Supporting children and young people to flourish as their authentic selves
Educational Psychology in Youth Justice: Working Across Systems to Create Change
About our Youth Offending Officer
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Blossom Educational Psychology Services provides specialist psychological input for children and young people who are, or may be, involved with Youth Offending Teams (YOTs) and associated services across Avon and Somerset.
This work builds on a pilot project co-developed with South Gloucestershire Educational Psychology Service and the local YOT, exploring how psychology can contribute to reducing re-offending, promoting educational engagement, and supporting systemic change.
Dr Brooke Hamblin is an Educational, Child and Community Psychologist, registered with the HCPC, with over ten years of experience across education, youth justice, and alternative provision. Her background includes a BA (Hons) in Criminology, professional training in Educational and Child Psychology, and doctoral research exploring the role of psychology within secure children’s homes. Brooke’s approach is trauma-informed, relational, and formulation-driven, focusing on working with and through the systems surrounding young people. She supports professionals to understand the child holistically, identify the factors that drive behaviour and disengagement, and co-create psychologically informed interventions that foster belonging, safety, and positive change.
This offer spans work at individual, group, and systemic levels — recognising that sustainable impact comes from building shared understanding and consistent practice across all parts of a young person’s world.
Why an Educational Psychologist?
Educational Psychologists (EPs) bring a distinct and under-utilised contribution to youth justice work. While psychology is increasingly recognised across health and justice systems, EPs are not yet routinely embedded within Youth Offending Teams — despite a growing body of research highlighting the crucial role of education in reducing re-offending and improving life outcomes.
EPs offer a holistic, formulation-driven understanding of the young person, looking beyond presenting behaviour to explore the educational, cognitive, emotional, and social factors that underpin it. This perspective connects what has happened in the young person’s learning journey with how they experience relationships, regulation, and a sense of belonging today.
Where other professionals may focus on behaviour, risk, or therapy, EPs bring a systems-level understanding of learning and development, working with and through all the networks around the child — schools, families, social care, YOTs, and health. This helps build shared understanding, consistent approaches, and sustainable change across agencies.
An EP’s work is inherently solution-focused and implementation-driven. Assessments and reports are translated into clear, practical documents that professionals can use to guide day-to-day support. These highlight not only needs but also strengths, protective factors, and the realistic steps that will make a difference in practice.
EP involvement ensures that:
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Education is positioned as a key tool for rehabilitation, rebuilding confidence, aspirations, and a sense of belonging.
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Transitions between services are understood and supported — helping young people maintain continuity as they move between education, YOT, and community settings.
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Psychological insight is accessible and actionable, supporting all professionals to implement change, not just understand it.
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Complex needs (academic, cognitive, and SEMH) are recognised and addressed through collaborative, trauma-informed planning.
Through this lens, the Educational Psychologist acts as a bridge between education and justice systems — facilitating understanding, enabling joined-up practice, and helping every young person to reconnect, rebuild, and thrive.
Our Services
Psychological Assessment and Formulation - £1000
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Comprehensive assessment exploring the young person’s cognitive, emotional, social, and educational profile. Includes consultation with key adults, observation, direct work with the young person, and a written psychological formulation with clear, actionable recommendations. A formal report is provided alongside a concise, workable profile that can be shared with schools, Secure Children’s Homes (SCHs), YOTs, or courts to support understanding, planning, and smooth transitions between settings.
Consultation and Case Discussion - £120/h
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Joint consultations with professionals and keyworkers to develop shared understanding and practical strategies around a young person’s needs. Can include joint planning with schools or education liaison workers.
Staff Training and Development - £350 (2 hours)
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Bespoke training sessions on topics such as trauma-informed and relational practice, understanding neurodiversity, motivation and engagement, or supporting learning and regulation. Designed to upskill staff and strengthen psychologically informed practice.
Reflective Supervision and Staff Coaching - £100/h
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Individual or group supervision sessions for YOT or multi-agency staff, supporting reflective practice, resilience and wellbeing. Focused on sustaining trauma-informed practice and professional reflection.
Mentoring and Direct Work with Young People - £100/h
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1:1 sessions using psychology to support engagement, confidence, and self-efficacy, with a focus on education, motivation and identity development.
Strategic and Project Consultation - Price upon enquiry
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Support to develop or evaluate psychologically informed projects, e.g. pilot work, systemic review, or development of education-focused interventions within YOT or community contexts.
Commissioned EP Time (Flexible Package) - £700/day
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A block of commissioned time for integrated work across the above areas — for example, 1 day per week offering assessment, consultation, supervision, and training as part of a collaborative pilot.
Additional information:
Travel within Avon and Somerset is included. For commissioned work or larger projects, bespoke packages can be developed to align with local priorities and funding arrangements.
