Heather Forknall Educational Psychology Services

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HCF Psychological Services was established in April 2015 as an independent psychology practice based in Brighton & Hove.  HCF Psychological Services offers access to a highly qualified and experienced Chartered Educational Psychologist, providing a quality service.  Heather Forknall is a qualified and experienced youth worker, teacher and educational psychologist. She has also trained and worked as an ABA therapist with children on the autistic spectrum.  Heather has successfully worked and taught in primary and secondary schools, pre-school settings, tertiary colleges and special education provision. Following a successful teaching career Heather retrained to become an Educational Psychologist and commenced working as a qualified Educational Psychologist in 2001 for a Local Authority.  By 2006 Heather had been promoted to Senior Educational Psychologist/Area Manager and successfully managed a large, integrated, multi-disciplinary professional team providing health and educational services to schools and their communities.  Between 2006 and 2011, as a Tier 3 manager within the Local Authority, Heather played an important role in developing and facilitating a number of initiatives, including development of the Local Authority's Guide to Dyslexia widely used by schools and services within the locality.  By 2011 Heather decided to return to work in schools, directly with children, and took up post as a Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo) and member of the Senior Leadership Team in a local, inner-city, primary school.  In 2012 she successfully completed the National Professional Qualification for Headship and in 2013, after a very successful Ofsted inspection, accepted the exciting opportunity of a secondment to support a challenging inner city primary school as Assistant Head and SENCo.  Between 2012 and 2014 Heather also actively supported a local complex needs school in her role as a school governor. 

Heather is committed to offering high quality, ethically driven and evidence based psychological and educational services and interventions. She is passionate about education and strongly believes that all children have the right of access to educational provision that maximises their opportunities in life to reach their true potential.   

Heather Forknall is based in Brighton & Hove and able to travel around the South East to support client's needs.  Her objective is to work collaboratively with agencies in the best interests of the child/young person.  With the consent and cooperation of the school Heather can also conduct assessment and observation on site (distance permitting) and work with the school to develop a better understanding of your child's needs and different ways in which these may be supported. Heather also offers educational consultancy services and training to schools upon request.  

Heather is a member of the British Psychological Society and can be found on their Register of Chartered Psychologists and on their Register of Expert Witnesses.  She is also an Associate Fellow of the British Psychological Society and registered as a Practitioner Psychologist with the Health and Care Professions Council (Registration Number PYL23177).  Heather is also a member of AChiPPP, the Association of Child Psychologists in Private Practice.  She has enhanced clearance by the Disclosure and Barring Service and you can use the update service to check her status live.  Heather also has full and comprehensive professional indemnity insurance.  

In November 2015 Heather successfully completed professional training for the administration of the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS-2) and is able to contribute to multi-disciplinary assessment of ASD in children and young people.