Guidance to Educational Psychologists in Preparing Statutory Advice to Children's Services Authorities (2009)

Please note, you can access the revised version of this guidance (updated 2020) here.

Notes on Reading this Guidance:
i. This guidance for the preparation of Statutory Advice in the context of a statutory assessment, carried out under Section 323 of the Education Act 1996, relates solely to the professional practice of educational psychologists and not to the purely administrative arrangements of local authorities. As such, the guidance is a general framework within
which the professional educational psychologist must continue to exercise judgement about what is, and what is not, appropriate in each individual case.
ii. The guidance, originally issued in 2004, has been revised following consultation with the membership of the Association of Educational Psychologists and the Department for Children, Schools and Families.

iii. These Association of Educational Psychologists' Guidelines are concerned specifically with written Statutory Advice.

iv. Throughout the document, "Advice" (with upper case A) is used to refer to Psychological Advice provided under Section 323 and which is now
 presented as Appendix D to the Statement of Special Educational Needs.

v. The term "advice" (with lower case a) is used for advice in its general form. This guidance is produced by the Association of Educational Psychologists for the advice and benefit of its members. It may be a useful reference point for others involved in the Statutory Assessment of children. However, it is not intended to be taken as a prescriptive document nor does it prescribe any particular format.