External professionals unit 6

As a teaching assistant you may be required to work alongside many different educational professionals who visit schools to assist in the education of children with SEN. Below is a table showing the main professionals and their responsibilities.
External professional
Responsibilities
Educational psychologist
Helping children or young people who are experiencing problems within an educational setting with the aim of enhancing their learning.
Challenges may include social or emotional problems or learning difficulties. Work is with individual clients or groups, advising: teachers parents; social workers; other professionals.
Client work involves an assessment of the child using observation, interviews and test materials. Educational psychologists offer a wide range of appropriate interventions, such as learning programmes and collaborative work with teachers or parents.
They also provide in-service training for teachers and other professionals on issues such as behaviour and stress management

Child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS)
They offer assessment and treatment when children and young people have emotional, behavioural or mental health difficulties.
Teacher of the deaf / visually impaired
They provide support to deaf or visually impaired children, their parents and family, and to other professionals who are involved with a child’s education.
Speech and language therapist
Speech and language therapists (SLT) assess and treat speech, language and communication problems to help them better communicate.
They also work with people who have eating and swallowing problems.
Occupational therapist

Work with children using play and other activities to maximise their abilities in all aspects of daily living, including education.
They will help and advise on managing everyday life for a child. They will assess a child for any equipment and adaptations required
Physiotherapist
They will assess a child’s needs and abilities, set achievable goals and help to carry out a physical management programme
They can also provide advice on equipment that may be needed.