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Staff Profile

Dr Sophie Brigstocke

Senior Lecturer, Educational Psychologist

Sophie Brigstocke staff profile image

I have a degree in Linguistics from Newcastle University. I particularly enjoyed the psycholinguistic modules, which led me to complete an MSc in Reading, Language and Cognition at the University of York. Alongside this, I also worked as a research fellow on a Health Foundation Project investigating Reading, Language and Maths in children with Down Syndrome. I then gained ESRC funding to continue this work for my PhD.

During this time I also worked under the supervision of Professor Maggie Snowling, conducting educational assessments within the department clinic dedicated to seeing families with children with reading or other educational difficulties. I carried on this work, gaining registration as an HCPC Educational Psychologist. I incorporated the clinic work with a lecturing position working on the MSc for Developmental Disorders and Clinical Practice and leading module on assessment and intervention for children with educational difficulties. I also turned my interest to focus on mental health in children with developmental difficulties and have now worked for the Anna Freud Centre writing and delivering programmes for professionals training them on promoting wellbeing and supporting those with mental health difficulties within schools. The main programmes I am delivering at the moment are the DfE funded Senior Lead in Schools for Mental Health, 2 day trainings and LINK workshops bringing together Local Authorities, Clinical Commissioners, CAMHS and Schools together to build a strategy for better joint working together with the aim of improving the mental health support offered to children, young people and their families.

I am also the Yorkshire and Humber psychologist for the Long Covid Paediatric Clinics, recently set up at Hull Hospital.

Further Information

Teaching

I currently lead two modules on the 3rd Year Psychology with Counselling Undergraduate course. These are: Foundations of Counselling Psychology (3PY375) in Semester 1 and Counselling Skills and Processes 2 (3PY374) in Semester 2

In semester 2, I am also leading a 1st Year module for the Doctorate in Counselling Psychology: Interventions Across the Lifespan (PSY8106M)

I also supervise theses for students doing the MSc in Child and Adolescent Development and trainees on the Doctorate in Counselling Psychology.

Courses I teach on:

Psychology with Counselling Undergraduate:

  • 3PY375 Module lead - Foundations of Counselling Psychology
  • 3PY374 Module lead - Counselling skills and processes 2

Doctorate in Counselling Psychology:

  • PSY8106M - Interventions Across the Lifespan
  • Thesis Supervision

Research

My research is related to developmental disorders and factors related to their learning and mental health and wellbeing in children and young people in schools.

Please see publications list below.

  • Gill, Adella & Brigstocke, Sophie & Goody, Adam. (2020). An exploratory study of the association between self-esteem levels in adults and retrospective reports of their peer relations and motor skills in childhood. Journal for ReAttach Therapy and Developmental Diversities. 3.24-33. 10.26407/2020jrtdd.1.28.
  • Brigstocke, S & Tobia, V. (2017) Developmental changes in the cognitive and educational profiles of children and adolescents with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome,.Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities.
  • Brigstocke, S., Moll, K. & Hulme, C (2016) Test of Basic Arithmetic and Number Skills (tobans) and online tracker, Oxford University Press.
  • Brigstocke, S (2015). Using Video and Ipad Technology to Promote Skills Based Learning in Higher Education. Forum Magazine, University of York.
  • Brigstocke, S (2014). Mathematics Education for children with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome. Entry in the Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education, Springer.com.
  • Brigstocke, S (2014). Mathematics Education for children with Down Syndrome. Entry in the Encyclopedia of Mathematics Education, Springer.com.
  • Hulme, C., Goetz, K., Brigstocke, S., Nash, H., Lervåg, A. and Snowling, M. J. (2011), The growth of reading skills in children with Down Syndrome. Developmental Science. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7687.2011.01129x.
  • Number and arithmetic skills in children with Down syndrome (2008). Sophie Brigstocke, Charles Hulme and Joanna Nye Down Syndrome Online is published by Down Syndrome Educational International.
  • Goetz, K., Brigstocke, S., Hulme, C & Snowling, M. (2008) Training reading and phoneme awareness skills in children with Down syndrome. Reading and Writing V21 (4), Springer, Netherlands.
  • Hulme, C, Caravolas, M., Malkova, G. & Brigstocke, S. (2005) Phoneme isolation ability is not simply a consequence of letter-sound knowledge. Cognition, 97, B1-B11.
  • Brigstocke, S., Snowling, M & Hulme, C. Number Skills in Down Syndrome.
  • Brigstocke, S, Forrest, C., Thompson B. et al (submitted). I can do anything! An evaluation of the efficacy of an online psychoeducational programme for ADHD.

Professional Activities

I am an honorary lecturer at the University of Hong Kong Department for Education, working together with Prof Taeko Wydell, Dr Liory Fern-Pollak on a UK team delivering teaching on best practice for supporting children with SEND in a biannual monthly course to teachers in Hong Kong, funded by the Bureau for Education.

I am the psychologist on the recently set up MTD Long Covid Paediatric Clinics for the Yorkshire and Humberside region.

I am an external examiner for the MSc in Language and Communication within the Division of Human Communication Sciences of at University of Sheffield.

I am an HCPC registered educational psychologist and a BPS Associate Fellow with chartership status. I am trained to deliver ADOS and ADI-R tools for assessment of autism as well as most psychometric general ability and educational instruments. I also have a certificate in Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Children and Young People from University College London, The Anna Freud Centre.