BPS welcomes plan to increase number of educational psychologists in NI as part of SEN reforms
The society is pleased that the SEN delivery plan recognises the role of educational psychology in services for children with special educational needs and their families under the changes.
10 February 2025
Education Minister Paul Givan has published the Special Educational Needs (SEN) Reform Agenda and five-year Delivery Plan, following announcement of the reforms in January.
The BPS echoed the need for urgent change in the 'ambitious' programme, which puts a focus on greater inclusion and early intervention, something the society emphasised in its SEND campaign in England.
The NI five-year delivery plan specifically mentions increasing the educational psychology workforce, as well as piloting an enhanced model of educational psychology direct early intervention support.
The plan also talks about further developing local impact teams to be multidisciplinary, with support available from a range of disciplines, including educational psychologists (EPs), autism specialists, behaviour specialists and mental health support services.
There is also a call for a review of the time allocation model for access to educational psychology support and assessment of the impact on children with SEN/unmet need.
Dr Callum Urquhart, chair of the BPS's Division of Educational and Child Psychology in Northern Ireland, said:
"We're pleased there are plans to increase the educational psychology workforce and the focus on early intervention, which can prevent problems from becoming entrenched from the outset.
"EPs can work proactively with children and their families and teachers to ensure specialist assessment is undertaken so that the most appropriate interventions can be implemented.
"The support from EPs works best when they can work with young people and their families over time so that the understanding of the child's needs can be refined and updated based on their response to intervention."
Dr Urquhart added, the BPS looked forward to helping pilot the enhanced model of educational psychology direct early intervention support and welcomed the review of the time allocation model for educational psychology support.
"I am hopeful this will allow educational psychologists to be more agile in terms of the support they can offer schools".
One-in-five children in Northern Ireland currently has a special educational need and/or disability.
The BPS is committed to campaigning for children and young people to have the vital access to an educational psychologist they need to thrive at school and beyond.