School psychologists understand principles and research related to family systems, strengths, needs, and cultures; evidence-based strategies to support positive family influences on children’s learning and mental health; and strategies to develop collaboration between families and schools. School psychologists, in collaboration with others, design, implement, and evaluate services that respond to culture and context. They facilitate family and school partnerships and interactions with community agencies to enhance academic and social–behavioral outcomes for children.
National Association of School Psychologists, 2021
Examples of professional practices associated with Family, School, and Community Collaboration include:
- Acknowledging and respecting the complexity and diversity within family systems, understanding the impacts of cultural contexts, world views, and familial backgrounds on school-family partnerships and engagements with community service providers.
- Utilizing evidence-based strategies to formulate, implement, and evaluate effective policies and practices that promote strong partnerships among families, schools, and communities to boost the learning, mental and behavioral health outcomes of children and youth.
- Advocating for and implementing safe, nurturing, and consistent parenting strategies and home interventions that contribute to the healthy development of children.
- Giving due consideration to the distinctive needs of children and youth living in nontraditional settings such as homelessness, foster care, group homes, or transitional housing. This includes collaborating with caregivers and community agencies supporting these students to ensure their needs are adequately met.
- Facilitating connections and coordination among schools, families, and community providers, especially when a child’s programming involves multiple agencies.
- Championing for families by supporting parents and other caregivers in their active involvement in school activities. Recognizing and addressing potential barriers to school engagement, and assisting families in overcoming these challenges.
- Educating the school community about the crucial role of family involvement in school success, and advocating for the active participation of parents and other caregivers in school governance and policy development when feasible.
(Adapted from the National Association of School Psychologists, 2020, p. 8)
Relevant Courses:
EDPS 681: Theories & Skills of Counselling
This course provides a comprehensive overview of the historical and theoretical foundations of counselling psychology. It promotes critical evaluation of various contemporary counselling theories and encourages students to develop their own counselling perspectives. In addition to theory, the course instills a wide range of generic counselling skills such as attending skills, engagement skills, reflecting skills, and skills for enhancing meaning, all of which are aimed at facilitating psycho-educational groups and fostering professionally-oriented relational skills.
Relevance: The EDPS 681 course was instrumental in enhancing my understanding of the principles and research associated with family systems, individual strengths, needs, and cultural contexts. The curriculum introduced me to evidence-based strategies that support positive family influences on children’s learning and mental health, further enabling me to promote collaboration between families and schools. This learning foundation will be crucial in my role as a school psychologist, as it equips me to design, implement, and evaluate family-centered services that are sensitive to cultural and contextual needs.
EDPS 696: Social, Emotional, and Behavioural Assessment and Intervention
This course aimed to deepen understanding of children and youth who exhibit significant social, emotional, and behavioural needs within school and community environments. This course utilizes a biopsychosocial systems perspective to evaluate social, emotional, and behavioral concerns, employing assessment models sensitive to individual strengths, weaknesses, and cultural factors. Furthermore, it emphasizes the development of evidence-based interventions and the evaluation of their effectiveness.
Relevance: This course crucially equipped me with the ability to advocate for families, supporting parents and caregivers in their active involvement in school activities, taking into consideration the unique needs of children and families during assessment and support provision. It has been instrumental in developing my understanding of mitigating factors and barriers to school engagement. More significantly, this course enhanced my competence in promoting evidence-based strategies for families and educators, thereby optimizing learning and mental health outcomes for students.
EDPS 690: School-Based Intervention and Consultation
The School-Based Intervention and Consultation course focused on the exploring various models of consultation and a range of evidence-based interventions applicable in diverse school contexts. The course imparted essential skills for effective consultation with school personnel and families and introduced best practices in the design and efficacy measurement of school-based interventions. Moreover, the course provided exposure to a broad spectrum of school-based cognitive, academic, executive, social-emotional, and behavioural interventions.
Relevance: The completion of EDPS 690: School-Based Intervention and Consultation was instrumental in enhancing my competencies in consultative problem-solving and enhancing teachers’ ability to execute interventions in schools. It fostered my ability to partner with parents and families for the effective provision of school-based services, and apply evidence-based interventions in addressing various child/youth concerns in a school setting. Furthermore, the course significantly honed my data-based decision-making abilities, service planning, outcome evaluation, and accountability, across various academic areas, early childhood, executive functioning, and social-emotional and behavioural interventions. These skills directly enhance my capacity to support family-school collaboration, develop effective strategies, and work with community agencies to improve children’s academic and socio-behavioral outcomes, aligning well with this NASP domain.
EDPS 676: Practicum in Social, Emotional, and Behavioural Assessment
The practicum course in Social, Emotional, and Behavioural Assessment and Intervention is designed to offer students hands-on experience and professional guidance in performing and interpreting standardized assessments focusing on social, emotional, and behavioural elements. The course underscores a holistic approach, collecting and scrutinizing data from various sources such as school records, clients, teachers, and parents, and emphasizes effectively communicating test outcomes and recommendations, both verbally and in writing. The course also grants students the responsibility of carrying out comprehensive solo client assessments, encompassing intake interviews, case conceptualization, and feedback meetings, all under the direct supervision of a registered psychologist.
Relevance: The 200-hour practicum in EDPS 676 significantly enhanced my understanding and competence in conducting complete assessments, while strengthening my consultation and collaboration skills with families and schools. The practicum provided an invaluable opportunity to work closely with education and family members for collateral documentation and information, and required the application of evidence-based measures for data collection. Furthermore, the experience greatly improved my ability to communicate results effectively, offering practical exposure in the relevant domain under the guidance of a registered psychologist.
Work Samples:
I selected the following work samples to include within the Family, School, and Community Collaboration domain because it encapsulates my exploration into the tangible hurdles that families often encounter, particularly concerning behavioral challenges in children. Through a number of program courses, we submerged ourselves in in-depth studies by observing and analyzing a variety of series that mimic real-life scenarios. In two specific assignments, I ventured into the intricacies of these issues, providing insights into the multi-layered problems families face in reality, and the diverse solutions required depending on the specific needs of the individual and their family. This learning opportunity underscored the pivotal role of an interdisciplinary approach, underscoring the importance of uniting family, school, and community resources for successful outcomes. I submitted this task in two parts as indicated below:
Annotated Bibliography:
Singh, A. A., Appling, B., & Trepal, H. (2020). Using the multicultural and social justice counselling competencies to decolonize counselling practice: The important roles of theory, power, and action. Journal of Counseling & Development, 98(3), 261-271.
I included this article within the Family, School, and Community Collaboration domain because it underscores the significant lessons I learned regarding multicultural and social justice dimensions in school psychology practice. Specifically, the article by Singh and colleagues discusses the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies, and how these competencies call for counselors to understand how their privileged and marginalized statuses influence their experiences and worldviews. This study emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, understanding of power dynamics, and proactive actions in creating an inclusive and equitable educational environment. As part of this domain, it underlines the need for school psychologists to consider these competencies in cultivating robust partnerships among families, schools, and communities, and in creating strategies that honor and cater to the diverse cultural contexts and requirements of students.
Nickerson, A. B., & Fishman, C. E. (2013). Promoting mental health and resilience through strength-based assessment in US schools. Educational and Child Psychology, 30(4), 7-17.
I included this article within the “Family, School, and Community Collaboration” domain because it showcases my understanding and application of strength-based assessments in fostering a positive and empowering environment in schools. The article by Nickerson and Fishman highlights how recognizing and leveraging students’ strengths can significantly enhance their motivation and relationships among students, parents, and professionals. Through this study, I learned the importance of adopting such strength-based assessments as a school psychologist. These tools provide valuable insights into each student’s unique strengths and needs, shaping effective individualized plans that promote academic and social-emotional success. Consequently, this strength-based approach aligns with the ethos of family, school, and community collaboration, supporting the holistic development of students by actively involving all stakeholders in the educational process.
Lazarus, P. J., Doll, B., Song, S. Y., & Radliff, K. (2022). Transforming school mental health services based on a culturally responsible dual-factor model. School Psychology Review, 51(6), 755-770.
I included this article within the Family, School, and Community Collaboration domain because it provided me with key insights into the need for a culturally sensitive approach in school psychology. The article by Lazarus emphasized the application of multicultural and social justice theories to critically examine traditional counselling theories, which are predominantly White and Western in their framework. It presented four key theories for adopting a decolonizing paradigm, offering invaluable guidance for school psychologists. The transformation of counselling practice from an individualistic focus to a community perspective was underscored, aligning well with the school psychology focus on promoting safe and inclusive school environments. This article served as a vital resource, especially for those interested in fostering equitable and just practices in schools, advocating for safe and inclusive policies, and addressing power dynamics, privilege, and oppression within the school context.
Self-Evaluation
In the realm of Family, School, and Community Collaboration, I consider my proficiency to meet the requisite standard for this domain as At Standard. During my studies, I’ve deepened my understanding of the principles and research related to family systems, individual strengths, cultural contexts, and collaborative strategies. Through the lenses of my coursework, such as EDPS 681, EDPS 696, EDPS 690, and EDPS 676, I’ve learned to respect and acknowledge diversity within family systems, utilize evidence-based strategies, and advocate for families in diverse situations. This academic trajectory has empowered me to champion school-family partnerships, promote parent and caregiver involvement, and encourage family influence on children’s learning and mental health. Importantly, my hands-on practicum experience enhanced my understanding in conducting assessments, consultative collaborations, and effectively communicating outcomes. I believe my proficiency is in tune with the multicultural and social justice counseling competencies, as I aim to adopt an equitable and inclusive approach in my practice. However, I recognize that continuous learning and improvement are paramount to being an effective advocate for children and their families, and I look forward to further growth in this domain throughout my internship.
(c) Besart Hysniu 2025 