Breda Hand, Educational Psychologist, at Sensational Kids, Kildare

Breda Hand, B.Ed, B.Sc. (Psychology), M.A.E.P. (Educational Psychology), MBPsS

 

Profile

Educational psychologist Breda Hand has seventeen years’ experience as an educational psychologist with both the HSE and The National Educational Psychology Service (NEPS) from 2001 – 2018. She has worked with children from Junior Infants to Leaving Certificate who presented with the full spectrum of special educational needs. She has extensive experience dealing with parents and with teachers and principals of both primary and post-primary schools and has worked with whole-school staffs on a range of initiatives. In addition, Breda works with the disability & support services in many third level institutions.

Prior to qualifying as an educational psychologist, Breda was a primary school teacher from 1985-2001. In this role, she taught children from four to thirteen years and developed a particular interest and expertise in children with special educational needs.

 

Continuous Professional Development

Breda has also engaged with a range of CPD programmes on relevant topics including training in:

  • DCD (Dyspraxia)
  • Autism
  • Dynamic Assessment
  • Critical Incidents
  • Effective interventions for early readers
  • Effective interventions for struggling readers
  • ‘Incredible Years’
  • ‘Friends for Life’
  • The Continuum of Support
  • The Behavioural, Emotional & Social Difficulties – Continuum of Support
  • Transitions from primary to post-primary
  • Special Schools
  • Visual Impairments

She has gained further qualifications in

  • Separation and Loss (Hospice Foundation)
  • Mindfulness
  • ICT (use of laptops / ipads /software in educational settings)

 

She has particular interests in

  • Speech and Language Impairments
  • Early Years’ Education
  • Specific Learning Disabilities
  • Visual Impairments

 

Professional Qualifications

  • Carysfort College of Education, Bachelor of Education (Primary) (B.Ed), 1982-1985
  • Open University, Bachelor of Science (Psychology) (B.Sc) 1995-1999
  • University College Dublin, Masters of Educational Psychology (M.A.E.P.), Thesis on Inclusive Practices in Primary Schools, 2000 – 2001

 

Appointments

To make an appointment for an Educational Psychological Assessment with Breda Hand at Sensational Kids, in either Kildare Town , phone our appointments team on 045 520900