Educational Psychology

Who are we?

We are a team of Educational Psychologists working for the Local Authority.  We offer a comprehensive psychology service for children, young people and their families.  We work with educational settings, health and social care partners and other organisations as part of Gloucestershire's graduated SEND pathway. Click here to visit our website

As educational psychologists, we use our knowledge of psychology, child development and social interaction to promote young people's development, learning and well-being (0 - 25 years).  We are a highly qualified team linked closely with local university training providers offering research work and training in a variety of evidence-based approaches.

The service has four locally based area teams (Gloucester, Cheltenham, Forest of Dean, Stroud) which work closely with the Advisory Teaching Service.  There are 24 (FTE) Educational Psychologists employed by the Local Authority to deliver both statutory and non-statutory work.   The service provides training placements for up to 8 doctoral trainees (Year 2 and 3).

All staff working for Gloucestershire Educational Psychology Service who have contact with children have had the appropriate Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS formerly CRB) Check. All Educational Psychologists are members of the Health Care Professionals Council (HCPC).

What do we do?

We work in a variety of ways including:

• consulting with children and young people
• consulting with families, teachers and other professionals
• providing advice and strategies to help facilitate positive change
• contributing to SEND support plans and reviews
• assessment of children and young people's learning, social and emotional needs
• working therapeutically with children, young people and families
• providing accredited therapeutic supervision in CBT
• providing training in evidence based approaches (including accredited Therapeutic Story Writing, CBT, Solution Focussed Approaches, Nurture Groups).
• providing psychological advice as part of Education, Health and Care Needs assessments
  contributing to schools' inclusive practise including policy reviews and broader development work
• providing supervision for doctoral trainees, educational staff and other professionals
• high quality evaluation, research and project work

Requesting Educational Psychologist Involvement

Gloucestershire Educational Psychology Service operates as a partially traded service.  All statutory work for the Local Authority is part of the core service delivery offer which also includes support for Critical incidents, a consultation service for pre-school children and children in care.  All other work is purchased through an annual subscription.  Annual Subscriptions for Educational Psychology Service involvement can be purchased through http://www.businesssupportservices.org/ or by contacting Sharon Vidal sharon.vidal@gloucestershire.gov.uk

All educational settings have a named educational psychologist who can be contacted through their local office. If you would like EP involvement, please download, complete and return our form. 

Information for Parents and Carers - Parent's Leaflet

Our Parents leaflet has more information about the service we offer. The local offer is also a useful source of information.

Educational Psychology Service Training

Details about all of the training courses the Educational Psychology Service run as well as the interventions that our educational psychologists can deliver directly with children and young people.

Traumatic Events

Guidance for school staff and parents on how to support a child or young person who has experienced a traumatic event. 

Video Interaction Guidance (VIG)  poster 

• Do you know families that want or need help with their relationships?
• Do you have staff that want to develop their communication skills, in an empowering and supportive way?
• Do you want an evidence-based, strengths-focused intervention?

Then VIG could be for you!

What is VIG?

VIG is a really positive approach that uses video to help people understand and improve communication, building happy, healthy and trusting relationships. It can help people recognise their strengths, and discover new skills, by helping them do more of the things they are doing well – just focusing and building on the positives.

Want to know more? Talk with your school’s GCC Educational Psychologist

or email vig@gloucestershire.gov.uk

Therapeutic Storywriting

This 3 day course is primarily aimed at KS1 & KS2. It is for SENCos, SEN teachers, learning mentors, teaching assistants, school counsellors and educational psychologists supporting pupils with behavioural emotional and social difficulties.

Gloucestershire dates: Mondays 7 Oct, 4 Nov & 2 Dec 2019