Professional Certificate in Child Assessments and Interventions
The Professional Certificate in Child Assessments and Interventions will equip learners with the following competencies:
- Interpreting common cognitive assessments under supervision.
- Conducting interviews with parents, teachers, and making school observations.
- Practicing evidence-based clinical interventions for childhood anxiety and depression.
- Practicing behavioural management and parenting strategies for childhood Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Conduct Disorder, and Attention-Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).
- Recognising different types and levels of crisis and developing skills in crisis assessment and intervention.
- Developing interpersonal and relational skills.
For enquiries, please email Nur Zahirah at zahirah@nus.edu.sg.
Mode of Delivery
The mode of delivery is face-to-face workshops with didactic teaching, reflective practice group discussions, and a problem-based learning project. Virtual seminars will only be held where COVID-19 restrictions preclude the possibility of face-to-face sessions.
Assessment
Learners will be assessed in the following ways:
- Group presentations, reflection assignments, and/or in-class quizzes.
The entry requirements for the component workshops and the professional certificates are as follows:
- A psychology degree with honours (a psychology degree without honours and other qualifications are accepted on a case-by-case basis)
- A personal statement (no more than one page)
- One research/clinical reference
Priority is given to applicants currently working as associate psychologists, behavioural specialists, and autism therapists who:
- Are 1-2 years into their present entry-level jobs
- Require continuous professional development
- Hope to improve their readiness for a graduate applied psychology programme
The courses are also tailored to qualified psychologists interested in professional development.
While these workshops are intended for individuals practising in the practitioner psychology fields, it is the sole responsibility of the participant to ensure that any practise involving the utilising of knowledge and skills acquired from the NUS workshops are within their areas of competence (see Singapore Psychological Society Code of Ethics, Guideline 5 https://singaporepsychologicalsociety.org/sps-code-of-ethics/). It is strongly encouraged that participants pursue regular clinical supervision to further solidify the knowledge and skills acquired from these workshops.
Application is open!
| Professional Certificate | Workshops | Application Links |
| Child Assessments and Interventions | Workshop I: Child Assessments in Clinical Psychology | Enquire here |
| Workshop II: Child Interventions in Clinical Psychology | Enquire here |
Note:
- Course application closes 2 weeks prior to course commencement.
- Every professional certificate comprises two unique workshops. Learners will be awarded a professional certificate when they complete both workshops, and apply to the NUS Department of Psychology for the professional certificate.
- The maximum candidature period that learners must complete both workshops to be awarded the professional certificate is 24 months.
- Learners can choose not to stack both workshops into a professional certificate, but register for single workshops.
- There is no limit to the number of workshops that learners can attend.
| Fees Description | Programme Fee (Inc 9% GST) | Programme Fee After NUS Discount (Inc 9% GST) | Programme Fee After NUS Discount, and VCF Funding (Inc 9% GST) |
| Workshop I: Child Assessments in Clinical Psychology | $2,779.50 | $2,223.60 | $823.60 |
| Workshop II: Child Interventions in Clinical Psychology | $2,779.50 | $2,223.60 | $823.60 |
| Professional Certificate in Child Assessments and Interventions (Workshops I & II) | $5,559.00 | $4,447.20 | $1,647.20 |
NUS 20% Discount
In recognition of their public service to the community, all applicants from the following organisations who apply in 2023-2024 will receive a 20% fee discount from NUS:
- Government ministry staff (e.g., MSF, MHA, MOE, etc.)
- Restructured hospital staff
- Staff of NCSS member Social Service Agencies and MSF-funded Social Service Agencies
VCF Funding
The professional certificates are also pre-approved for VCF funding till 31 May 2024. Staff of NCSS member Social Service Agencies and MSF-funded Social Service Agencies are eligible for this funding that is capped at $1,400 per pax, per workshop. There are 15 VCF-funded places for each workshop.
Course Structure and Details
Course Synopsis
The workshop offers participants the opportunity to gain fundamental knowledge and skills in child assessment and psychometric concepts, methodologies, and theories. Attendees will learn various approaches to data collection in child assessment, including standardized testing, interviews, and observations, while using multi-modal approaches to obtain background information from parents, caregivers, and teachers.
Participants will gain experience in interpreting common psychological assessment instruments and engaging in diagnostic formulations with a trained psychologist. Furthermore, attendees will be introduced to best practices in report writing. This workshop will hone your child assessment skills to positively impact the lives of child clients.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this workshop, participants are expected to achieve the following:
| S/No. | Competency | F1* | F2* | F3* | F4* | F5* |
| Psychological Assessment | ||||||
| 1 | Attain basic knowledge of child assessment and psychometric concepts, theories, and methodologies (including distinguishing between different types and purposes of tests) | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 2 | Understand various approaches to data collection in child assessment (including standardized testing, interviews, observations) | ✓ | ||||
| 3 | Employ multi-modal approaches of interview and observations to obtain necessary background information from relevant informants (e.g., parents, caregivers, teachers) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 4 | Understand and interpret common psychological assessment instruments under the supervision of a trained psychologist:
Cognitive and Academic - Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children – Fifth Edition (WISC-V) - Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence – Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV) - Singapore Ability Scale (SAS) Behavioural and Emotional - Vineland-3 - Child Behaviour Checklist (CBCL) |
✓ | ✓ | |||
| 5 | Explain the outcome of the assessment, under the supervision of a trained psychologist, in a clear manner and with appropriate language | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 6 | Assessing risk under the supervision of a trained psychologist | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| Psychological Formulation | ||||||
| 7 | Identify diagnostic criteria of Intellectual Disability, Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, Specific Learning Disorders | ✓ | ||||
| 8 | Discuss diagnostic formulation with a trained psychologist | ✓ | ||||
| 9 | Propose recommendations for educational placement and intervention-planning under the supervision of a trained psychologist | ✓ | ||||
| Report Writing | ||||||
| 10 | Understand report writing structure | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 11 | Comply with ethical principles, code of conduct, legal and regulatory requirements in documentation, record-keeping and storage | ✓ | ✓ | |||
| 12 | Understand limitations of confidentiality of reports and client records | ✓ | ✓ | |||
*The learning outcomes for this course are taken from the following sources:
- F1 - SkillsFuture Framework, Singapore
- F2 - BPS Associate Psychologist Accreditation standards, UK
- F3 - Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education KSA Framework for Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP), UK
- F4 - UNSW Core Competency Framework, Australia
- F5 - BPS Assistant Test User Educational Test Standards
This course is pitched at the level of associate psychologists. Therefore, the administration and interpretation of these instruments must still be done under the supervision of a qualified psychologist after the workshop. Agencies that send their associate psychologists (or equivalent) for this workshop will be asked to sign an agreement that their staff will be practicing under the supervision of a qualified psychologist after the workshop.
Dates and Time [New]
- Day 1: TBC
- Day 2: TBC
- Day 3: TBC
Classes will be conducted from 9 am to 6 pm.
Venue
Classes will be conducted face-to-face in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, NUS.
About The Trainer
Ms Ong Jiehan Jamie
Instructor, National University of Singapore
Jamie is a registered psychologist, an approved Clinical Supervisor with the Singapore Register of Psychologists and a member of the Singapore Psychological Society. She has extensive experience working with children and adolescents with developmental disorders and psychiatric conditions both in a hospital and community setting. Additionally, Jamie is teaching and provides clinical supervision to psychology students at the National University of Singapore.
Jamie's expertise includes administering standardised assessments for children and adolescents. She is certified to conduct the Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule-2 (ADOS-2) and Autism Diagnostic Interview – Revised (ADI-R). She is also skilled at a variety of individual and group therapies for children, including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy and Social Thinking.
Course Synopsis
This workshop is an opportunity for participants to advance their skills in evidence-based interventions for children in mainstream school. The workshop covers a range of important topics, including key psychological intervention theories and frameworks, goal setting and collaboration with clients and their caregivers, and the application of evidence-based interventions such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.
Additionally, participants will gain an understanding of parenting and behavioural management skills, the role of the therapeutic relationship in professional practice, and the importance of ethics and cultural diversity in intervention implementations. This workshop is designed to equip professionals with the knowledge and skills needed to provide effective and impactful interventions for child clients and their caregivers.
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this workshop, participants are expected to achieve the following:
| S/No. | Competency | F1* | F2* | F3* | F4* |
| 1 | Understand key psychological intervention theories and frameworks that underpin evidence-based interventions. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2 | Learning to set appropriate intervention goals and agreeing these with clients and their caregivers. | ✓ | |||
| 3 | Learn and apply different types of evidence-based interventions (including Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) and simple clinical treatment protocols that is grounded in formulation under the supervision of a trained psychologist. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 4 | Learn general principals of parenting training and gain basic knowledge of parenting and behavioural management skills. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 5 | Understand and recognise the role and importance of a therapeutic relationship in professional practice. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 6 | Gain awareness and recognise ethics and cultural diversity in intervention implementations | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 7 | Develop interpersonal skills to engage and build rapport with child clients and their caregivers to enhance therapy outcome and communicate the intervention process. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 8 | Identify and assess different levels and types of crises using a crisis intervention framework and learn skills to provide crisis intervention. | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
*The learning outcomes for this course are taken from the following sources:
- F1 - SkillsFuture Framework, Singapore
- F2 - BPS Associate Psychologist Accreditation standards, UK
- F3 - Institute for Apprenticeships & Technical Education KSA Framework for Clinical Associate in Psychology (CAP), UK
- F4 - AIC Mental Health Framework, Singapore
Dates and Time [New]
- Day 1: TBC
- Day 2: TBC
- Day 3: TBC
Classes will be conducted from 9 am to 6 pm.
Venue
Classes will be conducted face-to-face in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, NUS.
About The Trainer
Ms Carolyn Kee
Consultant Psychologist, Ki Psychology
Carolyn has 25 years of experience treating children and adolescents who have difficulties with stress, anxiety and depression, panic attacks, grief, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, autism spectrum disorder and behavioural issues.
She worked as a psychologist at the Institute of Mental Health's (IMH) Child Guidance Clinic (CGC) for 20 years, from 1995 to 2015. Her work includes psychological assessments, individual and group therapy, consultation with partner agencies, training and supervision of psychologists, research, public mental health education and emergency behaviour management. She was also supervisor and co-director of the team that worked with victims of trauma and youth at risk.
She has authored books on mental health conditions and published articles in medical and psychological journals, magazines and newsletters. Her illustrated children's books on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and eating disorders are available at IMH and other helping agencies. Her passion for training and mentoring fellow child psychology and clinical practice professionals earned her a National Healthcare Group Teaching Award for Allied Health Educators in 2014.