Psychological Service

Training

We provide a wide range of training for professionals, parents and carers and pupils.

Solution focused approaches

Solution focused practice consists of a range of approaches to problems that are both effective and rewarding. By emphasising strengths and resources, it has a natural appeal to families and young people in difficulty.

Solution focused working can be effective as a way of:

• Structuring formal meetings
• Having short conversations with colleagues or children and young people
• In-depth work with an individual over a period, or one-off sessions
• Changing the ethos of a group, class or organisation
• Building team approaches
• providing staff support and development

The training day will cover as many aspects of work as possible where a solution focused approach might be helpful. In the morning there will be an introduction to solution focused principles and tools, and opportunities to practise these in ways that are relevant to participant’s profession. The afternoon will look at formal solution focused meetings, and how to make these effective.

Dyslexia - assessment and intervention

This training is currently delivered to ASN teachers and focuses on the staged approach to assessment and intervention for children and young people with literacy difficulties.

Improving literacy with parental involvement

This one day course, part of the Highland Literacy Project, supports schools to deliver a series of structured workshops that enable parents to effectively develop their childrens’ reading at home. The emphasis is on making reading an enjoyable learning experience.  The workshops are intended to be delivered to parents by 2 members of school staff and both should attend the training if possible.

The pack contains programmes for three different stages:

• Shared Reading – pre-school
• Reading Together - first steps – Primary 1
• Reading Together – Primary 3

Seasons for Growth

This two day course, draws upon extensive research in developing a sound educative response to change, loss and grief. Seasons for Growth is an educational programme involving peer support. The programme is intended to be delivered to children and young people by 2 members of school staff and both should attend the training if possible.

Resilient Kids

Resilient Kids, winner of the Highland Quality Award in 2014, is a course aimed at helping children become happier, confident and more relaxed, with better peer relationships and awareness of and ability to manage feelings.

There are three packs:

• Resilient kids to school
• Resilient kids together
• Resilient kids moving up

The courses are intended to be delivered to children and young people by 2 members of school staff and both should attend the training if possible. Resilient Kids training is equivalent of one day.

Nurture group training

This course explains the psychology behind nurture, as well as offering practical advice for how it works in practice. It is essential for any professional who wishes to set up a nurture group or wishes to develop their understanding of nurture. It is also useful for educators who are working with, or who come into contact with children with behavioural, emotional and social developmental needs, as well as promoting a whole school nurturing ethos. 

Video interaction guidance

This is training for professionals to become Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) guiders. VIG is a technique which aims to improve communication and relationships between participants. It involves participants viewing and discussing very short recordings of their successful interactions with a video interaction guider. The initial training is a two-day course. Thereafter, the guider will be offered supervision.

Ways to wellbeing for staff

Staff wellbeing is critical to effective, positive relationships in our learning communities and ultimately for children’s learning and development. This training has been designed for adults and is based on the ‘Ways to Wellbeing’ handbook. The workshop provides information and activities taken from positive psychology and the psychology of wellbeing. It can be used for rating and improving five key aspects of individual wellbeing, team and organisation wellbeing and that of client groups. It is therefore useful for personal and Continuing Professional Development.

Staff wellbeing and pupil wellbeing are complementary to each other; both are needed for a school community to flourish socially and academically. This works best when wellbeing is seen as a proactive and universal approach to pupil experiences in school and with Curriculum for Excellence it is the responsibility of all staff to promote this.

This half day workshop builds on the positively evaluated ‘Ways to Wellbeing’ pack and is targeted at those with a responsibility for wellbeing. The session considers the importance of a whole school approach to wellbeing and how schools can make a difference to pupil wellbeing. It also enables participants to reflect on their own wellbeing and how they might make a difference in their own setting.

Coaching and reflecting and effective mentoring

We are also involved in the delivery of the GTC accredited courses - Coaching and Reflecting and Effective Mentoring. These courses are organised by Highland Council's Continuing Professional Development.

Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC)

Members of Psychological Services also participate in training specifically related to Autism Spectrum Conditions

Other training topics include

• Attachment and Brain Development
• Classroom strategies – ASC, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), attachment
• Emotional literacy and emotional coaching
• Restorative approaches
• Visioning

How to book on a training course

Training details is currently available on our website for continuing and professional development.

These Autism Spectrum Condition courses can be booked through The Pines.

For further information about any of the training listed please contact us.

Informal training can also be arranged on a needs led basis following on from discussion with your liaison Educational Psychologist or Pre-School Home Visiting Teacher.