Barry Syme is the Principal Educational Psychologist for the City of Glasgow, with over 30 years’ experience working within Glasgow’s education services. He holds a strategic remit for children and young people’s mental health in Glasgow schools and represents Education Services on the Glasgow Suicide Prevention Group. Barry has played a key role in developing and delivering suicide awareness and prevention training across all educational establishments in the city.

He leads the provision of school counselling across all 200 Glasgow schools and oversees the commissioning of additional mental health supports for young people, including Togetherall and Kooth. As strategic lead for school attendance, Barry has been instrumental in developing the Quarriers REACH service, which supports young people experiencing emotionally based school non-attendance. His wider responsibilities include leading the All Behaviour is Communication training programme and contributing to the development of Glasgow’s anti-bullying policy and the Education Service’s Promoting Relationships policy.

Barry has served on the Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists Executive Committee for 15 years, previously holding the roles of Secretary, Chair and Treasurer. He is married with two daughters, one a secondary school teacher and the other a veterinary surgeon.