Educational psychology services feel strain of budget cuts

The Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) found that combined budgets for educational psychology services across 43 councils that responded to its Freedom of Information request had dropped from £40.1m in 2009/10 to £38.7m in 2012/13.

The AEP warn this will leave services struggling as demand for mental health and emotional support in schools grows. A separate AEP survey of 92 principal educational psychologists and managers found almost half issued more statements for special educational needs from 2011 to 2012.

In addition, the Children and Families Bill plans to extend access to educational psychology to young adults up to the age of 25, putting a further strain on services, says AEP president John Drewicz.
 
“We welcome wholeheartedly the move to guarantee children’s access to educational psychologists and the extension of services to the age 25 where appropriate. But action needs to be taken to make sure that we are able to cope and meet the needs of the most vulnerable,” said Drewicz.
 
In a speech to the TUC Conference in Bournemouth this week, Drewicz urged councils to ensure they prioritise funding for educational psychology support to young people and children. Funding cuts to training is of particular concern, with the AEP fearing there will not be enough educational psychologists in place to meet commitments in the Children and Families Bill.

Drewicz added: “The simple fact is that the resources aren’t in place to cope with these additional demands, and once the problems with training funding are factored in we are looking at a major issue of service provision that will ultimately affect vulnerable children and young people.”