all works out for you. Good EPs are brill and worth their weight in platinum

[phoebebouffet]

Good luck! This too is my my dream job, I can't believe I've got to to 31 and finally discovered what I want to do in life other than stay at home and look after my l.o of course. I believe they are in short supply and but due to funding few pisitions are becoming available. Can't believe the training is so long and intense either, I did OU course in child developement last year and planning to do another similar one just for interest and see what happens.....