The role of educational psychologists in the framework of the right to inclusive education: between reality and desire

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to analyse the role that Educational Psychologists (EPs) could play within the framework of the right to inclusive education and the barriers they perceive at different levels of the education system. A reflexive Thematic Analysis study was conducted in Madrid (Spain), which gathered the opinions of 177 professionals working in Counselling Teams. These are multidisciplinary teams in which EPs work alongside other professionals such as social workers and support teachers, in the stages of early childhood and primary education. The data were collected through 21 focus groups. The findings highlight two issues. On the one hand, EPs identified the existence of systemic barriers to advancing towards a more inclusive education, both within and beyond schools, that determine the activities they do in their daily lives. On the other hand, these professionals express their desire to perform other functions, beyond the assessment activities to which they dedicate most of their time, consistent with the international objective of ensuring quality, inclusive, and equitable education for all. These findings are discussed, as well as the gap between accumulated knowledge and the exclusionary practices that continue to occur in everyday reality.

KEYWORDS:

• Educational psychologist
• inclusive education
• voices of the professionals
• psychoeducational assessment
• segregation

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank all the participants of this study. Without their trust and support, this study would not have been possible.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. Most countries use ‘school psychologist’ or ‘educational psychologist’, but ‘psychological counsellor’, ‘school counsellor’, and ‘guidance officer’ are also used in some places. ‘educational psychologist’ will be used in this paper for clarity.

2. See Table 2.

3. Organic Law 1/1990, of October 3rd, on the General Organization of the Education System.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation (Knowledge Generation Projects - State Plan 2021-2023) under Grant PID2021-124951OB-I00.