Mission Statement

To use the skills, knowledge and research methodology of applied psychology to support the departmental vision:

“Striving for Excellence: Raising hope, aspirations and achievement for children, young people and their families ”

Educational psychologists will focus their work on supporting progress towards the five outcome areas as detailed within the Every Child matters framework, as follows:

Being Healthy

Within this ‘outcome' area, educational psychologists in Middlesbrough focus both on the emotional health of children and their families, and on physical health, the two being closely interrelated.

Examples of work at individual, group and systems level include the following:

  • Joint school/family consultation meetings , focussing on social, emotional and behavioural issues for individual children.
  • Leadership in relation to the LOSSS project, which has produced materials to support professional, parents and carers, and children, in relation to loss, bereavement, trauma and illness.
  • Authorship to the ‘SPARC' project (activities to promote emotional health, 0 – 6 years.
  • Staff training on techniques such as ‘Circles of Friends ' (to support the inclusion of pupils with social, emotional and learning difficulties)
  • Leadership of an innovative project, SPACE , designed to produce resources to promote motor skill development

Staying Safe

Within this outcome area, educational psychologists in Middlesbrough have made a number of contributions, at individual, group and systems level.

Some examples are provided below:

  • Consultation meetings where the needs of children or families with substance abuse issues are considered.
  • Work with groups of pupils on anger management.
  • Staff training on approaches to social support, including Peer Mentoring

Enjoying and Achieving

Within this outcome area, educational psychologists in Middlesbrough have focussed on encouraging regular school attendance, on achieving academic success and enjoying the social aspects of school.

Examples of recent work include :

  • Joint school/family consultations focussing on support for learning, through I.E.P.s and support at home
  • Consultations with teaching assistants on strategies/interventions to promote retention
  • INSET on Memory
  • Instigating Approaches such as ‘Direct Phonics ' (a Wave 3 strategy to improve literacy)
  • Staff training in relation to the impact of ‘Social Stories' (which can help children with autism, or other social communication difficulties, manage the expectations of school)

Making a Positive Contribution

Within this outcome area, educational psychologists in Middlesbrough concentrate on approaches to improving communication, both verbal and non-verbal.

Examples of recent work include the following:

  • A consultation meeting focussing on improving social skill interaction for a pupil showing inappropriate, aggressive behaviour towards adults
  • Support for an educational psychologist in developing a specialism in relation to hearing impaired pupils, and also acquiring an advanced qualification in British Sign Language
  • Involvement in a “Participation' Working Party, set up to increase and improve on consultation with service users
  • The identification of specialisms in Early Y ears, LAC and Asylum Seekers

Achieving Economic Well-being

Within this outcome area Middlesbrough Educational Psychologists have made a contribution at all levels, focussing on:

Developing the foundation skills to ensure cumulative progress, both social and academic

Supporting vulnerable groups, especially over transition periods

Examples include:

  • Involvement in ‘annual review' and ‘ transitional review' planning meetings
  • Protected time from all educational psychology team members for Looked After Children, at times of particular stress or crisis, and to establish appropriate  school  provision
  • Management of the ‘LOSSS' project , which has produced resources to support children, families and professionals through loss, trauma, bereavement and illness