As a result of a recent survey conducted by the Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP), it is thought that one third of educational psychology services are ‘unlikely to’ or ‘will not’ meet the requirement for new education, health and care plans by April 2018, a set deadline for when the government plans to introduce a new system in the assessment of special needs students.

Reaching out to a total of 148 local authorities and receiving a response rate of almost three quarters, the survey found that: 94 per cent experienced an increasing demand for their services, with no reports of decreasing demand; 68 per cent of services had available employment vacancies – a total of 172 full-time positions; and 33 per cent  of respondents claimed that, within the remaining time-period, their educational psychology service ‘probably will not’, ‘will not’ or is ‘unlikely’ to adapt all statements of educational needs to education, health and care plans.

General secretary of the AEP, Kate Fallon, said of the findings: “Educational psychologists play a vital role in improving children’s lives in schools across the country and we welcome the growing recognition of, and demand for, the services they provide. But the plain fact is that there are just not enough of them.” 

Read the Review of Clinical and Educational Psychology Training Arrangements Report here