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Oxfordshire Educational Psychology Service

Policy on Educational Psychology Assessment

Reviewed April 2012


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Rationale • To provide a sound reference to all Educational Psychology Service staff • To inform new staff • To inform schools, parents, children and other professionals • For continuous improvement • To improve consistency • To refer back to when there are issues • To be overt and transparent • For accountability • To protect staff • To support the development of reflective practitioners

Background Context The Quality Standards for Educational Psychology Services (BPS – April 2006) recommends that Guidelines for Professional Practice within a Psychological Service should contain standards in relation to a written statement, a process and a management system. The Division of Educational and Child Psychology Professional Practice Guidelines (Jan 2002) provides the following guidance: When working with young people, educational psychologists should base assessments, intervention and advice offered on the fullest and most accurate information that is available. They should consult as widely as possible with other people who know the young person concerned within their limits with regard to confidentiality and consent. In assessment, educational psychologists should endeavour to use the means of communication which is the most accessible to the young person concerned, given his/her cultural background, preferred language and level of understanding. Educational psychologists should make assessment as objective as possible. They should also make clear the sources on which the assessment is based and make known the limitations of any assessment, for example: (a) If assessment is carried out outside the young person’s familiar surroundings in a

restricted sample of settings, generalisations should not be made from such observations to current or future learning and behaviour in school or in the home.

(b) Generalisations should also be restricted if assessment is not carried out in the young person’s first language or via a third party such as an interpreter.

Educational psychologists should: • Only use those forms of assessment in which they are competent and only when

these are judged to be in the young person’s best interests.


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• Present as full and objective an account as possible of information gathered. Others involved (eg parents) should be assisted in putting forward their own views. In any reporting of differences to a third party, the educational psychologist should make every effort to articulate these in an unbiased manner.

• Distinguish between reporting data or information and affecting possible interpretations.

• Convey information about the results of tests and assessments in a way which guards against misinterpretation and also assists with interpretation.

• Encourage the young person to participate in processes and decision-making as far as possible.

• Consider thoroughly the most easily reversible and least intrusive interventions before embarking on less easily reversible and more intrusive courses of action.

• Rigorously evaluate their involvement with young people, schools and families in order to review and modify intervention strategies.

The Charter Mark national standards for customer service set out criteria in relation to: • Setting standards and performing well • Actively engaging with customers, partners and staff • Being fair and accessible to everyone and promoting choice • Continuously developing and improving • Using resources effectively and imaginatively • Contributing to improving opportunities and quality of life in the community. The Review of the Functions and Contribution of Educational Psychologists in England and Wales in light of “Every Child Matters: Change for Children” (University of Manchester 2006) highlights the following implications and recommendations in relation to assessment: • The need to orientate work in relation to outcomes for children • In all areas of work educational psychologists should actively consider how their

work is contributing to meeting the five outcomes and this contribution should be recorded and communicated to other agencies including, if appropriate, parents/carers and the child.

• When responding to a particular request for educational psychology involvement, educational psychologists should clarify the specific nature of the work required and the psychological contribution they can offer.

• Educational psychologists should continue to have a key role in the statutory assessment of children with the most complex needs.

Definition Educational Psychology assessment is an interactive process which looks at the whole child and is carried out in order to effect positive change for children and young people and the systems in which they operate in terms of the Every Child Matters outcomes.


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Assessment involves: working in partnership with key people; in being clear about the questions which need to be answered; systematically gathering information over time and from a variety of contexts; and interpreting the information and generating a range of hypotheses embedded in psychological theory in order to develop interventions derived from evidence based practice. Principles of Assessment All educational psychology assessments • Conform to the British Psychological Society Code of Conduct and Ethical

Principles and Guidelines. • At least do no harm to the child and to the others involved with the child. • Promote equal opportunities and are sensitive to the gender, ethnic, linguistic

and cultural background of the child and family as well as to the emotional and developmental levels of the child.

• Are carried out impartially. • Are aimed at achieving positive outcomes for children, young people and

families. • Are carried out within a consultation (joint problem solving/solution focused)

framework. • Consider the whole child, over time and in relation to different contexts. • Are intended to generate an understanding of what is happening and what

can be done to make a difference to the situation, by exploring a range of hypotheses.

• Are carried out within a multi-agency context, where clarity has been reached about the distinct role of the educational psychologists within this.

• Begin with the least intrusive form of information gathering. • Incorporate the child’s understanding of his or her world, actively involve the

parents/carers and draw on the views of other professionals within a climate of open communication.

• Actively seek to use information from a range of sources. • Use assessment approaches and methods which draw on psychological

theory and research and which are specifically geared towards answering the questions which are being asked.

• Are carried out using approaches and methods within the educational psychologist’s professional competence.

• Are recorded clearly and sensitively and in a way which guards against misinterpretation and which best informs future practice.

• Are continually informed by supervision, continued professional development, service development and consultation with educational psychologists with special responsibility, as appropriate.

• Are evaluated in order to inform future practice.


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Quality Standards It is expected that before an educational psychology assessment has been carried out: • A Joint Agreement form will have been completed and signed by the school

and parents. • There will have been a discussion about the questions to be answered which

will help inform the nature of the assessment to be carried out. An educational psychology assessment may involve: • Consultations, observations and/or direct work with the child or young person

It should incorporate: • The views of the child, or young person, parent(s), appropriate staff and other

professionals involved and should provide an educational psychology synthesis of the information available

And should result in • A clear action plan. • A record of involvement being distributed within 3 weeks, using the service

proformas Exceptions: When assessments are specifically commissioned by the local authority (eg for the purposes of statutory assessment and tribunals), it is expected that the educational psychology assessments are carried out to the standards set out in statute and/or by Oxfordshire County Council. In the case of looked after children, Educational Psychologists are expected to seek consent from the Social Worker to contact the most appropriate key adults. Further guidance is currently being developed. The assessment work of Trainee Educational Psychologists should always be supervised by a fully qualified Educational Psychologist and all written records used to be countersigned by the supervising Educational Psychologist. Performance Review The systems will be monitored and developed through: • Peer supervision • Regular 1 to 1s with line managers • The appraisal process • Management of case and school files


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References • Association of Educational Psychologists; Guidance to Educational Psychologists in

Preparing Statutory Advice to Children’s Services Authorities (February 2004 - revised 2009)

• Charter Mark – Cabinet Office • DECP Professional Practice Guidelines January 2002 • DFES SEN Toolkit, Section 8; Guidelines for Writing Advice • Guidelines for the completion of Psychological Advice Oxfordshire County Council

September 2011 • Hampshire CC Guidelines on the Psychological Assessment of Children and Young

People with Special Educational Needs May 1997 • Psychological Assessment: A change of emphasis – Frederickson, Webster & Wright

– Educational Psychology in Practice – Vol 7, No 1, April 91. • Quality Standards for Educational Psychological Services - Division of Education and

Child Psychology BPS April 2006 • Review of the Function and Contribution of EPs in England & Wales in the light of

“Every Child Matters: Change for Children” DfES 2006

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