The Evaluation of Post-School Psychological Services Pathfinders in Scotland ( ) Enterprise and Lifelong Learning

Transcription

1 The Evaluation of Post-School Psychological Services Pathfinders in Scotland ( ) Enterprise and Lifelong Learning The Evaluation of Post-School Psychological Services Pathfinders in Scotland ( )

2 THE EVALUATION OF POST-SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGICAL SERVICES PATHFINDERS IN SCOTLAND ( ) Tommy MacKay Psychology Consultancy Services Research Team: Dr Tommy MacKay, Dr Helen Marwick, Miriam McIlvride Scottish Executive Social Research 006 The Department of Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning

3 Further copies of this report are available priced Cheques should be made payable to Blackwell s Bookshop and addressed to: Blackwell s Bookshop 53 South Bridge Edinburgh EH1 1YS Telephone orders and enquiries or Fax orders orders business.edinburgh@blackwell.co.uk The views expressed in this report are those of the researchers and do not necessarily represent those of the Department or Scottish Ministers. Crown Copyright 006 Limited extracts from the text may be produced provided the source is acknowledged. For more extensive reproduction, please write to the Chief Researcher at Office of Chief Researcher, 4th Floor West Rear, St Andrew s House, Edinburgh EH1 3DG

4 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 4 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1 Context of evaluation 1 Background 14 Relevant literature and documentation 16 Summary 19 CHAPTER TWO RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 0 Timetable 0 Design 0 Evidence considered Methods used The views of young people 4 Summary 5 CHAPTER THREE PSPS IN PATHFINDERS AND NON-PATHFINDERS 6 Evidence considered 6 Staffing for PSPS 7 Service delivery for PSPS 8 Current and anticipated PSPS developments 33 Barriers to and gaps in service delivery 34 Cluster working 36 Supporting transition 37 Ideal services and effectiveness 40 National network meetings 41 Documentation 4 Implications for educational psychology 4 Further notes on psychological service interviews 45 Experience of educational psychologists in training 46 Summary 51 CHAPTER FOUR SCOTLAND S COLLEGES 53 Evidence considered 53 Service delivery for PSPS 55 Current and anticipated PSPS developments 57 Barriers to and gaps in service delivery 58 Ideal services and effectiveness 59 Further notes on college interviews 60 Summary 64 CHAPTER FIVE CAREERS SCOTLAND, SCOTTISH ENTERPRISE AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS 65 Description of sector 65 Evidence considered 66 Service delivery for PSPS 67 Current and anticipated PSPS developments 69 Barriers to and gaps in service delivery 69 1

5 Ideal services and effectiveness 70 Further notes on OSP interviews 71 Evidence from all sources 7 Summary 73 CHAPTER SIX IMPACT ON YOUNG PEOPLE 74 Obtaining direct views from young people 74 The background context 75 Evidence on PSPS questionnaire returns 76 Key themes 79 Summary 81 CHAPTER SEVEN THE LOCAL AUTHORITY PERSPECTIVE 8 Evidence considered 8 Level of service delivery 83 Summary 87 CHAPTER EIGHT THE STRATEGIC OFFICERS 88 Role and remit 88 Evidence considered 89 A working model of PSPS: the central contribution of the SOs 91 Educational psychologists PSPS Network and website 91 The response of psychological services 9 The response of Scotland s Colleges 94 The response of Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and other service providers (OSPs) 96 Interviews with key personnel 98 Summary 10 CHAPTER NINE THE UNIVERSITY TRAINING PROGRAMMES 103 Training for educational psychologists in Scotland 103 Implications of PSPS for university training programmes 103 Response to PSPS at the University of Dundee 104 Summary 106 CHAPTER TEN SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS 107 Psychological services 107 Scotland s Colleges 108 Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and other service providers 108 Young people 109 The local authorities 109 The strategic officers 110 The university training programmes 110 Overall conclusion 110 Implications 111 Recommendations 11 Summary 11 REFERENCES 113 ANNEXES 116 Annex 1 Timetable for research 116 Annex Questionnaire for psychological services 118 Annex 3 Questionnaire for Educational Psychologists in Training 14 Annex 4 Questionnaire for Scotland s Colleges 17 Annex 5 Questionnaire for Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and other service providers 133

6 Annex 6 Questionnaire for Local Authorities 139 3

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8 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The research team wishes to acknowledge the support of all who have contributed to the evaluation. Thanks are due to Karen D Arcy, University of Strathclyde, for support with data entry. The team also acknowledges the helpfulness and courtesy of all who contributed in the completion of questionnaires, in interviews, focus groups and other meetings; of the project steering and advisory groups; of the Scottish Executive; and of the Strategic Officers, who have been an important information and reference point on all matters relating to post-school psychological services. Tommy MacKay, Helen Marwick, Miriam McIlvride. (Helen Marwick is at the National Centre for Autism Studies at the University of Strathclyde.) Psychology Consultancy Services Ardoch House Cardross Dumbartonshire G8 5EW. 4

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10 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1 In April 004, Post-School Psychological Service (PSPS) Pathfinders were established for a -year period in 1 local authorities: Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow, Midlothian, Perth & Kinross, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Lothian. These represented an extension of the existing work of educational psychology services with the 0-19 age group. Provision was also made for Strategic Officers (SOs) to support local services and to work strategically at national level. PSPS works collaboratively with key stakeholders, and in particular with Scotland s Colleges, Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and local training providers. Educational psychology services in Scotland have 5 core functions of consultation, assessment, intervention, training and research. They summarise the role of the psychologist in working at a consultative level with young people, parents and other professionals; in assessing needs using a range of methods and approaches; in designing and carrying out interventions to address needs; in offering training and professional development to others who work with young people; and in designing and participating in action research and projects. Within an educational context they are the only professionals whose functions relate to direct work with the individual young person and family, to developmental work at the level of the organisation or establishment and to work at the education authority or council level, in relation both to the individual and to strategic and policy issues. The aim of PSPS in applying these roles was to promote better outcomes for young people and, in so doing, to contribute to the reduction of the proportion not in employment, education or training (NEET). In seeking to promote better outcomes the aims of PSPS were defined as being: to support the young person s transition to post-school by enhancing continuity and progression to complement the assessment and advice of college, training provider or Careers Scotland to improve the understanding, skills and effectiveness of service providers through consultation, training and action research to contribute to strategic developments locally and nationally, including policy development. 3 The aims of this evaluation were to assess the way in which PSPS has developed, the contribution it has made and its effectiveness in promoting better outcomes for young people. Its objectives were: to assess the development of PSPS at local, cluster and strategic levels to evaluate the role of the Strategic Officers and their contribution to planning and facilitating implementation of PSPS within educational psychology services to assess service delivery in the 1 Pathfinder authorities and the part played by PSPS in strategic development to assess the extent to which PSPS service delivery has contributed to improved outcomes for this client group. This has been carried out in evaluative exercises, the first completed by June 005 and the second by the end of March The conclusion of the evaluation is that PSPS is a highly successful initiative. The knowledge, skills and expertise of the educational psychologist, based on the distinctive foundation 5

11 of psychological theory and practice, have contributed significantly to its key aims in terms of development of effective services and enhancing outcomes for young people. 5 Key findings are that: Pathfinders were clearly differentiated from non-pathfinders in the extent and range of post-school psychological services developed by them these differences were apparent across virtually every area of PSPS activity PSPS in non-pathfinders was very limited and in some cases almost non-existent the support of the Strategic Officers has been crucial to the effective development of Pathfinders PSPS has been highly valued by all key stakeholders including young people and their parents and carers the initiatives being carried out by Pathfinders have led to a vast number of demonstrable improvements in outcomes for young people the extra resources provided to support Pathfinders have been the key factor in the development of an effective range of post-school services. 6 In addition to the key findings reported above, the evidence gathered from the 3 psychological services in Scotland indicates that: Pathfinders anticipated a greater range of new PSPS developments in the coming year Pathfinders rated their own effectiveness in PSPS service delivery significantly higher than non-pathfinders the gradient of change between April 005 and March 006 was significantly higher for Pathfinders than non-pathfinders in relation to a wide range of PSPS activity development of PSPS has far-reaching implications for educational psychology as a profession, but Pathfinders and non-pathfinders alike have embraced these implications and are keen to develop effective post-school services. 7 The differences between Pathfinders and non-pathfinders were stark in relation to whether they provided post-school services. This applied to all categories of activity consultation, assessment and intervention, training and development, and action research and project work. The extent of the differences increased between the first and second evaluative exercises. Structures such as service level agreements with key stakeholders were more in place with Pathfinders, and as the evaluation progressed more services were becoming embedded as part of routine service delivery. In the responses to the questions relating to work with individual young people, although the Pathfinders were focusing on a systemic rather than an individual model of service delivery, this did not result in lower levels of services to individuals. The most striking differences between Pathfinders and others related to current and anticipated PSPS developments. Pathfinders generated a large number of examples while very few were generated by non-pathfinders. 8 When services were asked to state the single most valuable service they were providing at post-school level by far the most common response related to improving the process of transition to post-school. Of the 1 Pathfinders, 10 gave this a central place. Many other examples of good practice could be highlighted. In one Pathfinder the psychological service was instrumental in leading to the appointment and management of a Transition Co-ordinator, with key functions of identifying all young people deemed to have a disability and likely to experience difficulty with the transition from school to adulthood, ensuring that all young people understand the process and are assisted to express their views, and acting as key worker until they are settled into employment or 6

12 adult provision. The key factor in promoting service development, and in presenting a barrier to PSPS in non-pathfinders, was the issue of additional resources. 9 In addition to the key findings reported above, the evidence gathered in relation to Scotland s Colleges indicates that: the self-ratings of psychological services regarding their PSPS delivery were fully validated in the ratings assigned to them by Scotland s Colleges on the same questions colleges in Pathfinder areas anticipated greater development of PSPS in the coming year than other colleges colleges in Pathfinder areas rated the effectiveness of PSPS as being higher than other colleges. 10 Approximately three-quarters of the colleges in Pathfinder areas indicated that they received support from local psychological services. The Pathfinders generally provided a list with many examples of different types of services delivered at strategic and other levels. These included solution-focused training, support in development of college policies such as anti-bullying policy, action research and support for working with behavioural issues, together with reference to established partnerships between the college and the local psychological service. 11 Non-Pathfinders also referred to examples of strategic and other support, but apart from one or two instances, this was at a much less involved level, and the examples were far fewer. Generally the focus was much more on individual students, often with reference to the static model of individual dyslexia assessment that PSPS has worked hard with Scotland s Colleges to replace with more meaningful assessment frameworks. Despite their focus on strategic work, the Pathfinders were actually assessed by Scotland s Colleges as having had significantly more input to individual work than the non-pathfinders. This suggests a balance of PSPS practice encompassing all 4 key roles, ensuring that direct client support was not omitted. 1 In addition to the key findings reported above, the evidence gathered from Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and other service and training providers (referred to collectively as OSPs) indicates that: the self-ratings of psychological services regarding their PSPS delivery were again supported in the ratings assigned to them by OSPs on the same questions OSPs in Pathfinder areas rated the effectiveness of PSPS as being higher than other OSPs. 13 Far more OSPs were identified in Pathfinder areas for the simple reason that the Pathfinders were already providing services. The findings point to significantly more Pathfinder activity. In these areas more strategic involvement was reported in terms of consultation, transition planning, contribution to assessment procedures, strategic planning and action research. In relation to work involving individual young people under the three headings of individual consultation, assessment and support, again, although the PSPS focus is not designed on an individual model, the modest involvement reported by the OSPs for individual work favoured the Pathfinders. Nevertheless, the services developed overall were still at a relatively modest level, and only a minority of Pathfinders had focused their PSPS work on this sector. Where services have been provided they have been highly valued. 7

13 14 In support of the key findings reported above, the evidence gathered from young people regarding their views and experiences, and other evidence relating to the impact of PSPS on young people, indicates that: young people and their parents and carers have valued the work done by psychological services at the post-school stage the initiatives being carried out by Pathfinders have led to a vast number of demonstrable improvements in outcomes for young people these improvements have been achieved not only through training and strategic work but also through more traditional work in supporting vulnerable individuals. 15 The views of young people regarding post-school service delivery had been obtained by 8 services, 6 of these being Pathfinders. In the Pathfinders this included evaluations from young people following a training event on trauma, bereavement and loss and the ongoing involvement of young people in the development of a School Leaver Passport. Young people were also involved in a post-school transition project and a transition co-ordinator project, in both of which the psychological service played a central role. Several individual case studies demonstrated that while wider training and strategic roles are central to PSPS practice, the work of the psychologist with individual young people continues to play a key role. 16 In addition, some Pathfinders had carried out or contributed to research and evaluation relating to post-school services provided by other agencies, in the course of which they had engaged with young people to ascertain their views. One piece of research examined stakeholder perceptions of the system of transfer from school to post-school settings for a particularly needy group of young people, namely, those with severe and complex learning difficulties and physical disabilities. This project had engaged with some young people and also with their carers, and it led to recommendations designed to enhance the transition process throughout the authority, with proposed improvements in planning, co-ordination, provision of information and communication. In general, the engagement of services with young people had supported them in tailoring their PSPS to address identified needs and to enhance service provision. 17 Pathfinder initiatives that have led to enhanced continuity, consistency and service provision and the increased engagement of young people include: young people having an agreed passport available for relevant agencies and to serve as a basis for planning future transitions such as going from Get Ready for Work to college; school leavers experiencing more direct involvement in the process of assessment, focusing on skills and strengths; direct referral to PSPS available for the first time to support individuals preparing for continuing education, training and employment; and agencies working better together as a result of policy and interagency training developments. A wide range of other training, strategic and individual initiatives has been highlighted, including focus groups of school leavers and students in college with a view to reducing dropout rate and training tailored to suit specific developmental disorders of new students. 18 The initiatives carried out at every level of consultation, assessment and intervention, training and research have been of direct relevance to the key objectives of the project and have been valued by young people. The impact on the lives of young people and their families, both at more general and at individual levels, has clearly been a positive one. The evidence for this area has further validated the evidence gathered from all other sources, and has pointed to enhanced quality of life outcomes for the young people in question 19 In support of the key findings reported above, the evidence gathered from local authorities indicates that: 8

14 no PSPS is provided in a number of non-pathfinder authorities in particular, Pathfinders have a higher overall level of PSPS, with a more strategic focus Pathfinder authorities report more PSPS growth over the past year and anticipate more growth in the year ahead additional resources are seen as being key to the provision of PSPS, and in non- Pathfinder authorities they are presented as the principal barrier to developing provision in addition to wider strategic roles, both Pathfinders and others view the ideal contribution of PSPS in terms of developing effective transition for all young people from school to post-school services, in particular, supporting continuity and progression for vulnerable young people. 0 Responses were obtained from 16 local authorities, representing a 50% return rate. The clearest differences between Pathfinder and non-pathfinder authorities were for overall contribution of psychological services to the post-school sector, and the contribution to strategic planning and policies. In terms of ideal provision, improvements on the transition process from school to postschool was seen as the key to continuity of provision and to the achievement of a wider range of post-school objectives. 1 The evidence gathered in relation to the Strategic Officers indicates that: the development of an effective working model of PSPS across Scotland at local, cluster and national levels has been overwhelmingly the result of the work of the SOs all Pathfinder services have received high levels of support from the SOs, and this support has been crucial to their effective development support has also been provided to several non-pathfinder services the establishment and maintenance of a PSPS Network has been a central contribution to psychological services key stakeholders in Scotland s Colleges, in Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and in other post-school agencies have received an extensive and direct national contribution from the SOs in enhancing their ability to promote improved outcomes for young people a significant contribution has been made by the SOs at strategic level to national and organisation-wide policies, practices and documentation. The most significant contribution of the SOs has been the establishment, maintenance and development of an effective working model of PSPS across Scotland, with particular application currently to the work of the Pathfinders. Another contribution of crucial importance has been the establishment and maintenance of the Educational Psychologists PSPS Network, and of all the communication and support structures associated with it. This has clearly been a major channel of support and information for all Pathfinders and also for non-pathfinder services. The PSPS Pathfinder website, comprising web pages from the wider Scottish Executive website, was created by the SOs and is accessible to all services. It provides an invaluable source of information and resources. The most helpful SO support to services included: general support and advice, networking and links with other services, sharing of expert knowledge and good practice, providing a national perspective, facilitating cluster meetings, provision of the website, invitations to national training events, promoting involvement of educational psychologists in training and creating a positive climate for development. 9

15 3 The extensive involvement of the SOs in supporting Scotland s Colleges and in promoting links between the colleges and psychological services has been highly valued. This has been best reflected in the promotion of collaborative working with Scotland s Colleges at Network and other meetings, in national training initiatives through Beattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology and Education (BRITE) and the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU) and in strategic work at national level. Solution-focused training provided a sustainable and effective route into supporting the skills of college staff. Many valued contributions have also been made by the SOs at national and local level to Careers Scotland key workers and other staff, Scottish Enterprise and other service and training providers. Their contribution to the university sector has also been highlighted by both programme directors. 4 The overall conclusion in relation to the SOs is that they have made a crucial contribution to the development and effectiveness of PSPS in Scotland, both locally and nationally. 5 The evidence gathered in relation to university training programmes indicates that: significant developments have taken place at Dundee University (where 3 additional trainee places were funded to support PSPS) in terms of curriculum development and promotion of post-school practice both Dundee and Strathclyde universities have taken active steps to incorporate PSPS into their programmes. The developing field of PSPS requires the training of increased numbers of educational psychologists, curriculum review, additional field placements and practice tutors and an extension of the range of placements to include post-school settings. Both universities have taken extensive account of these implications and have sought to embed PSPS in the delivery of their postgraduate training programmes. 6 The overall conclusion of this evaluation therefore is that PSPS is achieving its key aims and objectives in developing effective services and in promoting enhanced outcomes for young people by: supporting the young person s transition to post-school by enhancing continuity and progression complementing the assessment and advice of Scotland s Colleges and other service providers improving the understanding, skills and effectiveness of service providers through consultation, training and action research contributing to strategic developments locally and nationally, including policy development. 7 This evaluation has important implications in relation to the development of effective postschool psychological services in Scotland. These may be summarised as follows: the progress made by Pathfinders in establishing a range of effective and highly valued post-school psychological services, and in gradually embedding these within a coherent framework of service delivery, points to the value of maintaining the resources that have supported this project in the 1 Pathfinders the progress in Pathfinders, combined with the general lack of progress elsewhere, the perceived need for post-school services, the readiness of psychological services 10

16 to develop them and the clear barriers presented by lack of resources, point to the value of a further roll out of PSPS in other areas any further roll out of PSPS should take account of the number of trainee places required on the educational psychology training programmes at Dundee and Strathclyde Universities the crucial role played by the Strategic Officers in continuing to support Pathfinders at this stage in their development, the even more crucial need for their support for any further roll out of PSPS, and the strategic significance of their national role point to the value of utilising their key position so that Strategic Officer posts be maintained and extended the advantages of a longer-term national role for PSPS Strategic Officers, as in other areas of applied psychology in Scotland (occupational, clinical and forensic) should be explored links between educational psychology and other branches of applied psychology should be developed, ensuring effective signposting for post-school service users. 8 The following recommendations are made to the Scottish Executive: it is recommended that the resources that have supported this project in the 1 Pathfinders should be maintained it is recommended that there should be a further roll out of PSPS in other areas it is recommended that any further roll out of PSPS should take account of the number of trainee places required on the educational psychology training programmes at Dundee and Strathclyde Universities it is recommended that the Strategic Officer posts should be maintained and extended it is recommended that a longer-term national role for PSPS Strategic Officers should be explored it is recommended that the professional organisations for psychology in Scotland should be asked to explore the development of links between educational psychology and other branches of applied psychology, to ensure effective signposting for post-school service users. 11

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18 CHAPTER ONE INTRODUCTION 1.1 This chapter outlines the context of the evaluation of post-school psychological services at local, cluster and strategic levels across the 1 local authority Pathfinders in Scotland. It summarises the background to the development of PSPS in educational psychology, and considers its national and international significance in the light of relevant literature. Context of evaluation 1. In 003 the then Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning, Lewis Macdonald approved 1 Post-School Psychological Service (PSPS) Pathfinders for the period April 004 to March 006 to demonstrate service delivery at local, cluster and strategic levels. The local authority Pathfinders are: Angus, Clackmannanshire, Dundee, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow, Midlothian, Perth & Kinross, South Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Lothian. These services are embedded within the support, quality assurance and management structures of local authority educational psychology services. 1.3 PSPS represents an extension of the existing work of services with the 0-19 age group. Services work collaboratively with key stakeholders, and in particular with Scotland s Colleges, Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and local training providers. Where possible, clusters are formed to maximise resources and to ensure that effective services are provided to stakeholders whose boundaries are not co-terminous with local authorities. 1.4 Educational psychology services in Scotland have 5 core functions (MacKay, 1989), which in recent years have been formalised in nationally-agreed documents (MacKay, 1999; Scottish Executive, 00a). These are: consultation, assessment, intervention, training and research. They summarise the role of the psychologist in working at a consultative level with young people, parents and other professionals; in assessing needs using a range of methods and approaches; in designing and carrying out interventions to address needs; in offering training and professional development to others who work with young people; and in designing and participating in action research and projects. 1.5 These 5 core functions are reflected in the roles specified for psychologists in delivering post-school psychological services, where they have been grouped in the 4 areas of: consultation, assessment and intervention, training and development, and projects and action research (Boyle, Crichton & Hellier, 003). This range of educational psychology functions provides a collaborative basis for effective interagency working. While several other professionals also have important roles in relation to all of these 4 areas, the work of the educational psychologist represents an essential and separate component as it is based on the distinctive foundation of psychological theory and practice. 1.6 Provision has also been made for Strategic Officers (SOs), linked to local authorities, who deliver services to national bodies such as Careers Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and Scotland s Colleges (previously Further Education colleges), partly through Beattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology and Education (BRITE) and the Scottish Further Education Unit (SFEU). They also have responsibility for overseeing development of PSPS at local and cluster levels and for liaising with non-pathfinder authorities to keep them informed of developments and to support post-school initiatives. 1

19 1.7 In May 004 the Scottish Executive Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning Department commissioned an evaluation of post-school psychological services Pathfinders in Scotland, to be undertaken between August 004 and March 006. Following the first evaluative exercise and an interim report in December 005, this final report covers both evaluative exercises and the other evidence gathered throughout the period of evaluation. 1.8 The aims of the evaluation were to assess the way in which post-school psychological services have developed, the contribution they have made and their effectiveness in promoting better outcomes for young people. The objectives were: to assess the development of PSPS at local, cluster and strategic levels to evaluate the role of the Strategic Officers and their contribution to planning and facilitating implementation of PSPS within educational psychology services to assess service delivery in the 1 Pathfinder authorities and the part played by PSPS in strategic development to assess the extent to which PSPS service delivery has contributed to improved outcomes for this client group. 1.9 The vision of PSPS was described in the research specification as being to apply psychological knowledge and skills to support clients and key stakeholders to enhance lifelong learning, through deployment of the full range of professional roles. Overall, the aim was to promote better outcomes for young people and, in so doing, to contribute to the reduction of the proportion not in employment, education or training (NEET). In seeking to promote better outcomes the aims of PSPS were defined as being: to support the young person s transition to post-school by enhancing continuity and progression to complement the assessment and advice of college, training provider or Careers Scotland to improve the understanding, skills and effectiveness of service providers through consultation, training and action research to contribute to strategic developments locally and nationally, including policy development These aims and objectives pointed to a model of evaluation based both on process and on outcome. In terms of process, it was necessary to assess how post-school services had developed in the Pathfinder authorities and how their development had been supported and facilitated by the SOs. In terms of outcome, it was necessary to assess how any such developments had played a part in effecting improvements in the post-school experience of young people. In particular, the aims of PSPS pointed to clear research questions. Have the young person s transitions been enhanced? Is there better assessment? Do service providers have better understanding, skills and effectiveness? And, in what ways has local and national policy been influenced? The evaluation was therefore designed to address these issues There is virtually no existing literature on the provision of post-school educational psychology services within a local authority context, and much of what does exist has originated from developments in Scotland. This study therefore represents a unique opportunity to evaluate a distinctive and innovative service that has the potential to provide not only a Scottish but also an international standard for services to young people in this age group. 13

20 1.1 The importance of Scottish educational psychology in setting international standards of good practice and provision has been widely recognised in relation to several areas. These include: the most comprehensive statutory foundation for service provision of any country in the world (MacKay, 1996; 003); the first nationally recognised performance indicators for educational psychology (MacKay, 1999); and the first national endorsement of a role for educational psychology in providing services to all children and young people and not just those with additional support needs (Scottish Executive, 00a). The structure of service delivery on which PSPS is based the foundation of consultation, of assessment and intervention, of training and development and of projects and action research (MacKay, 1989) itself represents an international standard of good practice, and indeed Scotland was the first country to provide official national endorsement of research as a core function of educational psychology provision (MacKay, 1999, 00; Scottish Executive, 00a). Background 1.13 The statutory context in which educational psychology services operate is set out in section 4 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, as amended by subsequent legislation. The functions of services include the study of children and young people with additional support needs, the giving of advice to parents and teachers as to appropriate methods of education for such children and young people, in suitable cases making provision for their needs and the giving of advice to a local authority within the meaning of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 regarding assessments of need for the purposes of any of the provisions of that or any other enactment. There is, however, a wider statutory context relating to the powers and duties of local authorities in respect of the postschool age group. This includes their duties as corporate parents to provide throughcare and aftercare for children and young people who are looked after and accommodated, support for those with incapacities and mental health issues, duties relating to the care and protection of vulnerable adults and the general powers under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 003 to promote wellbeing across the community. Most recently in the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning (Scotland) Act 004 includes a statutory function for local authorities to undertake transition planning to post-school for a much wider client group. In giving psychological services a key role in assisting local authorities in the discharge of these functions PSPS is a groundbreaking initiative for Scottish educational psychology Historically, the provision of educational psychology services in the post-school sector has been late in developing. Despite the breadth of the statutory foundations of Scottish services, for a long period the client group to whom services were provided was narrower both in scope and in age than at the present time. As far as scope is concerned, services to children and young people with the most severe and complex level of needs was limited. It was the publication of the Melville Report (Scottish Education Department, 1973), leading to the Education (Scotland) (Mentally Handicapped Children) Act 1974, that extended the involvement of psychologists with children who had severe learning difficulties, and then gave them a statutory involvement with the most complex group, who had previously been described in the Education (Scotland) Act 1969 as unfit for education or training either by ordinary methods or by special methods As far as age is concerned, the child guidance services that later became psychological services were established by statute as early as the Education (Scotland) Act 1946, and became mandatory on all authorities in However, it was not until the passing of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 that statutory provision was made not just for children of school age but for the entire 0-19 population, although some additional services for preschool children and young people aged were included in the Record of Needs legislation provided in the Education (Scotland) Act Over a lengthy period, psychological services had 14

21 gradually moved from their main concern with the population of primary school age to providing regular services to pre-school establishments and secondaries. Services to young people over 16 tended to be provided mainly for those who were still at school, particularly special school, or during a brief period of transition into post-school provision The main thrust in the development of post-school psychological services in Scotland was the appointment in April 1998 of the Advisory Committee on Post-School Education and Training for Young People with Special Needs (the Beattie Committee). Its terms of reference were: To review the range of needs among young people who require additional support to make the transition to post-school education and training or employment; the assessment of needs; the quality and effectiveness of current provision in improving skills and employability; and to make recommendations to improve coherence, continuity and progression The Committee focused on young people in the 16-4 age range with a wide range of diverse and complex needs, including those with physical disabilities, learning difficulties, mental health problems and emotional and social difficulties. Many were disadvantaged in multiple ways, and many belonged to the NEET group. Evidence from a variety of sources pointed to overrepresentation in this group of males, those who were looked after and accommodated by local authorities, young offenders, those with few basic skills, those from disrupted family backgrounds and those with a high prevalence of risk-taking behaviour, such as smoking and substance abuse. Despite their varying difficulties, they nevertheless tended to share a similar outlook on life. They wanted to participate in society and, for most, employment was the key to realising this aim The recommendations of the Beattie Report, Implementing Inclusiveness, Realising Potential, (Scottish Executive, 1999a) emphasised the need for a culture of inclusiveness which would ensure that the needs, abilities and aspirations of young people were recognised, understood and met within a supportive environment. These recommendations led to new partnership developments such as the Inclusiveness Projects managed by the Careers Service and then taken over by Careers Scotland in April 00, providing key workers to support transitions and progression for young people, and the BRITE initiative, as part of improved assessment and support services in Scotland s Colleges. The Report also emphasised the need for all agencies to work together to plan provision for young people who required additional support to make a successful transition from school to further education, training or employment, supported by an improved assessment process and by enhanced staff training and development In supporting these aims the Report anticipated a key role for educational psychology services. Specifically, the Committee recommended that: the Scottish Executive, in co-operation with the Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists, the British Psychological Society and COSLA, should develop a specification for psychological services for 16-4 year olds They should also review staffing levels and training requirements for psychological services in Scotland in light of this new emphasis and extension of role (paragraph 6.46). 1.0 The Report acknowledged a lack of such specialist services for vulnerable young people and adults in the post-school sector. The psychological services envisaged in the Report as making a key contribution were: to complement and augment the assessment and advice provided by college or training provider staff; to contribute to contextual assessment which is solution focused and is consistent with inclusiveness; to support the transition process; and to contribute to strategic developments within the area structure arrangements. In this way, the work of other professionals 15

22 would be complemented by a distinctive and specialist contribution, utilising the knowledge, skills and expertise that derive from the evidence base of educational psychology. 1.1 These proposals were developed further by the Scottish Executive in partnership with the Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists and later became part of the professional development programme for the profession, leading to a specification of the role of 3 part-time National Development Officers (NDOs) for post-school services (Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists, 001). The tasks proposed for the NDOs included: working with members of the Beattie Implementation Team; establishing links between Scotland s Colleges, Careers Scotland, training providers, inclusiveness projects and psychological services; contributing to training for project co-ordinators and key workers in inclusiveness projects; linking with postgraduate training courses at Dundee and Strathclyde Universities to determine the implications for training of educational psychologists; offering a consultancy service to Scotland s Colleges and other post-school service providers; setting up a practitioner network for psychological services; and carrying out a survey of stakeholders on the most effective use of postschool psychological services. 1. The Currie review of Scottish educational psychology services (Scottish Executive, 00a) had a specific remit to take full account of the Beattie review, and accordingly took evidence from Dr Cyril Hellier, one of the 3 National Development Officers at that time. The report reinforced the commitment to an extended role for psychologists in relation to the age group up to age 4. To this end it considered the implications of Beattie for future staffing and training requirements. Postschool services were seen as being crucial to supporting the fifth national priority for education in Scotland, namely, to equip pupils with the foundation skills, attitudes and expectations necessary to prosper in a changing society and to encourage creativity and ambition. In particular, it was recognised that if the PSPS initiative proved successful, there would clearly be a need to train more educational psychologists in addition to what has already been recommended. Relevant literature and documentation 1.3 Despite the lack of either academic or professional practice literature in this specific field, a considerable body of documentation is available to support this evaluation. The most relevant documents are in 3 subject areas: first, the literature informing post-school provision and support for young people and young adults, including those with additional support needs; second, the general literature of direct relevance to the provision of educational psychology services; third, the small number of documents bridging these fields and focusing specifically on post-school educational psychology services. While a wider-ranging consideration of this literature will inform the overall evaluation, the following documents are of most direct relevance to developments in Scotland and are referred to briefly here. 1.4 In relation to post-school provision and support for young people and young adults, the Beattie Report was part of a developing context in which there has been an enhanced professional and legislative concern for the interests and well-being of this group. As well as the general impetus of the National Priorities, designed to support the educational and wider interests of all children and young people, there has been a particular concern for those who are most vulnerable. This has been reflected in a wide range of documents aimed at promoting social inclusion, mental health, enhanced educational provision and inter-agency collaboration, together with tackling socioeconomic disadvantage. 1.5 The theme of social inclusion has been prominent throughout the last decade. It has informed educational legislation, such as the Standards in Scotland s Schools etc. Act 000, the 16

23 Education (Disability Strategies and Pupils Educational Records) (Scotland) Act 00, the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 004, with its emphasis, inter alia, on statutory transition planning and on post-school continuity and progression, and wider legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act It is also the theme of official documents in which inclusion of people with additional support needs is the philosophy governing their titles and content, such as Equally Successful (HMI, 1996), The Same as You (Scottish Executive, 00b) and Life Through Learning, Learning Through Life: The Lifelong Learning Strategy for Scotland (Scottish Executive, 003). 1.6 Inclusion has also been the theme of health documents of central relevance to vulnerable young people in post-school educational provision. The White Paper Towards a Healthier Scotland promised a sustained attack on social exclusion (Scottish Office, 1999). The aim, as outlined in the report Social Justice: A Scotland Where Everyone Matters was to focus support on the most vulnerable young people who are in greatest danger of becoming permanently excluded (Scottish Executive, 1999b). The need was to work on a broad front to improve physical, mental and social well-being, fitness and quality of life, with a view to a population that would be well, with energy, confidence and enthusiasm. 1.7 A major theme of effective transition, identifying need and appropriate sharing of information, to aid continuity and progression, has been evident in recent years, together with a move increasingly to offer a flexible curriculum, high value vocational courses and work experience. Subsequent to the Beattie Report, Moving on From School to College (HMIE, 00), set the scene in highlighting best practice in relation to transition from school to college. The recent Code of Practice to accompany the Education (Additional Support for Learning) (Scotland) Act 004 includes a new statutory focus for local authorities on transition planning to post-school. In addition, the NEET strategy 1 (Scottish Executive, 006a) and Employability Framework (Scottish Executive, 006b) have emphasised the importance of early intervention in school, to reduce the likelihood of disengagement in the world of training, education or work. 1.8 The need to integrate services underscored in For Scotland s Children (Scottish Executive, 001) is repeated in the HMIE report Working Together on cross-sectoral provision of vocational education for Scottish school pupils (005). Determined to Succeed, the Scottish Executive s strategy for enterprise in education, represents a flagship policy for Scotland, to promote enterprise across primary and secondary schooling and guaranteed work experience from S3 onwards. 3 The School College Review (Scottish Executive, 005) signalled a significant move toward partnership working between schools and Scotland s Colleges in developing new vocational courses and qualifications. All secondary schools should be working in partnership with Scotland s Colleges by 007. Getting it Right for Every Child (Scottish Executive, 004a), a review of the Children s Hearing system, includes guidance on the development of a single integrated assessment across agencies. 1.9 The report of the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme Mental Health Promotion Among Young People examined the mental health of young people up to 18 years and considered implications for the enhancement of emotional well-being among this age group (Scottish Needs Assessment Programme, 000). It recommended that support should be provided for parents and others such as educational professionals working in direct contact settings. Effective inter-agency working has been recognised as being crucial to all of these aims, with a need for work across