2.2 Identify external professionals who may work in education

This guide will help you answer 2.2 Identify external professionals who may work in education.

In a school or other educational setting, staff may need to work alongside external professionals. These individuals are not employed directly by the school but visit or consult as part of their role. They often bring specialist skills, services, or advice to support pupils, staff, and the wider school community. Understanding who these professionals are can help you recognise when they might be involved and how they contribute to the learning environment.

External professionals can work with individual pupils, groups, or in some cases with the whole school. Their work may be short term for a specific case or ongoing to offer regular support.

Speech and Language Therapist

A speech and language therapist works with pupils who have communication needs. This could include problems with speaking, understanding language, pronunciation, or social communication skills. They may also support pupils who have eating and swallowing difficulties.

Speech and language therapists will usually assess a pupil, create a communication plan, and train staff in how to use strategies in the classroom. They might run one-to-one therapy sessions or small group work. They often provide written reports for teachers and parents.

Educational Psychologist

An educational psychologist supports children and young people who may have learning difficulties, social or emotional problems, or other barriers to learning. They carry out detailed assessments to understand how a pupil learns and what support might help them succeed.

Their work may involve observing in classrooms, speaking to teachers and parents, and offering practical advice on teaching strategies. They often play a role in creating Education, Health, and Care Plans (EHCPs).

Occupational Therapist

An occupational therapist works with pupils who have physical, sensory, or coordination needs. Their aim is to help the pupil take part in everyday school tasks. This could involve improving fine motor skills used for writing, helping with posture, or suggesting specialist equipment.

They may recommend exercises, modifications to the environment, or adapted tools to support the pupil’s independence in learning and self-care during the school day.

Physiotherapist

A physiotherapist supports pupils who have difficulties with movement, strength, or physical development. Their work can include rehabilitation after injury or helping children with long-term physical conditions.

They may design physical exercise programmes, advise teachers on safe ways to move or position pupils, and help improve mobility so that a pupil can join in with PE and other school activities.

School Nurse

The school nurse is a qualified nurse who often works across several schools in an area. They provide health education, medical advice, and health checks such as vision or hearing screening. They may work with children who have long-term health conditions, creating care plans and training staff in medication procedures.

School nurses also promote mental and emotional wellbeing and can signpost pupils and parents to other health services.

Social Worker

A social worker supports children and families who may be experiencing personal, social, or family difficulties. They may get involved if there are concerns about safeguarding, neglect, abuse, or serious welfare issues.

Social workers often liaise closely with school staff to monitor attendance, behaviour, and progress, and to provide targeted family support. They can arrange practical help, connect families with services, and represent the child’s welfare in meetings.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) Professionals

CAMHS is part of the NHS and provides support for children and young people with mental health needs. Professionals in CAMHS can include psychiatrists, psychologists, therapists, and specialist nurses.

They assess mental health, provide therapy, and create treatment plans. Schools may be involved in implementing some of the support strategies agreed with CAMHS. Common issues they address include anxiety, depression, behavioural disorders, and trauma.

Specialist Advisory Teachers

Specialist advisory teachers are trained teachers with extra qualifications in specific areas such as hearing impairment, visual impairment, or autism spectrum conditions. They work across different schools, giving advice to staff and sometimes working directly with pupils.

Their role is to help staff adapt lessons and resources so pupils with additional needs can fully access the curriculum. They may also provide training to staff members.

Educational Welfare Officer

An educational welfare officer focuses on school attendance and punctuality. They investigate why a pupil has frequent or long absences and work with families to resolve these issues. They may visit homes, meet with parents, and offer strategies to improve attendance.

If necessary, they can be involved in legal processes where attendance problems continue without valid reasons.

Careers Adviser

A careers adviser offers advice on education, training, and employment options. They often work with secondary school pupils to help with career planning, choosing GCSE or A-level subjects, preparing CVs, or applying for college, apprenticeships, or university.

They can arrange career fairs, organise workplace visits, and support pupils with employability skills.

Educational Audiologist

An educational audiologist works with pupils who have hearing loss or auditory processing difficulties. They test hearing, fit or check hearing aids, and advise teachers on classroom adaptations.

They may suggest the use of sound field systems, ensure pupils have access to lip-reading opportunities, and help staff understand the effects of hearing loss on learning.

Counsellor or Therapeutic Support Worker

A counsellor in a school setting works with pupils who are struggling emotionally. This could be due to bullying, bereavement, family breakdown, anxiety, or low confidence. Sessions are confidential and provide a safe space for pupils to talk and develop coping strategies.

Counsellors might work on a short-term or long-term basis, depending on the needs of the pupil.

Behaviour Support Professional

Behaviour support professionals work with pupils whose behaviour is making learning difficult for them or others. They observe in class, identify triggers for behaviour, and suggest strategies for teachers and support staff to use. They might work with a child on emotional regulation, social skills, or coping mechanisms.

They can also train staff to manage behaviour positively and reduce exclusion rates.

Family Support Worker

A family support worker builds relationships with families to help improve the pupil’s home situation and school engagement. They can help with housing issues, benefits advice, parenting strategies, and links to other agencies. They often work closely with the designated safeguarding lead in school.

Attendance Officer (External)

In some areas, an attendance officer is employed by the local authority rather than the school itself. They monitor and address persistent absenteeism and work closely with educational welfare teams.

Safeguarding Officer (External Role)

Some safeguarding officers work for local authorities or charities and are assigned to support schools in child protection matters. They advise schools on safeguarding procedures, attend multi-agency meetings, and may be involved in training school staff.

Charity or Voluntary Service Workers

Charities often run support services for pupils and families. These could include mentoring schemes, advocacy services, or pastoral support. Examples include child bereavement charities, anti-bullying campaigns, or literacy volunteers.

They can work in collaboration with teachers and support staff to address specific needs.

Police Liaison Officer

Some schools have a police liaison officer connected to them. This officer works on issues such as preventing crime, promoting safety, and building positive relationships between young people and the police.

They can deliver assemblies or workshops on topics like online safety, substance misuse, or anti-social behaviour.

Dietitian or Nutritionist

A dietitian or nutritionist may work with schools to help pupils who have specific dietary needs or problems with weight management. They can advise on school menus, special diets, and healthy eating programmes.

How Schools Work with External Professionals

Schools often bring in external professionals for one or more of the following reasons:

• Specialist assessment of the pupil’s needs
• Expert advice that teachers cannot give themselves
• Access to services that improve educational outcomes
• Meeting legal duties under health, education, and safeguarding laws
• Supporting staff training and development

When working with external professionals, communication is key. Teachers and support workers must share relevant observations and background information. In return, they should follow the recommendations given by the professional.

Confidentiality and Information Sharing

Information shared with external professionals should meet data protection rules and only be given with appropriate consent, unless the information relates to safeguarding concerns. All involved must protect the pupil’s privacy.

Good practice includes:

• Getting parental permission when required
• Keeping records secure
• Only sharing information that is necessary for the task

Role of the Support Worker

As a support worker in education, you may:

• Help the professional during their visit
• Prepare the pupil for the session and explain what will happen
• Carry out activities recommended by the professional
• Monitor the pupil’s progress and give feedback
• Liaise with parents where necessary

Benefits of Involving External Professionals

Engaging external services brings different perspectives and expertise into the school. This can lead to:

• Better identification of barriers to learning
• Faster access to targeted interventions
• Improved pupil confidence and engagement
• Stronger relationships between school, home, and community
• Meeting national and local service standards for education and welfare

Final Thoughts

External professionals make a major contribution to supporting pupils in educational settings. They bring skills and knowledge that school staff may not be able to provide on their own. By working in partnership with these individuals, schools can offer a more complete and informed approach to meeting a wide range of needs.

As someone working with pupils, understanding the roles of these professionals helps you to recognise when their involvement may be needed. It also allows you to communicate effectively with them and to act on their advice. This improves the support each pupil receives and contributes to better outcomes for the whole school community.