Memorandum submitted by Chartered Educational Psychologists

in Independent Practice (CEPIP)

 

 

Executive Summary:

 

Educational Psychology assessments currently the responsibility of the Local Authority (LA) could be undertaken by independent educational psychologists working locally.

 

Local accountability for the quality and availability of such assessments could be the responsibility of LA Scrutiny Committees.

 

 

1. How might assessment of special educational needs be undertaken other than by the relevant local authority without the establishment of a new separate agency for the purpose?

 

There are already in existence fully qualified and experienced educational psychologists working in independent practice. Chartered Educational Psychologists in Independent Practice (CEPIP) is a local SE London consortium of five such educational psychologists all with extensive experience working in local authorities (LAs). We formed this consortium three years ago for the purpose of providing professional and high quality services to our clients. To ensure the quality of our services we:

 

· meet regularly for peer supervision,

· identify our continuing professional development (CPD) needs,

· peer evaluate the strategies for meeting those development needs,

· disseminate information within the group from a variety of sources including conferences, academic publications, DfES, our own professional associations, legal and voluntary organisations,

· maintain our practice within the Code of Ethics of the British Psychological Society (BPS),

· carry out research in specific areas relating to psychology, child development and education,

· ensure through our membership that cases which are either urgent or require specific specialism can be covered in a timely manner for our clients.

 

 

 

2. How might local accountability for assessment be maintained if the local authority does not directly undertake the assessment?

 

There is currently a legal requirement on LAs to request psychological advice as part of a statutory assessment from those who are:

 

(a) regularly employed by the authority as an educational psychologist, or

(b) engaged by the authority as an educational psychologist in the case in question.

 

Responsibility for arrangements for psychological assessment could be transferred to Head Teachers or Heads of other services within Children's Services Departments who would engage the services of a group such as CEPIP. Parents seeking such advice could be directed to CEPIP by local agencies. The local political scrutiny process, through for instance Scrutiny Committees, could oversee quality assurance and local accountability.

 

 

June 2007