Team updates
Since our last update in September we have welcomed a number of new members to our team and said "goodbye" to Jo Mitchell who has moved on to a promoted position.
Tricia Euston joined us as an Assistant Psychologist in October. Many of you will have already met Tricia as she is out and about delivering interventions in a number of our schools. Last week we were joined by Theresa Coughlan, a Senior Practitoner Educational Psychologist who brings many years of experience working in neighbouring local authorities.
We currently have a waiting list of schools who wish to take up contracts with Catalyst, and a number of existing and new schools wanting to book more time from our team of psychologists. We have been fortunate, therefore, to be successful in recruiting additional permanent and Partner Psychologists just before Christmas. Dr Paula Muir will be joining our core team on a permanent full time basis from April, and Dr Lyndsey Pryce and Dr Caroline Bond wil be joining our team of Partners, picking up work over the coming weeks.
This means that we wil be able to maintain our capacity to deliver across the growing number of schools working with us and our team of Partner Psychologists will help us to be able to respond more flexibly to your needs from April.
Service delivery this term
Our educational psychologists are continuing to work at full capacity, with a very busy term ahead. The changes to the SEND Code of Pratcice and the associated requirements from Local Authorities in relation to requests for assessment are requiring some adjustments to the way that we undertake our assessments, in particular the writing of reports. Just at present, these reports are taking longer to complete than under the previous system. However, as we all become more used to the new requirements the process should become more fluent.
We are in the process of updating our records of time delivered up to the end of last term, and we will have these sent over to schools during the next week or so. We became very busy with our work in schools in the run up to Christmas, and consequently we are running a bit behind with some routine administrative tasks. If you need an update to help with your planning for the term ahead please consult with your link EP.
Planning ahead - commissioning services for 2015-2016
We are currently working on our pricing structure for next year and will have more information and booking forms available by the end of January.
Following very positive feedback after last year's event, we will be holding a Stakeholders afternoon on Wednesday 25th February when you will be able to meet with us and think together about how best to plan the service you will need in the year ahead.
We will once again be offering an advantageous "pre-booking" price on all bookings received before the end of March.
Interventions
We still have capacity within our team of Assistant Psychologists for interventions to be delivered this term. We have interventions addressing additional needs in Cognition and Learning and Social Emotional and Mental Health needs.
Visit our Interventions page for more information. Booking can be made online via the relevant web pages:
Cognition and Learning
Communication and Interaction Friendly Classrooms
Thinking about Thinking (Metacognition)
Confidence in Co-ordination (Motor Skills)