What Is an Educational Psychologist?

An Educational Psychologist (EP) is a trained psychologist and registered health professional who specialises in the learning and development of children and young people. Educational Psychologists often work within local authorities but they will work alongside parents, carers, schools, nurseries and other support services within the Children and Young People’s Services (CYPS) to ensure the young person achieves their full academic potential.

Children and young people may experience barriers to learning for a number of reasons including being bullied, feeling anxious, having special educational needs, or struggling with low confidence and self esteem. 

An Educational Psychologist will use their training in psychology and knowledge of child development to assess difficulties children may be having with their learning. Following an assessment, they will provide schools with advice and training on how to help children to overcome their difficulties.

An Educational Psychologist's job is to improve the learning and wellbeing of children and young people. However, every child (and their needs) is unique which means that Educational Psychologists must assess each child differently. They must then work with parents, teachers and other professionals to find a solution to the problem. 

An Educational Psychologists responsibilities might include:  

• Observing a child day-to-day, whether that be during play time or in a classroom environment.
• Utilising questionnaires, interviews, tests and assessments to assess a child's learning and emotional needs. 
• Conducting ‘collaborative meetings’ with teachers to discuss concerns surrounding the child's progress and strategies to support them moving forward.
• Having conversations with parents, teachers and the child to get an understanding of how each person perceives the problem. Due to every child being different, an Educational Psychologist must decide on the most effective tools or techniques to get the child to open up. 
• Writing EP assessments and making recommendations on how positive action can be taken. 
• Suggesting behaviour support programmes to help children reach their full potential. An Educational Psychologist is not responsible for implementing suggested plans into schools.
• Suggesting improvements which the school can make to the child's learning environment.
• Suggesting improvements which can be made to the school or teachers approach to teaching. 
• Providing advice on curriculum materials which could be used to enhance the child's ability to learn.
• Attending case conferences involving multidisciplinary teams on how best to meet the social, emotional, behavioural and learning needs of young people.
• Collaborating with colleagues to provide a joined-up service across various children's services.
• Staying up to date with the best practice, policy and research on child development.  

To work and practise as an Educational Psychologist in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you must complete the appropriate training and achieve qualifications which are recognised by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). The HCPC is the statutory regulator for all practitioner psychologists within the UK and Educational Psychologists who work by offering a service to the public are required by law to be registered with them. 

The Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) is the trade union and professional association for Educational Psychologists in the United Kingdom and they manage the recruitment process for all courses. 

To be considered for a place on a doctorate training course, you must have a first degree (or equivalent qualification) in psychology which has been accredited, or is recognised, by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as giving eligibility for the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership of the BPS (GBC). Entry onto an accredited Doctorate course is becoming increasingly competitive and entry requirements can vary between courses. 

You must then qualify as an Educational Psychologist by completing a three-year postgraduate training programme which includes a doctorate qualification. Year one is largely university based with years two and three predominantly spent on placement with a local authority educational psychology service. 

Alongside academic qualifications, applicants to post-graduate training will be expected to show significant experience (at least one year full time) of working with children and young people in an education, health, social care or childcare setting.

The Educational Psychology Funded Training (EPFT) scheme provides government funding in partnership with employers. The scheme is a five-year commitment which includes a three-year doctorate degree course, followed by a period of employment within a local authority. 

In England and Wales, pay and conditions are determined by the Soulbury Committee; Soulbury pay rates can be influenced by factors such as experience, qualifications, location and recent changes in negotiations. 

The average salary for fully qualified Educational Psychologists in the UK is between £40,000 and £70,000 per year. A starting salary for newly qualified Educational Psychologists can range between £31,000 and £41,000 per year.

Senior and Principal Educational Psychologists can earn anywhere between £50,000 and £75,000 per year. This can increase to £85,000 with the addition of discretionary scale points and structured professional assessment points.

Salaries can differ based on whether the Educational Psychologist works in the public or private sector, as well as the specific region of the UK in which they are employed.

The majority of Educational Psychologists are employed in the public sector in local authority children’s services. Other employers include NHS Trusts, independent schools, universities, child psychiatric units, and paediatric assessment units. They also include social services departments, private consultancy firms, and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS).

An increasing number of Educational Psychologists are becoming self-employed, either as sole practitioners or in private practice partnerships.

All Educational Psychologists, whether in public or private practice, must register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). This ensures that they are all adhering to the same standards of conduct, proficiency and continuing professional development.

Right now, the job outlook for Educational Psychologists is very strong. The demand in the public sector is outstripping the supply. For newly-qualified Educational Psychologists, the majority attain their first qualified practitioner post almost immediately after completing their training course. 

An Educational Psychologist will usually have a central office base and travel to schools or homes when assessments are required. Educational Psychologists will often work as part of a multidisciplinary team and work closely with teachers and other health and social care providers.

An Educational Psychologist must possess a number of key skills to perform their job well.

Key skills include:

• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to build connections with professionals in other children's services.  
• Great listening and observational skills to confidently make an accurate assessment. 
• The ability to build rapport and relate to children and young people's problems. 
• Empathy and the ability to deal with emotional issues. Educational Psychologists work with children who are experiencing challenges and they must be treated sensitively.   
• Attention to detail to tailor personalised interventions to each child's individual's requirements.
• Ability to manage multiple cases and a potentially busy workload. 
• Maintaining strict confidentiality while dealing with sensitive or private information.