Need an educational psychologist

[Wiredmum]

can anyone give me details of an educational psychologist my son needs an urgent assessment ?? Ideally not extortionate

I'm following as we need one too

Where are you based?

Two that have been recommended to me this week (waiting lists) are Dr Paul Kelly and Dr Leanne Short.

London but I’ll travel to France if I need too I’ve been quoted £3000 for a london one might as well buy a plane ticket to Glasgow to see one cheaper at least I get a day out 🤭

Any idea on cost ? How long is the wait ? Where about are they ?

Can't help, I couldn't get any of them to return my calls. Just so you know you're not alone.

Assume you've tried the lea psychologist.

An Ed Psych assessment is £900 at this place in Pimlico OP. www.fairleyhouse.org.uk/fairley-house-assessment-clinic/

As well as the 2 already mentioned you could try Siobhan Aubin, Patsy Kershaw, Mike Hymans, Jemma Levy and Marina Gouzouli-Allen. All will have long waiting lists - several months, but cancellations do occur when cases are settled.

It’s important to be clear what you want and need from the assessment. If, for example, this is for an EHCP or potentially for an EHCP you need a Tribunal standard assessment which is more comprehensive and costs more.

What is your aim for an EP? To get into a specialist school?

we waited 6 months for one and cost £1200 but the person was prepared to go to tribunal ….. as not all of them will …..

And to go to tribunal was additional cost on top which was of a similar amount plus extras …..

Use the Facebook page not fine in school for help and support

Hi there at this stage the report will just be added to my request for an EHCP plan as he has nothing in place at school. The school is struggling to meet his needs they don’t have enough funding and are really stretched, he needs a couple of hours one2one a few times a week he’s teaching are saying to access the curriculum but they can’t get any assessments as long waiting lists in place and Cahms has an 18 month wait . He is in mainstream

In which case you need a Tribunal standard assessment and report, which isn’t cheap and will have a long wait.

However, you don’t need an independent EP report in order to apply for an EHCNA.

An EP assessment will be part of the EHCNA, and unless money is no issue it might be worth waiting because if you have to appeal you may think the LA EP assessment will be OK but need SALT and OT. And if you have to appeal by the time you get to a hearing a report written now may well be considered out of date. It used to be taken that an assessment was considered up to date for around 2 years, but over the last few years that has changed and SENDIST have considered reports much younger out of date.

I think I’m completely out of date, with my eldest sons now 15 all I needed was to get a ehcp and salt report apply for a ehcp (is that the same as an EHCNA ?) and the local Authority Just did just has a session with a pediatrician and I got a plan a few weeks after 😣

I can’t wait 2 years which is the average wait in my area for my son to have something in place

money is an issue as with many during this period but I’ll have to just go and get it rather then watch my son struggle 🤷‍♀️

The EHCNA is the needs assessment prior to the LA deciding whether to issue an EHCP or not. It’s what you initially request. An EP assessment and SALT report have never been necessary in order to apply for an EHCNA as they are part of the needs assessment if the LA agree to assess.

The initial threshold you need to reach for an EHCNA is relatively low - a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP.

I can’t wait 2 years which is the average wait in my area for my son to have something in place

Unless you need to appeal, which unfortunately many do, the process takes 20 weeks. This is a statutory timescale and you can enforce it if the LA breach.

money is an issue as with many during this period but I’ll have to just go and get it rather then watch my son struggle

You really don’t at this point. If you need to appeal that is the time to look at independent assessments and you may be eligible for legal aid, and if you aren’t there are charities that can sometimes help fund assessments.

Thanks so much for clarifying everything ! Your awesome !

I still think I would rather have a private EHCNA then, I used a private EP, SaLT and OP before I feel because I had such thorough reports the application for a EHCP was quite smooth and quick it helped one in special school and the other in mainstream the report seemed more thorough it reflected my boys needs so well unfortunately the EP retired I have emailed a total of 27 EPs and 4 have replied saying they can’t do it full.

also won’t the EHCNA take long? Or is the 20 weeks for both ?

sorry for the questions

You can’t have a private EHCNA - that is an LA process linked to the EHCP. The whole process from applying for an EHCNA to finalised EHCP is 20 weeks, if you don’t have to appeal. Everyone who has an EHCP has an EHCNA. Even if you get an independent EP, SALT and OT reports DS will still have an EHCNA and the LA are likely to do their own assessments anyway.

Independent reports are likely to be more detailed, specific and quantified, but if you do them before applying for an EHCNA you will delay the process (by months due to the waiting lists) and may have to appeal anyway, and by the time you get to a hearing the reports may be out of date.

ahhh ok that makes sense but won’t reports stand for 12months an EP report should still be taken into consideration, and at least I’ll have something the school can go by whilst waiting for the process, my son is totally struggling in the new school and the teachers bless them nice as they are have nothing to go on so at least it would give them some direction.

on my boroughs website it says when applying for a ehcp is recommended I provide support documents

Requesting an EHC needs assessment
To assist the panel in making an informed decision, it is important that the panel are presented with not only the basic information about the child or young person but also have supporting documents that are current and reflective of their current learning status.
Only evidence of the last two to three terms of support needs to be provided with age equivalents where possible.

Supporting Documents (if available)

1. Educational Psychology Report – not more than 6- 12 months old.

This will enable the panel to understand the current educational needs and their present attainment levels. For under 5’s reports should not be older than 6 months.

1. Speech and Language Therapy Report -

this report should not be more than 6-12 months old and will provide the panel with an understanding of the communication needs of the child or young person and how it impacts on their access to the curriculum. For under 5’s reports should not be older than 6 months.

1. Child/Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)/Community Paediatrician Report.

This report will provide the panel with information about any formal diagnosis, medication or ongoing health need that will enable the panel to marry this up with their educational goals and challenges.

1. SEND Support Plan.

The support plan will enable us to understand the needs of the child and young person and it should set out clearly how the current learning/medical challenge is impacting on the learning goals; the interventions in place and the progress the child is making against these interventions.

im assuming by providing these for them it would be more straight forward and less time consuming

Thanks Leanne has said she’s full so still waiting to see who’s available 😣

I feel you !! 27 emails send 5 rejection no capacity

omg I’m kicking myself for not taking on a psychology degree ! Was much easier then chemistry and higher paid then lab work ouch is be rich

It used to be the case that reports up to 2 years old were considered up to date, but as I posted in my pp over the last few years that has changed and SENDIST now consider reports much younger out of date. I know several cases where reports 6-12 months have been considered out of date - and i know others know of other cases too.

on my boroughs website it says when applying for a ehcp is recommended I provide support documents

LAs like to think a lot of things apply and often have unlawful policies, but the only lawful threshold is a) has or may have SEN, and b) may need SEN provision to be made via an EHCP. The LA can not require EP/SALT/OT assessments prior to application, nor 2 or 3 cycles of assess/plan/do/review or 2+ years behind or school already spending £6k or any other unlawful nonsense like that. Support documents don’t have to be EP/SALT/OT reports. It can be evidence from school etc.

im assuming by providing these for them it would be more straight forward and less time consuming

I wouldn’t count on that. Many LAs routinely refuse to assess regardless of what evidence is provided.

While going through the EHCP process the school can apply for high needs top up funding if they need additional funding to provide more support.

Hannah Morris www.edpsych4kids.com
Hannah assessed my DS and I would recommend her as she really saw my sons needs.

Ouch 😳 tough road ahead 😖

Thanks you so so so much for this !!!!
Did you have your assessment carried out recently any idea of costs ?

OP - which county you in?
how old is your son?
have you set up a meeting with yourself and the senco / form teacher at your school?
Is it just particular lessons your child is struggling in eg maths etc? Or is it a quite a few?

You should not wait and apply for the EHCP yourself. There is a template letter which you can send off.

Do you believe your son has Sen? Have you half identified it yourself?

What I mean is if (I have no idea on your son) but if you think ASD or adhd etc - you would be better off spending your money on getting a diagnosis of your son rather than paying out for salt / ot / etc …… generally speaking all private people are rammed and you will be waiting months anyways.

Good luck but also consider if it was just a hr here or there for maths - could you go through the topics? Get a tutor for a short term.

These EHCP take forever hope your aren’t in a rubbish sen county. Some areas are better than others.

good luck