Educational and Child Psychology Services in Scotland
Julie Smith
Senior Educational & Child Psychologist
BSc. Hons. Psych., MSc. Ed. Psych., PG Cert., PG Dip. PG Dip.
Specialities
Educational Psychology & Neuropsychology Assessment
Neurodevelopmental Conditions (ADHD, Autism)
Specific Learning Difficulties (e.g. Dyslexia, Dyscalculia)
Complex Learning Profiles
Acquired Brain Injury in Childhood
Epilepsy and Neurological Conditions
Severe and Profound Learning Disabilities
Advice for Education, Health and Care Needs Assessments
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Therapeutic Approaches
Systemic and family-informed practice
Cognitive and behavioural approaches
Trauma-informed practice
EMDR-informed approaches
Consultation with families, schools and multidisciplinary teams
Psychoeducation and strengths-based interventions
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Location
North England and wider UK
Remote (on-line)
A Bit About Me
Julie Smith is a HCPC-registered Educational Psychologist with over 18 years’ experience supporting children and young people with complex learning and neurodevelopmental needs. She specialises in psychological assessment and educational neuropsychology, helping families, schools and professionals to understand a child’s strengths and needs and to identify practical strategies that support learning and development. Julie has worked across both public and independent sectors and has developed particular expertise in educational neuropsychology and the assessment of complex learning and neurodevelopmental profiles.
After ten years working within the public sector, Julie moved into independent practice in 2017. Since then, she has undertaken comprehensive psychological assessments and contributed to Education, Health and Care (EHC) needs assessments for local authorities across England. She has also led a Learning Differences Clinic within a private multidisciplinary service in Edinburgh for over seven years, supporting children and young people presenting with a range of neurodevelopmental and learning differences.
Julie’s clinical interests include neurodevelopmental conditions, acquired brain injury, epilepsy, severe and profound disabilities, and specific learning difficulties. Her approach focuses on developing a clear understanding of each child’s individual strengths and needs, using this formulation to inform practical recommendations that support learning, emotional wellbeing and participation within educational and family environments.
Julie is committed to ongoing professional development and has undertaken additional training in trauma-informed practice, neurodevelopmental differences, acquired brain injury and epilepsy. She has also completed training in EMDR, which informs her understanding of emotional and psychological adjustment in children and young people with complex needs.
Through her work with NeuroKids, Julie provides specialist psychological assessment, consultation and expert witness reports to support children, families, schools and professionals in understanding learning and neurodevelopmental needs and identifying appropriate strategies to support development and educational progress.
Explore the Specialist Support We Offer​
We support children’s mental health needs with evidence-based approaches like CBT, systemic therapy and trauma-focused interventions. Psychology therapy provision is goal focused to promote well-being and empower children and families to manage challenges effectively.
EDUCATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY
Through assessments and tailored interventions, we support children and young people to manage educational challenges, develop skills and achieve their full potential. We work with families and educational professionals to foster positive relationships and promote inclusive practices.
We conduct assessments to identify cognitive strengths and challenges, providing information to inform interventions and rehabilitation. Our assessments address needs such as behaviour, learning, memory, attention, executive functioning, and social-emotional regulation.
We specialise in working in the medico-legal setting providing expert witness neuropsychology and educational psychology assessments. with comprehensive evaluations, impartial reports, and tailored recommendations and prognosis. We assist Claimants and Defendants, providing unbiased opinion to inform legal proceedings.
Our approach is assessment-led and formulation driven. Support is and evidence-based, grounded in neuropsychological formulation and developmental understanding. We provide clear, impartial opinion to inform clinical, educational, rehabilitation, and medico-legal decision-making, with intervention where clinically indicated.
We are registered practitioner psychologists (HCPC) who provide neuropsychological, psychological and educational services for children and young people with a range of complex needs. Including assessment, therapy, rehabilitation, MDT input, teaching/ training, and expert opinion across health, education and legal contexts.