Information for Parents
The information for parents is presented in two ways. Some of us like to quickly browse through questions and answers to find the questions that we have in mind. Others prefer a more descriptive approach. We have tried to offer both.
This is the Question and Answer Page; click here for the Descriptive Page.
Q What is a child psychologist?
Child psychologists have:
- a first degree in psychology recognised by the British Psychological Society.
- additional experience working with children,
- further extensive postgraduate training including training in child development and child psychology. This is usually either a recognised training in child clinical psychology or educational psychology.
Q What age range is covered?
Child psychologists work with a variety of age groups. Some include work with newborn and pre-school children. Many more cover the school years. Some work with young people in further and higher education at colleges and university. The search systems should help you find a psychologist who works with the age group in which you are interested.
Q Do all child psychologists offer the same services?
No.
Child psychologists work with children in a variety of settings e.g. family, school, residential settings.
Often they then go on to develop a specialism i.e. a particular area of practice or expertise.
Q What sort of services does this include?
The list below also gives some idea of the range of issues in which a child psychologist might be involved.
- Intervention with behaviour and emotional issues
- Assessment of learning - literacy, numeracy
- Assessment of learning - language and neurodevelopmental difficulties
- Assessment of emotional difficulties
- Work with preschool children - assessment of skills detecting early signs of developmental difficulties - working with families to manage behaviour, e.g. establishing sleep and mealtime routines.
- Work with specific conditions, e.g. autism, metabolic disorders and so on.
- Work with families and troubled children
- Working with specific conditions e.g. M.E. OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder) Anorexia
- Supporting parents with child management
- Assessments for Family Courts
- Providing courses for parents and other organisations such as social services departments, schools etc.
- Liaising with schools with regard to children's progress
- Developing learning materials
- Developing materials to support emotional competencies
- Development of social skills
- Assessing and developing materials for thinking skills
The above are just some of the range of tasks in which child psychologists may be involved.
Some of the particular specialisms are listed in the box titled Speciality under Find a Psychologist.
Q How do I find a child psychologist who can best with what I need for my child?
First obtain the names of psychologist who may be able to help
There are four ways you can find a psychologist on this site.
Then...
- Be prepared to contact a few psychologists to find the one that you feel you will be happy working with.
- Check the details. Are the services offered identical? What may be included in one assessment may be additional in another. Find out exactly what is being offered.
Q Why do fees vary?
Different services may be being offered. See above for the need to check what exactly is being offered.
Remember that psychologists have to cover overheads which can include secretarial support, assessment materials, office rental, travelling and the additional time and money spent on further and more specialist training. This then will be reflected in the fees charged.