Educational Development:
Services for Parents

The Educational Psychology Service (EPS) works with children and young people, parents and carers, families and educational settings to address issues and concerns regarding cognition and learning, communication and interaction, physical or sensory development and social, emotional or mental health needs. 

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Our highly qualified and experienced Educational Psychologists can work at the level of the individual child or young person, or at a wider organisational level.

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The team also offers consultancy support to educational settings in their work with SEMH provision in relation to the whole school.

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Full details of our EPS service are outlined in the brochure available below. Please note that Educational Psychology services provided in-clinic are delivered at our TCT Ashley Cross site.

Families often approach us with concerns about their young children’s progress as they begin or get ready to transition into school., or they have transitioned into school but are struggling with some developmental areas that need addressing.

Cathy Darby has had great success with this service. Both schools and parents have
welcomed her ideas, strategies and interventions.

Cathy can offer her support in a ‘pick and mix’ style and will cover areas such as:

 

• Phonics and reading development. 

• Maths support.

• Low-level anxiety/worries.

• Low confidence and self-esteem.

• Supporting children in building/maintaining and making new friendships.

• Social communication support/understanding emotions.

• Fine motor skills such as early handwriting

• Bereavement and loss.

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Full details of our Early Years Pick & Mix service are outlined in the brochure available below.​

Emotional Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA) is offered by our Educational Psychology Team. This is a consultation and support service bespoke for TCT. It is specifically tailored to children and young people who are struggling to access education.

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EBSNA, also known as Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA), is a positive and supportive service to help schools and families develop strategies to help children and young people access education in a way that they can feel successful. 

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It is delivered by Dr Vicky Mullan BSc (Hons) PGCE DEdPsych - Educational Psychologist. She qualified as a secondary school science teacher in 2015 before studying to become an Educational Psychologist at the University of Southampton in 2017. 

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Full details of the EBSNA service are outlined in the brochure below, and a blog on EBSA can be found here too.​

The Social Communication Specialist Service is delivered by Helen Riggs, an experienced ASD therapist with over 20 years of expertise. As a Level 3 Specialist Teaching Assistant with a specialist interest in speech and language support, Helen has worked extensively with children both at home and in school settings.

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Early in her career, she trained as a 1:1 therapist for children on the Autism Spectrum, where much of her expertise lies. Alongside this, she has valuable experience supporting children with visual, hearing, and cognitive impairments, as well as those with Developmental Language Disorder (DLD).

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Helen is passionate about helping children overcome barriers to learning and socialising. She provides them with the tools and confidence needed to navigate communication challenges, enabling them to feel more at ease in different social situations.

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For full details, download the brochure below.

Receiving a neurodivergent diagnosis for a child can bring a mix of emotions—relief, uncertainty, or a sense of responsibility. While the diagnosis doesn’t change who they are, it provides parents and caregivers with a clearer path to offering the right support.

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This service provides parents with the knowledge to understand the diagnosis, recognise their child’s unique strengths and challenges, and become confident advocates for their child’s development. Every child is different, and support is tailored to their individual needs.

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Key areas we can offer help with include identifying strengths and areas needing support, as well as social communication and friendship skills. In addition, we can offer support in specific areas such as building relationships with peers, teachers, and siblings, developing cooperation and teamwork, and learning how to share and take turns. We also work on understanding and managing emotions, building self-confidence, following instructions and rules, encouraging positive behaviour, asking for help and self-advocacy, and supporting transitions from preferred activities.

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For full details, download the brochure below.

We often hear from parents that they worry about their child’s handwriting, and how it will affect them as they progress through their educational journey. If handwriting is messy or difficult, the immediate response is often to get the young person practice their handwriting – the very thing they hate. So 6 for 6 avoids the need to practice handwriting and instead uses an approach which addresses the ‘bigger picture’.

 

We will always say that the young person has got to want to improve their writing themselves, it cannot be parent led, otherwise they are unlikely to commit and stick to the 6 week programme. They will need some support and encouragement.

 

The programme is designed to achieve other wins too!  So why not get the whole family involve and not only will your son/daughter improve their writing but you will all feel stronger and fitter too!