I am an LA educational psychologist, AMA.

[summerEP]

Really enjoy reading the AMA threads so thought I would offer my own. I work for an LA as an EP and completed my training within the last 3 years. AMA.

[summerEP]

@MalagaNights

Do social constructivists believe biological sex is a social construct?

And that children should be encouraged to cosmetically alter their bodies and take drugs to fit their constructed identity?

EPs are hugely hiding from and avoiding the topic of Trans kids by using vague supportive sounding language as they know it's controversial and are waiting to see where the popular opinion goes. They are nationality silent on the current debate, when given their role and supposed skill set they should be all over it.

Which is a hugely cowardly dereliction of their role in safeguarding children and utilising psychology to understand what is occurring in the huge increase in trans identifying children, especially girls,and the associations with autism, and mental health needs.

Any views OP on the impact of social transition, & medical transition vs watchful waiting for gender questioning children?

Or on the conversion therapy bill as it relates to trans identifying children and the psychologists role in exploratory therapeutic approaches?

You sound very angry about this and clearly have some very strong opinions about your perspective of the EP role. As EPs we look at how to best support children and young people to access their learning. The questions you raise are beyond my expertise and I would be asking medical professionals and clinical psychs for their input, just like I would seek salt advice and OT advice for their areas of expertise. It's in my ethical code of conduct not to give a professional opinion on areas that are beyond my training e.g. medication for gender reassignment. We can help schools to be more inclusive and accepting places for children to be be but as for the within child psychology of children questioning their gender that's clinical psychs/medical professionals.

[summerEP]

@Grammy78

In time do you think neurodivergent people will be involved with recommending support, interventions etc for children and young people who are neurodivergent? I understand and value the role of the EP, but also feel that a professional who is neurotypical cannot fully understand the experiences of a child or young person who is ND.

Absolutely, and I know lots of neurodivergent EPs and totally agree it's hugely valuable.

[summerEP]

@Justrealised

Could you tell me what is require for a learning disability diagnosis. My son scored in the 0.1 percentile on 3 of the wisc subsets and the 9th percentile on 2 of the others. It has been suggested that he has learning disability but not diagnosed. Many thanks for doing thid

We wouldn't diagnose (I think maybe paeds may put this in their records as more of a category/diagnosis but I am not sure). We would look at the specific needs and write provision to support. It does sound like he needs a thorough assessment e.g observation, one to one work and interventions through the plan do review process (chat to your senco about this). Good luck.

[MalagaNights]

I am angry as I think great harm is being done to children.

And I think a profession based around the psychology of children is abdicating responsibility while harm is being done.

If an EP role is narrowed to just advising schools supporting and including Trans kids & no role in understanding the psychology of the child's distress (which seems a pretty limited role for a profession claiming to be child psycholgists) what would you advise a school unsure how to support a teenage biological boy who identifies as a girl and wanting to use the girls changing rooms?

Or how would you advise a parent concerned their DD is identifying as non binary due social contagion?

[JustAQuickOne0]

@Justrealised

Could you tell me what is require for a learning disability diagnosis. My son scored in the 0.1 percentile on 3 of the wisc subsets and the 9th percentile on 2 of the others. It has been suggested that he has learning disability but not diagnosed. Many thanks for doing thid

If the IQ score on the WISC was 70 or below then the EP will (should) diagnose moderate learning difficulty.

Then, once the child is over 18, a clinical psychologist (or EP) will administer a standardised assessment relating to activities of daily living. Depending on the score from that, a learning disability can be diagnosed.

[londonmummy1966]

Why are the cognitive issues of dyspraxia so little understood/discussed. DCs teachers often referred to it as the "clumsy child syndrome" and were totally unaware that it encompassed anything more than being hopeless at sport and the person most likely to break a test tube.

[JustAQuickOne0]

@MalagaNights

Do social constructivists believe biological sex is a social construct?

And that children should be encouraged to cosmetically alter their bodies and take drugs to fit their constructed identity?

EPs are hugely hiding from and avoiding the topic of Trans kids by using vague supportive sounding language as they know it's controversial and are waiting to see where the popular opinion goes. They are nationality silent on the current debate, when given their role and supposed skill set they should be all over it.

Which is a hugely cowardly dereliction of their role in safeguarding children and utilising psychology to understand what is occurring in the huge increase in trans identifying children, especially girls,and the associations with autism, and mental health needs.

Any views OP on the impact of social transition, & medical transition vs watchful waiting for gender questioning children?

Or on the conversion therapy bill as it relates to trans identifying children and the psychologists role in exploratory therapeutic approaches?

Have a look at the research coming out of the Southampton EP training course in particular - lots of trans/gender-related thesis papers…

[MalagaNights]

Yes and all with the same social constructivist assumption that children's identities must be confirmed. Is that your view?

You are avoiding my direct questions above on this by suggesting it's not an EP role, then pointing to EP research and practice in this area.
Which is it?

Can you answer the questions asked?
Or are you side stepping the current live debate about what is happening to these children as the profession is? While children are harmed?

Child psycholgists without a role in exploring identity formation seem like pretty useless psychologists to me.

Do you as a child psychologist have no view or experience to share on what is happening in the 4000% increase in referrals for girls and what this might tell us?

[summerEP]

@MalagaNights

I am angry as I think great harm is being done to children.

And I think a profession based around the psychology of children is abdicating responsibility while harm is being done.

If an EP role is narrowed to just advising schools supporting and including Trans kids & no role in understanding the psychology of the child's distress (which seems a pretty limited role for a profession claiming to be child psycholgists) what would you advise a school unsure how to support a teenage biological boy who identifies as a girl and wanting to use the girls changing rooms?

Or how would you advise a parent concerned their DD is identifying as non binary due social contagion?

I would personally signpost to specialist such as the gender identity development service. Like a past poster said, EPs are like GPs with areas of specialism or interest. Sounds like some EPs at Southampton have focused on this area for their thesis just like some EPs have a specialist knowledge in EBSA, bullying, supervision etc.

[MalagaNights]

Tbh your responses on this thread to this Trans topic and others suggests the EP role is to mainly avoid saying anything directly accountable at all.

[MalagaNights]

I'd expect every EP to be involved in work around bullying, ebsa, and knowledge of supervision.

[MalagaNights]

And in advising schools and parents of gender questioning children and how to support them.

[summerEP]

@MalagaNights

I'd expect every EP to be involved in work around bullying, ebsa, and knowledge of supervision.

Yes of course we do, but there are some EPs which go in more depth in certain areas, like GPs do.

[JustAQuickOne0]

Not that I’m saying this is the case here, but I would imagine it is very difficult to be a gender critical EP currently.

[MalagaNights]

Are you saying every gender confused child requires a specialist referral?

If not how would you know which ones did?

[TeenPlusCat]

@MalagaNights

Tbh your responses on this thread to this Trans topic and others suggests the EP role is to mainly avoid saying anything directly accountable at all.

I think EPs would be quite wise to steer away from this topic, as whatever they say wrt any specific child someone will say they are wrong, and if I were @summerEP I'd ignore any further comments on this issue in this thread.

[AReallyUsefulEngine]

Justrealised You don’t need to wait until adulthood for a learning disability diagnosis. There are many children and young people with learning disability diagnosis. A learning difficulty and learning disability are not the same thing and it is possible for a child to have both. Mencap are a good source of support.

Usually, an IQ of less than 20 is described as a profound learning disability. 20-34 severe learning disability, 35-49 moderate and 50-69 mild. There’s more information about this here.

[summerEP]

@MalagaNights

Are you saying every gender confused child requires a specialist referral?

If not how would you know which ones did?

No, all depends what the school want support with. Inclusion (us), medical (not us).

[summerEP]

@TeenPlusCat

I think EPs would be quite wise to steer away from this topic, as whatever they say wrt any specific child someone will say they are wrong, and if I were @summerEP I'd ignore any further comments on this issue in this thread.

Just had the same reflection, thanks Teen. A mumsnet debate isn't how I want to soend my time on a bank holiday. Happy to answer any questions but not engaging in long debates. I will come back on for the last time this eve before I put the kids to bed :-)

[MalagaNights]

So I asked questions on how you'd advise on inclusion, you didn't answer.

Yes EPs are avoiding this topic which is wise for them if their aim is to avoid criticism but not wise if their aim is to support vulnerable children.

Seems they care more about protecting themselves than the kids.

[Longcovid21]

My 10 year olds behaviour has become difficult. What would you suggest I can do? He behaves well in school but bad at home. He's jealous of his younger brother and plays up. He has a slight hearing loss and wears hearing aids. He fights bedtimes and spends every minute I let him on you tube or similar. I have him in various afterschool clubs and we go on regular days out. Is it just a phase? I spend all my time with him with a knot in my stomach as I feel half the time he's manipulating me.

[RosstopherGeller]

I had terrible experience with an LA EP. The tribunal decision stated that they found the LA EP evidence for my child to be unreliable. It was largely a report picking apart our independent EP and also of me as a person(!). Fortunately I had actual proof to disprove a lot of it from a SAR.

I decided against official complaints ,because frankly, the whole thing very nearly broke me. We self represented against LA barrister (Tribunal found in our favour)

I've often wondered whether the LA would have reviewed the decision (cost difference £80k ish) and reviewed the EP work, or whether it's a case of "worth a try, better luck next time".

So a long -winded way of asking if your LA has any kind of de-brief system?

[Justrealised]

@summerEP

We wouldn't diagnose (I think maybe paeds may put this in their records as more of a category/diagnosis but I am not sure). We would look at the specific needs and write provision to support. It does sound like he needs a thorough assessment e.g observation, one to one work and interventions through the plan do review process (chat to your senco about this). Good luck.

Thank you

[Justrealised]

@AReallyUsefulEngine and @JustAQuickOne0 iq wasn't determined due to the difference in the subset results. Thank you, I will give mencap a call.

[PerrinAybara]

One of my DC (9) recently had an assessment by an EP (they already have an ASD diagnosis). The results from various core scales were spiky, but the main areas of difficulty seems to be around non-verbal/quantitative reasoning.

What fun activities at home can help develop these skills?