Educational psychologists (EP) support the wellbeing and development of young people up to age 25. Working alongside parents, teachers, and other professionals, they identify and address learning or behavioural barriers – ensuring that children facing difficulties get the support they need to succeed, both emotionally and academically.
“Educational psychologists in England” provides the first comprehensive national assessment of the EP workforce since the Covid-19 pandemic. Drawing on eight years of administrative data and case studies from six local authorities, it reveals a stark disparity in provision: in some areas there is one EP for every 480 pupils; in those with the lowest levels of provision, there is just one for every 9,400. Without urgent action, the sector faces a cycle of attrition, rising costs, and an inability to deliver on the government’s ambition to include more children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) in mainstream schools.
