Educational psychology

North East Lincolnshire Community Educational Psychology Team

Supporting children, families and communities to grow and flourish

Who we are

The North East Lincolnshire Community Educational Psychology Team is a warm, skilled and values‑led team of Educational Psychologists, working within North East Lincolnshire Council.

Educational Psychologists (EPs) are trained in child and developmental psychology. EPs have completed a doctorate in psychology (or a similar qualification if they trained before 2006). They support families, schools and young people to understand what is happening and move forward.

A Trainee Educational Psychologist (TEP) is a psychologist who is currently on the doctoral course, training to become a qualified educational psychologist. As part of their training, TEPs complete similar work to an EP, under the supervision of a qualified EP.

An Assistant Psychologist (AP) is a psychologist who has completed an undergraduate degree in psychology or a Masters course in psychology. They help EPs with many different tasks including observations, training in schools or gaining pupil views from young people. Assistant Psychologists complete work under the supervision of a qualified Educational Psychologist and will often need to discuss their work with their supervisor before actions can take place.

We support the wellbeing, learning and development of children and young people across North East Lincolnshire, and are proud to work locally, building strong relationships and contributing to positive change across our communities.

We work alongside children, families, schools and professionals to understand experiences, think together and support positive change. Our work is rooted in psychology, relationships and evidence‑informed practice, and shaped by our commitment to inclusion, belonging and emotional wellbeing.

Ways we support children, young people and the community of North East Lincolnshire:

We provide psychological advice and support as part of Education, Health and Care needs assessments, contributing to fair, child‑centred decision making.

We work alongside education settings to support inclusion, emotional wellbeing and learning through consultation, advice and collaborative problem‑solving.

Sometimes it is possible for education settings to request to purchase some additional support from our team to support them in their ‘Assess, Plan, Do, Review’ cycles of support. They can ask about this by contacting the Community Educational Psychology Team directly.

We deliver evidence‑informed training and development to professionals, helping to strengthen skills, confidence and inclusive practice across the system.

Currently, we have a centralised training offer supported by our partnership with the North East Lincolnshire Virtual School, as part of Building a Borough of Belonging workforce development offer.

This includes Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA), Mediated Learning Support Approaches (MeLSA) training and supervision, training rooted in Relational Approaches, Trauma-Informed thinking and Emotion Coaching and as well as bespoke training and organisational development.

We contribute to wider local authority and multi‑agency work, supporting longer‑term improvements in how systems respond to children and families.

Across all our work, we aim to create environments where children feel safe, valued, know that they belong, experience joy and can thrive.

Strong relationships are at the heart of our work.

We work closely with:

children and young people
parents and carers
schools and education settings
health, social care and community partners

We value co‑production, shared ownership and respectful challenge, and believe the best outcomes are achieved when people work together.

Our service works in a consultation‑led way. This means we focus on thinking together rather than offering quick fixes.

Through consultation, we:

listen carefully to understand what is happening for a child or young person
consider their relationships, environment and lived experiences
work collaboratively with the adults around them
develop shared understanding and practical, psychologically informed ways forward

This approach helps build confidence and capacity within families, schools and services, creating sustainable change over time.

Emotional Literacy Support Assistants

Information about Emotional Literacy Support Assistant intervention and list of registered schools

Emotionally Based Barriers to School Attendance Support

An EBBSA Support System identifies barriers to education and supports successful engagement with learning.

Our values and aim

Our work is guided by our shared EMBRACE values. These values shape our promises, which are how we work with children, families, schools and partners across North East Lincolnshire.

We promise we will do our best to:

Empower children, young people, families and professionals by building on strengths and supporting confidence, independence and growth.
Be mindful and thoughtful in our work, taking time to listen, reflect and respect lived experiences and individual stories.
Be brave in advocating for children and young people, thinking creatively, and supporting positive change within systems and services.
Work relationally, prioritising trusting, respectful and collaborative relationships in everything we do.
Be accountable for high‑quality, ethical and evidence‑informed practice, taking responsibility for our decisions and actions.
Act with compassion, offering care, warmth and kindness, especially at times of challenge or uncertainty.
Work with empathy, listening carefully to understand perspectives and experiences, and responding with understanding and respect.

These promises guide not just what we do, but how we do it. Our aim is to help everyone around a child or young person understand them better, work together confidently, and support positive change over time.

How we can support a young person

Educational Psychologists use psychology to support children and young people’s learning, wellbeing and development, particularly where things feel difficult or stuck in education.

We take a person‑centred and consultation‑led approach, which means we work by thinking together with the people who know your child best.

Most often, our work begins with conversations (sometimes called consultations).

This may mean:

talking with parents or carers
speaking with school or setting staff
listening to other professionals involved with your child

Together, we:

explore what is happening for your child
think about what might be contributing to the current situation
consider what could help and what has already been tried

The aim is to find practical, supportive ways forward, based on understanding your child as a whole person within their relationships and environment.

Working with your child

If a member of the team works directly with you or your child then they will give you their ‘one-page profile’. This is a document which can be used to introduce them to the child or young person as we know how daunting it can be to meet someone you don’t know.

After that, sometimes, an Educational Psychologist may:

talk directly with your child or young person
carry out activities with them to understand how they think, feel or learn
observe them in school or another setting

Not every piece of work involves direct time with a child. Often, meaningful change comes through supporting the adults around them.

We will always:

ask for your agreement before becoming involved with or around your child
invite you to share your views about:
what is going well
what feels difficult
what you feel might help

Your child’s views are also important. Depending on their age and understanding, we will ask for their thoughts and listen carefully to what they tell us.

What happens next

Community Educational Psychologist involvement usually forms part of the “Assess, Plan, Do, Review” cycle that supports children throughout their education years.

After our involvement, you will usually receive a written record of our work.

When our involvement is outside the statutory assessment process, this is written in the style of a letter to your child, using warm, respectful and clear language.
Within statutory processes, written advice follows required guidance while remaining child‑focused and person‑centred.

We aim for written feedback to be:

clear and accessible
reflective of your child’s strengths and needs
helpful in supporting next steps

Job opportunities

Current vacancies are listed online. We are always happy to talk with aspiring, training or experienced EPs. If you would like an informal conversation, please email [email protected].

Current vacancies

Training

Find information on the training route to become an Educational Psychologist at Funded Training (EPFT) scheme at Association of Educational Psychologists.

Association of Educational Psychologists.

Contact details

If you would like to find out more about the Community Educational Psychology Service or make an enquiry:, email [email protected]. We will respond as soon as possible and guide you to the most appropriate support.