Learning, behaviour and development

Our service

We employ Educational Psychologists who direct their applied psychology training to the educational system and the inclusion of all young people in their community. Educational Psychologists are concerned with children and young people's learning, wellbeing and development.

The service focuses on:

• young people with additional educational needs
• children in public care
• early years

and seeks to:

• contribute to the raising of achievements of all young people particularly those with Additional Educational Needs
• provide support in dealing with crisis and/or critical incidents
• provide support for schools causing concern and those with significant development needs

by:

• using a range or psychological and educational assessment and intervention methods.

Our committment to you

Qualified practitioners

All Educational Psychologists employed in Kent by the Local Authority are fully qualified, with a degree in Psychology (or equivalent, as recognised by the British Psychology Society (BPS)) with teaching experience and post-graduate qualification in Educational Psychology. Registration for Chartered status with the BPS is encouraged, as soon as the criteria for eligibility is achieved. Our practice aligns with the BPS Code of Conduct and the Quality Standards guidance published by the Division of Education and Child Psychology (DECP).

Customer service

The Service will monitor its activities against the following customer service standards. We will:

• appropriately respect confidentiality with due regard for all relevant legislation and national guidance, e.g. Children Act 1989, Working Together 1999
• provide relevant information to all service users.

We aim to:

• provide initial responses to messages left by telephone within two working days. (Service staff spend a high proportion of time in schools so offices are not always staffed. Consequently not all telephone calls can be answered and answer-machines are used)
• respond to all letters and e-mails within four working days
• provide initial responses to complaints within seven days. When further investigations are required we will normally complete them within 28 days or advise at least why they will take longer
• complete 90% of statutory advice within six weeks
• provide feedback in the most appropriate form to clients within 15 working days of completion of a piece of work.