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(d) School Psychological Service
The largest proportion of the time of the School Psychological Service is spent on
the assessment of individual children who are referred to the psychologists for a
great variety of reasons. In broad terms, however, most of the children are referred
because of learning or emotional difficulties of some sort or, as is often the case, a
combination of the two.
Since the School Psychological Service was established in Sutton in 1965 there has
been an open referral procedure. I n other words any parent, teacher, doctor, social
worker or other person in professional contact with children is able to approach
the School Psychological Service about any child in their care. It will be seen from
Table XI in the Appendix to this report that the majority of referrals in fact come
from the schools, with the School Health Service which co-ordinates referrals
from many health sources taking an important second place. The Education
Department as such does not directly refer many children.
During 1972 the work of the School Psychological Service was carried out by
two Educational Psychologists. Each nursery, primary and high school in the
borough is assigned to one of the psychologists who is therefore independently
responsible for all cases involving pupils of those schools. The work in the
special schools and units is shared by both psychologists. Table XI (iii) shows that
last year children from the age of 2-16 were seen. One tenth of the children atn are
in fact of pre-school age. Anticipating the educational needs of these children is
an important part of our work.
In the case of school referrals, it is normally the head teacher who initially contacts
the School Psychological Service. In many cases the referral has been jointly agreed
by the parents and the head teacher and in all cases the psychologists ask the head
teacher or other referral agency to make sure that the parents are aware of the referral
and given their consent to it. Because in this borough parent-teacher relationships are
on the whole close and constructive it is rare for a parent to feel the need to approach
the School Psychological Service independently, but they have the right to do this if
necessary.
As well as the assessment of new cases, the Educational Psychologists have aiso been
committed for some years to a programme of review of the children attending the
special schools and units within the borough. This programme has gradually become
more complex and Sutton children attending special schools and units outside the
borough are also being seen at regular intervals.
Our most long-standing commitment has been with Carew Manor School for E.S.N,
children where since 1965 there have been two psychologist sessions per week in
term time. The children at Carew Manor School are each seen at least every two
years although the staff can raise queries about any child at any time. We are now
building up a similar arrangement at Sherwood Park School and the children
attending the Infant Observation/Diagnostic Unit are usually seen at least once a
year. It is very important for the parents of the children concerned to appreciate
that placing a child in a Special Unit is not a once and for all action but one which
we are keen to re-examine regularly to ensure that it is still the most appropriate
action.
We have a system of discussion with the staff plus review for the children attending
the North Downs Maladjusted Unit.
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