Ed psyche parental involvement

jordiekayec

If a local authority education psychologist has been requested by the school to assess my child, do I have the right to speak with ED aswell as the school ? 

I find it odd I haven’t been allowed to as he’s my child and I can provide a bigger picture of him to add to that the school has given. 

Rosie_Scope

Hi @jordiekayec, welcome to the community. I'm afraid I don't know much about this, but I wanted to say hello and welcome anyway. Hopefully some of our members have been through something similar and can offer some better advice than I can

Have your school specifically said you can't have any contact with the educational psychologist?

MW123

@jordiekayec

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, parents have a right to be involved in the process of assessing their child's special educational needs. This includes the right to communicate with the educational psychologist  who is assessing their child, as well as with the school.
There is nothing preventing you from contacting the EP directly to discuss your child’s needs or to ask questions about the assessment. If you feel that sharing additional information about your child could be helpful, it is reasonable to request a meeting or a conversation with the EP.

jordiekayec

MW123 said:

@jordiekayec

Under the Children and Families Act 2014, parents have a right to be involved in the process of assessing their child's special educational needs. This includes the right to communicate with the educational psychologist  who is assessing their child, as well as with the school.
There is nothing preventing you from contacting the EP directly to discuss your child’s needs or to ask questions about the assessment. If you feel that sharing additional information about your child could be helpful, it is reasonable to request a meeting or a conversation with the EP.

Thankyou for your response I tried to read this policy myself but I’m so overwhelmed at the moment in life I just couldn’t take it in properly. I will be requesting to speak with them. 

Yes the school told me that there would be no involvement from the parents necessary hit it hasn’t sat right with me so will contend that and hopefully get to speak before the report is done. I worry the school won’t give a full insight that could make things harder in the future if my sons Behaviour escalates/ gets a diagnosis 

MW123

@jordiekayec

As a parent, your involvement is not only a legal right, but also essential for ensuring a comprehensive and accurate assessment of your child's needs.

The unique insights and information you have about your child's medical history, behavioural patterns at home, and developmental milestones can be invaluable to the educational psychologist conducting the assessment. Without your input, the assessment may be incomplete, leading to the risk of your child not receiving the appropriate support and interventions they require.

I would encourage you to firmly, yet politely, insist on your right to be involved in the process. Refer to the Children and Families Act 2014 and explain that the law gives you the right to communicate directly with the educational psychologist. Request a meeting or a conversation with the EP to provide any additional information that could be helpful.

It's very important to frame your involvement as a collaborative process, rather than an adversarial one. Assure the school that your goal is the same as theirs,  to get your child the best possible support. By working together, you can ensure a thorough and accurate assessment, which will ultimately benefit your child's educational and developmental needs.