Dr Derek Zheng CPsychol AFBPsS 郑成德 博士

DEdPsy (Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology) (London), MEd (UK), BA (Hons)

Senior Educational and Child Psychologist, Adelphi Psych Medicine Clinic |
The British Psychological Society Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow (UK) | The Health and Care Professions Council Practitioner Psychologist (UK) | Singapore Psychological Society Registered Psychologist

Dr Derek Zheng completed his doctoral training in Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology at University College London (UK) under a scholarship from the National Council of Social Service (Singapore). He is a Chartered Psychologist and Associate Fellow with the British Psychological Society (UK). Dr Derek is also registered with The Health and Care Professions Council (UK) as a Practitioner Psychologist and the Singapore Psychological Society as a Registered Psychologist.

Dr Derek has more than eight years’ experience working with children and young persons with special educational learning needs and disabilities, such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), learning difficulties, Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (IDDs). He also has experience working with children and young persons presenting with psychosocial difficulties, such as emotional difficulties (e.g., anger management, peer problems, excessive worries), anxiety, child/adolescent abuse, trauma and/or neglect, depression.

Dr Derek has many years of experience working in several special education (SPED) schools in Singapore. In his previous role, he was the Senior Psychologist/Team Lead of a multi-disciplinary team of allied health professionals at a SPED school. He provided consultations, conducted psychological assessments, delivered individualised psychological interventions and led the clinical casework management of high-needs pupils in the school.

During his doctoral training, Dr Derek worked as a Doctoral Trainee Educational Psychologist (EP) with a London Local Authority (UK) in various educational settings. He also served as a Doctoral Trainee EP for several primary schools and secondary schools with Singapore’s Ministry of Education Psychological Services Branch (MOE-PSB).

Currently, Dr Derek works closely with vulnerable children and young persons who have experienced trauma, abuse and/or neglect, and presenting with co-morbid diagnoses such as learning difficulties, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), etc. He has received additional professional training and clinical supervision to administer trauma-related psychological assessments and deliver trauma-focused psychological interventions. He leads the clinical casework management for these complex cases, working closely with key stakeholders to promote better therapeutic/intervention outcomes, and writes psychological reports for the purpose of medico-legal case reviews for these children and young persons.

In his work with children and young persons at Adelphi Psych Medicine Clinic, Dr Derek adopts a child/young person-centred approach and uses a repertoire of psychological interventions, such as cognitive-behavioural therapy, projective drawings,  solution-focused brief coaching, trauma-informed practices, therapeutic play approaches and positive behaviour interventions and supports. He is able to gain deeper insights into the difficulties experienced by the child and young person by allowing them to express themselves and participate meaningfully through these psychological approaches. Through consultations, Dr Derek also collaborates with parents/caregivers to help them better understand and support their child’s learning and emotional needs.

Dr Derek uses ‘gold-standard’ psychological tools to assess the following:

• Adaptive Skills (e.g., communication skills, daily living skills and socialisation skills)
• Autism/Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)/Executive Function (EF)
• Behavioural/Emotional Difficulties
• Child/Adolescent Trauma
• Giftedness
• Learning Difficulties (e.g., Dyslexia, Dyscalculia, Intellectual Disability, etc.)
• Visual-Motor Abilities (e.g., handwriting speed, etc.)

Dr Derek Zheng is available for appointments on Fridays and Saturdays.