How is anti-racist practice promoted within educational psychology service policies? A systematic scoping review

Abstract

Racism within the United Kingdom (UK) education system impacts disproportionalities in special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and school exclusions. To support better outcomes for children and young people from minority ethnic backgrounds, the authors argue that the educational psychology (EP) profession must actively practise anti-racism, with anti-racist policies and practices needed to produce a more racially equitable society, and help EPs work in a way that is actively anti-racist. The current study utilised a systematic scoping review to search for anti-racism policies of EP services in England, located via Internet services and from direct content with services. Content analysis was adopted to analyse documentation from five EP services, which enabled the identification of four main categories: philosophy and positionality; service processes and policies; working together and training and upskilling. A framework for EP service anti-racism policies is suggested, implications for EP practice are discussed, and directions for further research considered.