Private Educational Psychologist

PurpleDiamond

Hello all.

I’m considering arranging a private Educational Psychologist assessment for my child, to better understand her educational needs and what support or provision may be most appropriate for her.

This would be the first time I have gone privately for this type of assessment, so I would be very grateful to hear from anyone who has been through this process.

If you have used a private Educational Psychologist for your child or young person, would you be willing to share your experience? I would especially appreciate any advice on what to look for, what questions to ask before booking, and whether there are any pitfalls or things you wish you had known beforehand.

I would also be interested to know whether the report was helpful in practical terms — for example, with school, the local authority, an EHCP review, or understanding your child’s needs more clearly.

If anyone has any recommendations, particularly for someone experienced with children with significant learning disabilities, autism, anxiety, or complex SEND needs, I would be very grateful.

Thank you in advance to anyone willing to share their experience or advice.

Mary_Scope

Hi @PurpleDiamond

The biggest thing when looking for a private Educational Psychologist is making sure they are registered with the The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) because if they aren't then local authorities and potential tribunals won't take into consideration the report.

It's really helpful to find out about the EP's specific experience with the Local Authority and First-tier Tribunal process and make sure they know how to write using the precise, legally binding language required for EHCPs.

This part is really important as the report and recommendations needs to be as specific and tailored as possible for your daughter. Legally, an EHCP requires provisions to be quantified and qualified so for example, a report written with things like "[your daughters name] requires 30 minutes of 1:1 intervention, 3 times a week, delivered by a trained Teaching Assistant" rather than "[your daughters name] would benefit from small group work".

• Therefore, it's really good to ask something like "wiill your report provide specific, quantified recommendations?" As private assessments can cost quite a large amount of money, it's also definitely worth finding out exactly what is included in that cost so whether that involves a school observation, feedback meetings with SENCO and/or any additional charges if they have to go to to future EHCPs reviews or tribunals.

It's also good to find out if the EP backgrounds and specialisms match your daugher as they should have a better and more indepth knowleodge and understanding.

In practical terms, a really good thorough EP report can be incredibly helpful in understanding your child more and getting the right support 😊