What happens when my child is assessed?
Every pupil referred to the Educational Psychology Service because of special educational needs undergoes a comprehensive assessment. This assessment involves a thorough and expert analysis by the educational psychologist of all factors that may be influencing the child’s learning. This includes factors particular to the child and factors within the child’s surroundings including home, school and the community.
How long does the assessment last?
If your child is a pre-schooler, the assessment may stretch over some time with the psychologist visiting you at home a number of times at intervals of several months. The reason for this is that it is difficult to build up a reliable picture of a child’s functioning when they are very young. Each time the psychologist calls s/he will talk to you and may spend time with your child learning how his/her development is progressing.
For school-aged pupils the psychologist may spend an hour or more with your child asking him/her to carry out a variety of tests. These tests are designed to give insight into your child’s particular difficulties. The psychologist will also spend time talking to your child’s teachers and may observe your child in class.
Am I allowed to be with my child during the assessment?
Yes, you are allowed to be with your child during assessment. However, this is not always helpful since you being there may affect your child’s performance in subtle or unexpected ways that the psychologist cannot easily control for.
What happens if my child is upset or will not co-operate during assessment?
Educational psychologists recognise this as a possibility for any child they plan to assess. They will do what they can to settle a child and encourage co-operation. If this approach to your child is not successful, there are other methods of assessment that they can use. For example, they can try different individual measures of child performance, observe your child in everyday surrounding in school or at home and they can ask you and/or your child’s teachers to complete questionnaires.
If your child is a pupil in school, it may be possible for you and the psychologist to meet ahead of the assessment, in which case s/he will ask you about your concerns and may give you an outline of his/her plans for assessment.
When you meet the psychologist after the assessment, s/he will outline the results of the assessment and any particular conclusions and recommendations s/he may have reached as a result of investigations.
The psychologist may also ask you particular questions based on your child’s home life that may be significant in understanding school-based needs.
It depends:
Once a psychologist has assessed your child and significant special educational needs are identified, the Educational Psychology Service maintains an interest in your child’s progress until s/he leaves formal schooling. For example, a pupil assessed while in primary school may be assessed again at some time during his/her post-primary schooling if requested by his/her teachers and only with your full knowledge and agreement.
