I'm an educational psychologist AMA

[thisisasurvivor]

Hello all

LA EP here

Ask me anything

Hello! I’m a teacher (deputy head) looking at a career change to EP. It would involve 2 years doing the conversion course (I can’t afford to completely quit my job) and then applying for the doctorate. I’m currently 47 and excited about the possibilities, but wondering if at my age I would actually get a place. Do you have any advice for me? Thanks!

Amazing good for you !!

Course you can

On my course we ranged from 25 to 65

All range of experience

The interview is hard so do not be disappointed if you need to apply again as it can be hard to get through first time round

Love my job so much
Def worth it 🙏🙏🙏❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

@Bananagram24 also ask your school EP if you can observe them for a while one day or if they can help you with some shadowing time elsewhere

Good to have this for your application form

How do you manage the frustration of recommending actions based on your knowledge and expertise, only for the LA to completely ignore it to save money?

E.g. recommending OT or specialist provision and council name a mainstream school and refuse to fund OT.

(Primary teacher feeling incredibly frustrated with council ignoring need. It is was not physically possible to do my job with my class last year because of such high SEN need and a ridiculously obstructive council)

Thank you so much! One more question, if I may: do I have to wait until I have fully completed the conversion course to apply for the doctorate? So if I did the course Sept-24 until June-26 I could only apply in Sept-26 and I’d have to wait another year to start (if I got a place)? This seems to be what the AEP website suggests but it also seems a bit mad!

What are your thoughts on assessing children who claim to be ‘born in the wrong body’, particularly autistic girls?

I have not come across many cases so far as they are usually referred to a colleague who has done extra training

This comes across as some sort of weird advert.

Controversial question but is the rise of neurodiverse and adhd asd diagnosis due to social contagion or other reasons?

I finished the MSc Psych conversion last year, fully intending to apply for the DEdPsy. However, none of the courses are remotely near me, so I'm basically unable to travel to them. Were you living near your nearest course, or did you have a long commute?

I'm going down the SENDCo route instead; I still really enjoy being in the classroom (after 20 years!!).

I would apply any way

They may just say yes come in for interview and if successful it will depend on you completing conversion course

I moved for my course

Best thing I ever did

Not sure I fully understand the question
Sorry

Ah okay, I can't move (eldest DS is AuDHD and moving to nice secondary in September). I guess it's not a good option for those with families?

Such a good question

The system is in such a mess

And what can I do but put as much energy and consideration into my ehc needs assessments and hope panel will listen

Highly frustrating.

So here is the thing

I was in London
We had a lady from Galway with kids who used to fly over for three days a week for classes
She did her placement in Ireland for years 2 and 3

She had to fly over for 2 days a month then for the second and third year of the doctorate

Hard but she did amazing

Does it bother you having to write vague and wooly reports and testifying against parents in a tribunal when surely you know it’s not in the best interests of the child under the remit of the LA?

Do you mind if I ask if train or driving for the first year is an option?

I don't write vague and wooly reports

Never would
How could I stand up for that in a tribunal ?

@thisisasurvivor Wow, that's incredible! Maybe when the boys are a bit older I can think about applying again.

Go for it

The course is fascinating
You meet so many great people

Love my job and feel so honoured to do it

I am lucky that I can do 2-3 cases of remote case work too per month and they are paying 1300 per case so has helped so much as a single mother trying to juggle a lot of bills

@thisisasurvivor

I could get to the London universities at a stretch, but it would be a financial impossibility (DH not earning currently). I haven't completely ruled it out. I think the SENDCo role will strengthen my eventual application.

Sorry to slightly hijack but thought you might be interested in my experience... did the conversion part time, was tough going but doable. Love the job! But take a careful look at EP salaries before you commit, it may be a significant cut going from deputy head pay to EP pay scale. I'm earning waaaaay less than my old UPS3!

You are unusual I have never seen a specific and quantified LA report that is why so many parents spend thousands on Independent reports and engage the Ed Psych as a tribunal witness….

Lets not sugar coat it the LA Ed Psych at my DS tribunal was there to defend the LA to save them money downplaying needs.

Yes it absolutely will

And you don't want to be so stressed that you can not manage the workload