Lack of school psychologists leaves parents paying thousands for private assessments

Kelsey West said her adventurous six-year-old boy, Caleb, has a bright mind, kind heart and a strong love of the outdoors. 

He can often be found swimming, biking or playing with his younger brother in the yard of their Minto home, about 50 kilometres east of Fredericton.

But in addition to these typical childhood interests, West said, Caleb can also experience heightened emotions that don't always match the situation.

Caleb “experiences the world in a really intense way,” she said.

It was something West said she flagged to specialists when he was younger, and something often dismissed.

“I was always kind of pushed to the side and told that it's just a phase,” she said. “But as things increased in difficulty, I really had to advocate for him in order to be heard.”

West said she and her husband decided last year to bypass what they had been told by their doctor could be up to a two-year wait for a psychological assessment in the public system. They had Caleb assessed privately. 

A diagnosis of autism was $3,000 well spent in their eyes. It opened doors for resources and allowed them to better understand and support their son at home and at school. 

If they had waited for a school psychologist, that cost would have been covered by the school district.

But West said her son, along with all of the other children on that waitlist, deserved to be understood and supported before reaching a crisis point.   

“It’s terrible,” she said. “The kids and the families shouldn't have to fight this hard for the resources that they need.”

There is a chronic shortage of psychologists across the country, and New Brunswick is not immune. 

There are 45 full-time positions for psychologists in the anglophone school system. But the Department of Education said only six of them are filled. 

With more than 77,000 students this year, that works out to just one psychologist for every 13,000 students.