What do School Psychologists Do?
Most parents know that schools have professionals who support students’ academic success, but many are unclear about the role of school psychologists. These mental health professionals play a vital role in helping children learn, grow, and thrive in Ontario’s education system.
Schools are considered to be ideal settings for children and youth to receive mental health services, including mental health promotion, prevention and intervention, and school psychologists are the most highly trained professionals who provide mental health services to children and youth across the age groups, within the framework of equity, diversity and inclusion. School psychologists are regulated professionals with expertise in child development, learning, behavior and mental health. They provide psychological assessments and evidence-based interventions to address identified needs in children and adolescents. They also engage in consultation with educators on strategies to support the classroom regarding behavior management and learning, and provide professional training to school staff on a variety of mental health topics. Their work focuses on promoting mental health wellness and addressing underlying needs to help students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally.
What Makes Them Different?
Unlike guidance counsellors, who typically support academic planning or career exploration, school psychologists apply their knowledge of child development and mental health to provide:
Psychological assessments
Evidence-based Intervention strategies
Behavioural and social-emotional support
Mental health consultation
Crisis response
They often work behind the scenes, collaborating with teachers, administrators, and families to develop tailored plans for students who need additional support.
The Role of Assessments
One of the most well-known aspects of their role is conducting psychoeducational assessments. These are used to better understand a student’s learning profile and identify areas of strengths and needs. Assessments may uncover learning disabilities, giftedness, other mental health conditions (e.g., anxiety, depression) or neurodevelopmental disorders (e.g., autism, ADHD) impacting learning, school achievement and social-emotional functioning. However, it’s important to know that these assessments are not automatically provided through schools. A student must be referred for assessment through a school-based support learning team meeting based on their learning needs or if there is a question of requiring placement in specialized school programs, or to receive additional special education support. Parents should not assume their child can receive an assessment through the school without meeting certain criteria. This is a crucial point of advocacy and awareness.
Supporting Inclusion and Well-being
School psychologists are essential to fostering inclusive learning environments. They contribute to Individual Education Plans (IEPs), advise on classroom strategies, and provide psychological assessment and evidence-based intervention and consultation to classroom teachers to help address behavioural and emotional challenges of students. They advocate for supports and services to children within an equity and diversity lens. They also play a key role in promoting trauma-informed practices and responding to crises in the school community, including intervening when traumatic events occur and conducting threat or risk assessments.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for school-based psychological services has increased dramatically. Many students are experiencing heightened anxiety, behavior regulation issues, grief, and academic struggles—and school psychologists are often the most comprehensive line of mental health support within the system.
Access and Advocacy
While the role is vital, many Ontario schools are under-resourced. Waitlists for assessments can be long, and there are often not enough school psychologists to meet the growing demand. Parents and caregivers can support systemic change by advocating for more funding and resources dedicated to staffing more school psychologists and providing school-based mental health support.
Final Thoughts
School psychologists play an essential role in helping students navigate learning and facilitating social-emotional growth. Their presence in schools supports promotion, prevention and intervention, giving students the tools and strategies they need to thrive and educators the tools to support them. School psychologists can have a profound impact on learning and mental health well-being for children and adolescents. As parents, understanding their role—and how to access their services—is an important step in advocating for your child’s success.
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