Helen Colles
Educational Psychologist
I am an experienced educational psychologist having spent time working in mainstream and special schools for Local Authorities and now latterly as an independent EP. During this time, I have been involved in supporting schools to improve outcomes for children and young people with a wide range of special educational needs. This has included:
- Conducting assessments of need through consultation, observation and direct work and making evidence-based recommendations around provision planning based on the information gathered
- Developing and delivering training to school staff on a range of topics to support workforce development and capacity building
- Providing individual therapeutic support for children and young people with emotional and mental health needs
- Working alongside other agencies in the Children’s Workforce to improve outcomes for students with additional needs
- Carrying out small-scale research projects to inform intervention planning and to measure outcomes
- Preparing Psychological Advice for children and young people undergoing Statutory Assessment and providing updated Psychological Advice for children and young people with an Education, Health and Care Plan
- Completing expert witness reports for solicitors
I have also held senior and specialist roles in supporting children with speech, language and communication difficulties and those with social, emotional and mental health needs.
I take a consultative approach and am keen to ensure that all stakeholders are enabled to contribute to the assessment and to developing an intervention plan. This will generally involve meetings with parents/carers, school staff, the child and young person and where appropriate, liaison with other agencies.I am experienced in offering direct psychological assessment work with children and young people and am able to administer a range of quantitative and dynamic assessments of cognitive skills. I use techniques from resilience theory, Personal Construct Psychology and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy amongst others to support assessment of social, emotional and mental health needs. I am trained in using the SCERTS (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support) model to assess and plan for children on the autistic spectrum.
I have carried out extensive work with children who have experienced early trauma and have run attachment-based support groups for parents, adoptive parents, foster carers and special guardians. I am influenced by the work of Dan Hughes and the importance of taking a playful, accepting, curious and empathic approach when supporting children to make sense of and regulate their emotional experiences.
I access regular training to meet my own developmental needs and I am registered with the Health Care Professions Council, British Psychological Society, and the Association of Educational Psychologists.
I take a consultative approach and am keen to ensure that all stakeholders are enabled to contribute to the assessment and to developing an intervention plan. This will generally involve meetings with parents/carers, school staff, the child and young person and where appropriate, liaison with other agencies.I am experienced in offering direct psychological assessment work with children and young people and am able to administer a range of quantitative and dynamic assessments of cognitive skills. I use techniques from resilience theory, Personal Construct Psychology and Cognitive Behaviour Therapy amongst others to support assessment of social, emotional and mental health needs. I am trained in using the SCERTS (Social Communication, Emotional Regulation and Transactional Support) model to assess and plan for children on the autistic spectrum.
I have carried out extensive work with children who have experienced early trauma and have run attachment-based support groups for parents, adoptive parents, foster carers and special guardians. I am influenced by the work of Dan Hughes and the importance of taking a playful, accepting, curious and empathic approach when supporting children to make sense of and regulate their emotional experiences.
I access regular training to meet my own developmental needs and I am registered with the Health Care Professions Council, British Psychological Society, and the Association of Educational Psychologists.
Content Copyright © 2021-2024 Conatus. All Rights Reserved.