Fight for children in the SEND system
Find out about our campaign to address the need for more educational psychologists in local authorities in England, to make sure every child has the support they need to thrive in their education.
Our research has found that thousands of children who require vital support in school in England could soon face even longer delays for help due to a shortage of educational psychologists.
It is well documented that the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system is not fit for purpose, and that too many children and young people are not getting the additional educational support they need, when they need it.
Educational psychologists will play a vital role in helping children achieve and succeed in their education, both now and in the future.
That's why we're campaigning to urgently address the need for more educational psychologists in local authorities, to make sure every child has the support they need to thrive in their education.
Our findings
A new survey of members of our Division of Educational and Child Psychologists found that just over half of all educational psychologists say they feel unable to support children and young people with their current workload, signalling the devastating impact of years of underinvestment in the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) system, despite unprecedented demand.
The survey also found that 70 per cent of respondents feel that children and young people in their local authority didn't have fair and equal access to an educational psychologist.
These concerning findings come as over 20,000 children wait for an Education, Health, and Care (EHC) assessment in England, and over 4,000 who do have plans wait for a suitable school place.
As a result of these pressures, a quarter (26 per cent) of educational psychologists we surveyed said they are thinking about moving on from the sector or changing their employment model in the next 12 months.
With a further 20 per cent undecided on their future, it could leave thousands more children without the support they need and exacerbate the postcode lottery currently affecting services.
With the new government committed to reviewing and reforming the SEND system, we are urging the government to commit to providing local authorities with ringfenced funding in its forthcoming budget, to make sure every local authority has enough educational psychologists.
What we're calling for
The BPS is calling on the government to:
- Ensure every school has a named educational psychologist based in their local authority, providing services free at the point of delivery, where they can have maximum impact working in partnership with colleagues in education, health, and social care.
- Increase focus on retaining educational psychologists working in local authorities, alongside a fully funded and costed workforce plan to make sure children have equal access to the additional educational support they need wherever in the country they attend school.
- Undertake a holistic review of the positioning of SEND within the wider education system to enable increased focus on early intervention and preventative support for children and families, creating a truly inclusive education system.
Real-life story - hear from Charlotte, who has struggled to access support for her son.