Stepping over the boundary: An exploration of educational psychologists’ work with families

McGuiggan, Claire 2017. Stepping over the boundary: An exploration of educational psychologists’ work with families. DEdPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

Preview	PDF (Thesis) - Accepted Post-Print Version Download (3MB) | Preview
	PDF - Supplemental Material Restricted to Repository staff only Download (245kB)

Abstract

Despite wide ranging literature (e.g. Systems Theories) supporting the need for practitioner educational psychologists (EPs) to work with families as central to good practice, there is very limited evidence of the ways in which EPs involve families, or how EPs conceptualise their role in work with children’s families. This research set out to address this gap in evidence, and in doing so inform EP practice in this area. A small-scale study was conducted to explore EP practice in relation to work with families and the EPs’ perceptions of their role within this. Nine EPs from educational psychology services (EPSs) in four Local Authorities (LAs) were interviewed using semi-structured interviews that were then analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Four overarching themes were identified: Pre-school work, school based work, EP role and context. Within these themes, barriers and facilitators to EP work with families were highlighted, and the EPs’ perceptions of their role explored. The findings highlight both the range of practice, and the variance between participants’ perceptions of the EP role with families. The impact of a traded model of service delivery was identified as limiting EP involvement with family systems and reinforcing a perception of the EP role being primarily school focused rather than child and family focused. A number of implications for both individual EPs and EP services were identified in considering the profession’s position in ensuring the needs of children and families are met within current service delivery models. The findings should provoke discussion for the EP community, in considering the profession’s role in the area of EP work with families.

Item Type:	Thesis (DEdPsy)
Date Type:	Acceptance
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Schools > Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	12 September 2017
Date of Acceptance:	2017
Last Modified:	17 Nov 2021 15:23
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/104534

Actions (repository staff only)

Edit Item