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.

I write about 10 ehcp reports a year, but am very part time with a large specialist role.
We get approx 6 hours for an EHCP report on average, but they take as long as they take. Very complex ones can take longer and our service acknowledges this.

Some LAs cut back their ep service to the bare bones and their EPs spend most of their time writing advice, which is good for no one.

Does that six hours include the meetings and assessments @DrRuthGalloway ?! It doesn't seem much at all!

No, just the report.

Sorry I didn't get to reply to everyone. Just a final word, if anyone is interested in researching the strengths and wealnessesnof standardised cognitive testing to get more of a sense of what may underpin the decisions EPs make when deciding whether to do one or not there are loads of research papers which are an interesting read around the area. Unfortunately it is by no means a simple answer, but then nothing is in the complex and messy world of human interaction and relationships. Thanks for everyone's input, I am off to bed 😴

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=repository.uel.ac.uk/download/716880362e75061ca6f4ef19bd2b7f2b8f1b6d7f908bb1ec8097b4472112f715/536319/Educational%2520Psychology%2520Research%2520and%2520Practice%25202019%25205%25201%2520Zaniolo.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiy7oezmb_3AhWwQEEAHbp4C6wQFnoECCYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3th7qFuffjRukhxmul93uh

Useful overview above but lots more info for some light bedtime reading on Google.

P.s yes so many ehc requests, so little EPs means we are allocated 12 hours beginning to end which includes reading all past papers and evidence, meet the child/assess, talk to parents and school, observe and write each report as well which are often upwards of 15 pages each. It's definitely a role you do for passion and a will to help children, rather than for external benefits.

That's less than an hour a page! How many do you/an average full time EP do?

Understand that you have other things to do @summerEP but I just feel like curling up in a ball and crying that yet another professional has ignored issues around dyspraxia -(ie my earlier post). Saw a facebook post last year about national SEN week and it listed pretty well every issue you could think of except dyspraxia

Thank you so much @itsgettingweird I have been tearing my hair out! I did quote the clause in the SEN CoP to them but they were adamant that they would only seek advice if the service is involved and the services were last involved with her when she was 6 because that's when she last school refused, etc. Now she's 14 and going through it all again.

I have just emailed the STAS team, so I'll see what they say.

Do private/independent schools have EPs? What happens if you hear of such schools being dismissive of SEN? Can parents raise concerns?

Ive just had to remove my 14yr child from school again due to mental health. She has autism diagnosis, on SEN register, school refusing. Anxiety, sensory processing. Low attendance and unable to access most lessons, selective mutism. I have been told for years she wont get an EHCP as too clever. Ive been told this by CAMHS, b various staff at the school, by school nurse. I feel like theyre all in cahoots tbh, and im so angry. We have not even been offered an educational psychologist.

I cant take it anymore. Im going to have to deregister. I know theyre lying about the EHCP, so im going to do it while shes home.
I think the whole system is shameful tbh.
When i was dealing with my eldest son, my first meeting with the LEA was such an eye opener, as it was clearly prioritising the purse over the childs needs. They gaslight. They lie.
So many children are being failed.
I wondered if the people working for them see this and feel ashamed, but their hands are tied, or whether they honestly feel this is ok?

Branleuse even if DD can’t attend don’t register. Parents often find it easier to get support when on a school’s roll even if their DC don’t attend. Crudely, you are someone’s problem, whereas if you EHE it is all too easy for professionals to sweep DC’s needs under the carpet.

The LA should be providing alternative arrangements under s.19 of the Education Act 1996. This should have begun when it became clear DD would miss 15 days, for ongoing conditions the days don’t have to be consecutive.

Also, apply for an EHCNA yourself. IPSEA have a model letter you can use on their website. It is rubbish DD won’t get one because she is able.

Thank you for replying and thanks for the clarity. I will have to gird my loins to start the fight for an assessment again.

@AReallyUsefulEngine, you are obviously very knowledgeable about EHCNA/EHCPs; where will I find the legislation you have quoted, please?

@Branleuse seconding the advice not to deregister. I understand - God, do I understand - the urge, but you have more power to secure good support if the child is on roll, even if unable to attend. I have done it both ways and with my second, I kept on roll at all costs, for that reason.

@EmmatheStageRat The test for an EHCNA is s.36(8) of the CAFA 2014.

9.16 SENCOP also states “Local authorities must not apply a ‘blanket’ policy to particular groups of children or certain types of need, as this would prevent the consideration of a child’s or young person’s needs individually and on their merits.”

Branleuse my pp should say ”don’t deregister” rather than register.

@AReallyUsefulEngine , thanks so much for this information.

thanks for the advice not to deregister. I havent emailed the head to confirm it, but ive told the teacher that arranged the PT timetable that it wasnt working and that I was thinking to deregister, and ive had no contact since then. Not even latemarks or emails from attendance. Maybe I should leave it until I feel more able to deal with it. Im not taking her in though.

Branleuse email your LA’s Director of Children’s Services about the lack of medical needs tuition, as it is the LA with the responsibility to provide DD with an education, not the school. Long term DD should not be on a PT timetable anyway as they should be short term aimed at reintegration. If DD cannot attend school full time the LA should be making arrangements so she gets a full time education. Only if DD cannot access full time education in any form is part time appropriate and lawful.

I have emailed the pastoral guy at the school to say that i havent formally deregistered. Hes asked me in for a meeting. I need to think about it, as thats got my stress levels up today already.
Im autistic too, so without a clear plan or being in limbo makes me stressed, so its very tempting to just do the nuclear option, but ive done it before in year 5, and she only went back to mainstream for yr8, and now were in yr 9

@Branleuse at the end of year 8 I decided that DS was not back to his mainstream in September. The SENCO advised against deregistering him and suggested that I told them he was too (mentally) unwell to attend. At your meeting keep reiterating that she is too unwell to attend.

Hello, sorry if you have been asked this before. It's a bit personal so don't answer if u dont want to... I've always wanted to be an EP and did Psychology degree. In those days you did an EP masters after teaching. I'm a teacher now and then they changed the system. Now I have a house, young kids. I'm at the top of the scale in inner London and on a decent wage. I'm worried that when I qualify I would be earning a lot less than what I do plus less holidays. So basically my answer is, how much can a qualifying EP start off in in london? How much can I expect to earn in the years after qualifying ? I don't want to say, "how much do YOU earn?" But basically when I look at adverts it gives a range and then talks about honouring points and allowances etc and I don't understand what that means. I'm on about 50k at the moment for reference. Is it worth taking 3 years out to retrain ? Financially I mean. Many thanks.

@hastalavista, I am not the OP but as this is an old thread OP may not see it, so I thought I would reply.

First, you will have to do a three year doctorate. This is funded with a tax free bursary, currently £16,390 if your university is in London. In Years 2-3 you may be able to get a salaried training position, but these are rarer than they should be. If so, you will be paid on the Soulbury scale for Trainee Educational Psychologists.

Once qualified, if you work in a Local Authority then you will be paid on Scale A of the Soulbury scale. Pay ranges from points 1-6, 2-7, or 3-8. You will find it on the job advert. More services are offering 3-8 to try to attract candidates, as so many services are understaffed. Every September you will go up a point, until you reach the top of your range. (also, don't be afraid to negotiate your starting salary - you don't have to start at points 1, 2 or 3). There is a small London additional weighting.

Currently (we are waiting to find out what our Sept 2022 pay increase will be):

A1 = 38,865
A2 = 40, 838
A3 = 42, 811
A4 = 44,782
A5 = 46,755

You can Google to find out the full range, and what London weighting would be.

Once you get to the top of your A range, that's what you stay on (barring small ~1% yearly increases) unless/until you go for a promotion to a Senior EP role. Then you will be paid on Scale B of the Soulbury scale.

Finally, you can achieve up to three professional SPA points - each one of these is worth another step up the scale. Although there are guidelines for when in your career these are available and what you have to evidence, each LA sets its own rules. (for example, some services let you apply for SPA1 immediately upon graduation, some make you wait two years. Some let you apply for SPa1 and 2 at the same time, etc.) This is why Scale A goes up to point 11, because in theory you could get to the top of your pay scale (if employed on 3-8), and then have 3 SPA points, so 8+3 = 11.

Thank you so much xxx