Educational Psychologists (EPs) have been trained to understand the factors that affect how children behave and learn.

• we work with children and young people, parents and the adults that you know well at home and in school
• we visit and work with your school.
• we share ideas about learning and teaching.
• we work with schools to help children and young people do the very best they can.
• we work with you and with the adults who know you to find out what is helping at school and what is getting in the way of you doing well in school and plan approaches that could make things better.

These are some common things that schools ask us to help them support pupils with:

• feeling upset and angry about things
• finding school work hard
• not getting on with your friends
• getting into trouble at school
• feeling unhappy at school or at home.

• we might spend time listening to you and talking to you about what you are thinking and feeling
• we might come in to your school or classroom to see how you learn
• we might look at your schoolwork and talk to you or adults who know you well to find out the things you are good at and what you find hard
• we might use questionaaires and activities to help us understand why some things are harder
• we may have meetings to talk with other adults who help young people. We help the school make plans to help you.

The EP might also have a meeting with you, your parent/carer, teacher and other adults that you know best to find out more about you, what is going well and listen to any concerns or questions. At this meeting everyone thinks of ways to help and we come up with a plan to make things better for you in school. We might meet again later to see how the plan is working.

Can I have my say?

We would like you to come to your meeting if you’d like to. We will help you to have your say and share your ideas. If you are worried about talking about your views you might like to share your ideas in other ways for example; writing them down, drawing, taping or videoing.

What happens after the meeting?

The plan from the meeting will usually be sent to everyone who comes to your meeting. Copies may be sent to other adults who are working with you but could not attend the meeting.

Q. “An Educational Psychologist is coming to see me at school. What will happen?”

A. If an Educational Psychologist (EP) is asked to help, they may:

• chat to you and your family at home, or meet you in school
• talk to people who know you well
• spend time in your class
• talk to you about yourself and find out what you like and what you don’t like
• do thinking games, activities and puzzles with you to see what helps you to learn and to see how you go about things
• come to a meeting about you to talk about how to make things better for you in school

Q. “How do Educational Psychologists make sure that I am involved in any recommendations that are made about helping me in school?”

A. The EP will listen to your opinion and always try to include you in finding ways forward. The EP will often prepare some written information recording everyone’s opinion and suggestions about what might happen next. The school and your parents / carers will be given a copy and you can ask to have a copy too.

You can ask people in your school, your teacher, head teacher, pastoral staff or another adult.

You can contact the Educational Psychology team.

Please help us to make our work with children and young people better by telling us what you think. Please click on the link to our pupil feedback form.

What children and young people have told us:

“She understood me”

“She made it clear she wanted to help me.”

“The EP always interacted well with her, putting her at ease.”

Activities

Cosmic Kids have many fantastic videos to calm or energise you.

The Teen Yoga Foundation promotes the well-being of teens through therapeutic yoga. Visit their YouTube channel or their Facebook page

Useful Links

Up in Poole

Advice and support for young people in Poole

Preparing for Adulthood

The Preparing for Adulthood service is available to you when you reach 14 and you have care and support needs that require support from Adult Social Care.

YoungMinds

The UK’s leading charity fighting for children and young people's mental health.

Kooth

Online mental health support service for children and young people.

Thinkuknow

Information and advice about keeping children and young people safe online.

Childline

Private help anytime on the phone, in a text, online chat or email, from a person who will help with problems and make sure you can be safe.

See Me

Young People section gives helpful information about all kinds of mental health and wellbeing questions.