How do I find a reputable child/educational psychologist?

[clumsymum]

Because DS has ongoing behavioural issues at school, which don't happen anywhere else. He has been seen (briefly) by the local education authority ed psych, but really that has gone nowhere. I feel like this year at school has just been marking time, both in terms of his behaviour and his academic development. He is in year 2, oldest in his year. His problem seems to be one of poor emotional development (so can still have age 3 type tantrums at school), altho he is very bright, and has intellectual ability well above his years. I just don't think he can cope in a large class full of children (believe me if moving to a smaller private school was an option, we would)

I so desperatly want to sort this out, for him as well as us, and before it all escalates to the point that he gets suspended or something. I want our own assessment so I can seek other options. I'm considering home ed, but fear that it might just lead to us never getting the problem solved, rather just managed in the short-term.

Any info welcome please

?

Ask for a referal from your GP?

Apparently not kitty, discussed that with him last time I was there.

I think you could try the British Psychologist's website which is WWW.bps.org.uk, to find an independent psychologist...it would be a child psychologist rather than an Ed psych I think, as I believe Ed psych's are by definition employed by local authorities; could be wrong though.

Good luck. I do hope there's someone who can identify how he could be helped.

If it comes to it, home educate if you can, I don't think you have to see it as avoiding the problem, it wouldn't be a failure on anyone's part.

clumsymum you can ask your gp to refer to a paediatrician who can in turn refer onwards to ed psych or whoever seems appropriate.

Hi I am an independent Ed. Psych.

In most authorities paediatricians cannot refer to EP's only referrals from schools are accepted. (that does vary)

The BPS website is the best place to start. Look at their list of chatered Ed Psychs, but not all will do private work.

Where abouts are you? I may know some one in your area?

Thanks Outraged,

We are in Nottingham. I assume it is an educational Psych we need, rather than a child psych?

There isn't any such thing as an actual Child psych. There are Clinical psychs who specialise in child psychology but they are officially Clinal Psych's.

I think you probably do need an EP as they speicialise in learning, behaviour and emotional issues for children and have knowledge of schools.

I know an independent EP in leicestshire area. But you may find one nearer on BPS (British Psychological Society) website.

let me know if you need any more info.

You can see we do not specialise in spelling

Cheers. I have found a likely looking chap in Retford, have left a message on his answering machine.

Hope that works out for you Clumsymum.

CLUMSY, you sound like you are in a very similar position to me. My son is in Y2 and has huge emotional and social issues. Ed psych no good here!
Contact school nurse and get a SPA referral to a school Peadiatrician who can assess for behavioural problems. My son has just been told he is on autistic spectrum with possibility of aspergers. Ed Psych is powerless really and always very busy!!!

BTW outraged i am in leicestershire. Who is it you know and waht exaclty do they assess?

Good to hear from you bonkerz.

This weekend I've been feeling like we are the only ones with this problem. Must be that We did something wrong when ds was tiny, or are we doing damage to him now?

It always seems that every other mum in the playground has such an easy time of it, I'm the only one spending an hour in the head's office every couple of weeks or so.

I know an independent EP out that way.

You are right though if you need a diagnosis then it's the paediatrician you need to go too. they will not be much good on recommendations for school and social issues though. An EP could assesslearning and behaviour issues and give recommendations to the school and parents.

If you have a good Autism outreach for schools in leicestershire though this will do the similiar things.

Also as you say an independent EP is actually powerless in enforce any resources or recommendations are implemented there are just that only recommedations.

Clumsymum,I've checked out this thread as I wsnt to know the same thing as you. Let me reasure you, you are not the only parent spending lots of time in the heads office! (and I'm a perfect parent )

Oh Lynette, that's 2 of us. I really am a perfect mother (except I spend a little too much time of MN).

If the behaviour doesn't happen anywhere other than at school-if you home educate him, then the problem will be solved surely?

Home educators whose children showed these sort of problems in school, found they were diminished or even disappeared completely when they home educate, as all the stress of schooling is taken away. This is certainly my experience.

There is a support list for parents who home educate children or are interested in home educating children with Special educational needs, that you may find helpful.
It can be found here.
www.he-special.org.uk/index.php

There are lost of people there who were in very similar positions to the one you find yourself in-all now resolved as they have removed school from the equation!

not always the answer though is it! Id love to home ed my DS unfortunately im not clever and im also needed to earn money!!! There isnt any financial support for mums who home ed is there?

No unfortunately I don't know of any extra income for moms who home educate.
I do know single parents who manage to home educate whilst on benefits-sometimes it has been necessary to give up jobs for the child's welfare.
Some work from home-some are even child minders, and some do part time jobs whilst others take care of the children for those few hours.
It is what most home educating families have in common-being chronically short of money!

As for you saying about not being clever- you can learn alongside your child!
You do not need to be a teacher-you have access to the greatest source of information -the Internet!
Together you can look up everything you could need to know.
I have seen this happen so often now-and very successfully.

Children taken away from the stress of school regain their interest in learning and can really make huge strides together with an interested parent!

But I don't know whether I could be happy in the long-term, spending 24/7 with ds (or he with me).

DH works away mon-fri, so ds and I really would be closely closeted together.

I'm interested by the challenge of home ed, but terrified by the consequences of getting it wrong (just like the rest of being a parent, I guess).

Lots of parents have worries about this at first.
Most home educators do not spend all the time at home at all!
Whereabouts do you live? it might be worth finding home educators in your area to find out what is going on locally. Here in Worcestershire, we have very frequent meetings, activities and workshops-the problem is often how to get time at home!
We have families with children of all ages, coming to meetings and arranging get-togethers. Children often spend time at each others home and parents get a break then.
Besides which it doesn't sound as though the school are meeting his needs or making him happy, at the moment does it?
When we removed our children from school we were worried about getting it wrong, but it had got to the stage where they were really very unhappy and we almost couldn't do any worse.

There are also many ways to home educate and many of us do not do any formal school type work at all.
As a family we only follow the children's interests and learn together about different things. We never do any workbooks or worksheets or any formal school work at all.
This morning for instance we have been planting out beans, tomatoes and cucumbers. We have talked about organic vs chemical fertilisers. We have looked at some of the natural wildlife in the garden and talked about water and energy conservation. Dd is now looking up 'green' websites on the Internet. All much more interesting than writing about it in school.
This type of informal education is very successful-our ds has returned to college post 16 and has been very successful at AS levels and is on target for very good results at A level.

Why not have a look at some HE websites?

www.education-otherwise.org/ The website of the largest HE organisation.

home-education.org.uk/ -Brilliant (imho) independent website.

www.he-special.org.uk/index.php For families who home educate children with special educational needs.

www.muddlepuddle.co.uk/ A website especially for parents who home educate children young children.

The above websites all have links to relevant home education Internet support groups, where you can get valuable support and information about home education in the UK.

home-ed.info/ is the other independent website that I would recommend.
Together all of these websites will lead you to everything you need to know about home education in the UK. All sorts of resources and information can be obtained for little cost from the Internet.

Then there is
www.infed.org/biblio/home-education.htm -an article that compares ?formal? and ?informal? home education styles written by a Dr Alan Thomas.

Julie, that does sound lovely. I'm really interested in Home Ed. would you be able to give a sort of quick at-a-glance list of your kids' week and what the shape of that is like?

As i say I am very interested in this but I often feel held back by how I think ds SO values his friends (he's only in reception so I have been quite surprised by how important the social side has been to him) he really seems to love being part of a little 'team' with them; would there be enough of this if he was educated at home I wonder. I know there are other home ed families but......

hello HonoriaGlossop
It is difficult to tell you a brief idea of our HE week as every day, every week is different!
Our children are teenagers so the days would have a different feel to one where the children are younger.
However if you would like a peek, you can find me blogging for a month at
www.he-special.org.uk/textpattern/index.php?s=by_ann . I blog as Ann there. Different families have blogged for a month at a time for the Home Education special needs page, so folks can see how HE works for families with different sorts of special needs.

There are other HE blogs you can look at too;
byothermeans.co.uk/
patchofpuddles.co.uk/
These will lead to links to other blogs if you want them

HE children get lots of time to socialise-if you read my blog you will see that.
They don't just get short bursts of playtime in the playground for 10-20 mins at a time. They can play for hours if they want to! My schooled nieces beg to be home educated because of our children's fantastic social life!

hth
I'm happy for you to contact me if you want more details-I am happy to talk about home education for as long as you want!

oh thank you for that Julie - sorry didn't get back before, somehow didn't have this thread watched. Am going to look up the stuff you mentioned and will be reading your blog with interest!

Have just been posting on a thread about starting our children at school at barely four and how my ds has had his difficulties with it, and with their (in my view) unrealistic expectations. Or even if not unlreastic, they are nothing to do with what I want for my ds. So it's in my mind as a little dream, HE.

Sorry for hijack, clumsy.