NEPS provides psychological services in public and private primary and post-primary schools and in related educational centres. NEPS is a service of the Department of Education and Skills and aims to support the personal, social and educational development of all children through the application of psychological theory and practice in education. It has particular regard for children with special educational needs. In addition to working with individual students, NEPS psychologists provide training / support to teachers and may also work directly or indirectly with students following a critical incident.
Target Age Group Children attending either primary or post-primary school.
Referrals NEPS does not operate a referral system. Each school has an assigned psychologist and an allocation of service time. The priorities to be addressed and the use of that time are agreed in consultation with the school Principal and / or Special Needs Team.
Eligibility Criteria NEPS is a school based psychological service. The school principal can request the involvement of the NEPS psychologist when he/she has concerns in relation to a child's learning, behaviour or social and emotional development. NEPS can assist parents and teachers to assess the child's needs and develop appropriate interventions to meet those needs. NEPS also works with schools/students around issues such as positive mental health, resilience, bullying and other issues.
Monday to Friday 9am-5.45pm. Direct work with schools, teachers and parents takes place during school hours. However, the service is open all year around.