DECP Annual Conference 2025
- Education
A Vision for the Future of Educational Psychology
The Division of Educational and Child Psychology is pleased to invite you to attend its 2025 conference.
The conference offers a unique learning experience, featuring insights from renowned keynote speakers, practical applications of educational psychology, and the perspectives of young people and academics.
This year, the conference will be held at:
- Hyatt Regency Manchester
55 Booth St W,
Manchester,
M15 6PQ
The event will consist of two days of workshops and presentations from academics in the field, keynote speakers and networking time to meet your peers.
Alongside the conference, a Gala Dinner will be taking place at a nearby venue on the first evening.
Due to limited capacity, we encourage early registration for this event.
Download the conference programme
Conference theme and aims
This year, our chosen theme is focused on the future of our field.
"A Vision for the Future of Educational Psychology" invites a forward-thinking exploration of the field.
It encourages a critical examination of current practices, challenges, and opportunities, while also stimulating innovative ideas for the future.
To truly capture the spirit of the theme, we encourage submissions that:
- Offer innovative and creative solutions to educational challenges
- Challenge traditional assumptions about educational psychology
- Explore the potential of emerging technologies and research
- Address the needs of diverse learners and communities
- Foster collaboration and interdisciplinary partnerships
The landscape of educational and child psychology is constantly evolving, and we're thrilled to discuss what lies ahead.
If you are interested in presenting at the conference within one of the themes, you can submit an abstract for review.
Please read the information on the Submissions tab before submitting an abstract.
Authors are strongly advised to register on the on-line submission system and begin preparing their submissions well in advance of the following deadlines.
- 07 August 2024: Submissions System Opens
- 03 November - Submissions deadline
- 13 November - Notification of outcome
- 15 November - Programme released
- 02 January 2025: Registration Closes
If you wish to submit more than one abstract, please complete individual submissions for each.
Please ensure you read the submission guidelines before submitting, including the reviewer guidelines. These allow you to see how your submissions will be reviewed.
Registration fees
The registration fee includes daily lunches, refreshments and access to all content.
All rates listed are inclusive of VAT at 20%, and exclusive of service charge.
1 Day attendance:
- Concession (student/trainee): £85
- DECP Members / Presenters: £121
- BPS Members: £158
- Non-Members: £194
2 Day attendance:
- Concession (student/trainee): 170
- DECP Members / Presenters: £243
- BPS Members: £316
- Non-Members: £389
Please note: booking is being provided by Oxford Abstracts on behalf of BPS.
When booking online you will be directed to Oxford Abstracts.
Both the BPS and Oxford Abstracts terms and conditions and privacy policies will apply.
Bursaries
We are pleased to announce that the Division of Educational and Child Psychology has a number of bursaries available for trainee and newly qualified Psychologists (extended to two years post-qualification).
Trainees who have at least a poster accepted for presentation at the conference and newly qualified Educational and Child Psychologists who have at least a research paper, symposium or workshop accepted will be eligible to apply for a bursary.
How to apply for a bursary
To apply for a bursary please complete the abstract submission form on the Oxford Abstracts website.
At the bottom of the form, you will be asked if this is a bursary application.
Fill in the relevant questions and this will be passed to the conference team.
The deadline for bursary applications is 13 October 2024.
The Division of Educational and Child Psychology has a number of allocated rooms on-site at the Hyatt Regency.
The rate available is for single occupancy B&B (bread and breakfast) and is available to be booked from 8 - 10 January 2025.
To book your hotel room:
- Please visit the Hyatt Regency website
- Select the desired date(s) you wish to stay
- Enter the code G-KPQ6 in the section: Corporate and group code
- Complete the booking
Lee Elliot Major
Talk title: Embracing an equity approach in education
Lee Elliot Major is Britain’s first Professor of Social Mobility, based at the University of Exeter. He was previously Chief Executive of the Sutton Trust, the UK’s leading social mobility foundation.
His work is dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people from under-resourced and vulnerable backgrounds. He works closely with school leaders, universities, global employers and Governments to develop practical ways of improving educational and life prospects.
His latest book Equity in Education argues for a new approach and language for disadvantage and challenges deficit discourses in education.
On its release, the book was immediately ranked among Amazon's 'Hot New Releases in Education'.
His Penguin book Social Mobility and Its Enemies has attracted attention across the world. Lee is one of the most prominent public voices in national education debates and is invited to speak about the topic across the world.
He was awarded an OBE in the 2019 Queen's Honours. He is the first in his family to go to university. He has served on a number of government advisory boards most recently serving on the Department for Education's Schools Strategy & Delivery Advisory Group.
He holds several academic posts including Associate Member, Nuffield College, University of Oxford, and Associate, London School of Economics, Centre for Economic Performance. He is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and serves on the Strategic Advisory Network of the Economic and Social Research Council.
Neil Humphrey
Talk title: Everything We Know is Wrong: Rethinking Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Neil Humphrey is a Professor of Psychology of Education at the Manchester Institute of Education, University of Manchester, UK.
His research focuses on what we mean by wellbeing, why wellbeing matters, what matters for wellbeing, and what works for wellbeing, in children and young people.
Neil’s research has been funded by NIHR, ESRC, TNLCF, DfE and others. When he is not working at the University, Neil moonlights as an unpaid taxi driver for his three daughters.
Jo Van Herwegen
Talk title: TBC
Jo Van Herwegen is a professor of Developmental Psychology and Education at the Institute of Education, UCL’s faculty for Education and Society, and director of the Child Development and Learning Difficulties lab and co-director of the Centre of Educational Neuroscience.
Her research focuses on improving educational outcomes, especially for those with learning difficulties and neurodevelopmental conditions, using evidence from developmental psychology and educational neuroscience.
She has evaluated targeted interventions for those with SEND, issues and best practices around the SEND code of practice, school transitions and inclusion for those with SEND, and CPD for educational staff.
Jo has co-edited two books and has written over 70 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters.
She is currently a Member of the Board for the European Association for Research on Learning and Instruction (EARLI).
Jason Arday
Talk Title: TBC
Jason Arday is Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Cambridge, Faculty of Education.
He was formerly a Guest Editor on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme and listed fourth on the prestigious Shaw Trust Disability Power 100 in 2023.
Professor Arday has previously held the position of Professor of Sociology of Education at the University of Glasgow; Associate Professor in Sociology at Durham University; and Deputy Executive Dean for People and Culture in the Faculty of Social Science and Health.
Jason is a Visiting Professor at Ohio State University in the Office of Diversity and Inclusion, University of Glasgow in the School of Education, and an Honorary Professor at Durham University in the Department of Sociology.
He is a Trustee of the Runnymede Trust, the UK's leading Race Equality Thinktank, and the British Sociological Association (BSA).
Jason sits on the Centre for Labour and Social Studies (CLASS) National Advisory Panel, the NHS Race and Health Observatory Academic Reference Group and the ITV Cultural Advisory Council.
Our annual DECP Evening Gala Dinner will be taking place at the Manchester Museum; just a short walk away from our conference venue.
Included in your cost is a 3-course seated dinner, wine and an arrival drinks reception.
You can register in the 'add-on' section of the registration page.
Spaces are limited so please ensure you register promptly.
Want to speak to one of the team?
Contact us at [email protected].