Conceptualising how much educational psychology service is needed in England: a historical review

Abstract

Recent research reported difficulties in recruiting and retaining sufficient numbers of educational psychologists (EPs) to complete an increasing workload within local authorities (LAs). As part of a wider research project, The Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) commissioned the University of Manchester to research how much EP workforce is needed in an English LA context. This literature review contributes an understanding of how EP sufficiency could be measured. With recognition of how legislative and social contexts have shaped the EP profession and perceptions of it, this review aims to understand how EP service sufficiency has been variously understood and represented. Alongside an expert consultation group of EPs, a scoping review was identified as an appropriate method of synthesising the existing evidence relevant to this aim. Through a search of 28 relevant pieces of literature, spanning 1968–2023, these measures were discussed. It is recommended that a “workforce planning modelling”, as undertaken in respect of other professions, would provide a more coherent approach to conceptualising and planning for the EP workforce.