Practice Placement Experiences and Needs of Trainee Educational Psychologists in England

Abstract

As part of initial professional training, educational psychologists in England undertake substantial periods of practice placement, within which the role of supervision is instrumental to their professional learning and effectiveness. The research reported here provides up-to-date and comprehensive information on the experiences and needs of trainee educational psychologists within practice placement. Focus group meetings were held with trainee educational psychologists from each year group at four English training universities. Through a rigorous process of thematic analysis, data from the 12 focus group meetings identified the valued processes and learning outcomes of practice placement in the context of a facilitative supervisory relationship and service context. The need to understand more fully the patterns and dynamics of trainee educational psychologists' practice placement experience is highlighted.

Keywords::

• Educational psychologist, school psychologist, intern, trainee, professional training, practice placement, needs

Notes

^1. In the United Kingdom, the title educational psychologist refers to the practitioner role known in most other countries as school psychologist. The title trainee educational psychologist is known is the United States as school psychology intern.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Kevin Woods

Kevin Woods, PhD, is a registered practitioner educational psychologist and is employed as a trainer of practitioner educational psychologists at the University of Manchester.

Cathy Atkinson

Cathy Atkinson, DEdPsy, is a registered practitioner educational psychologist and is employed as a trainer of practitioner educational psychologists at the University of Manchester.

Caroline Bond

Caroline Bond, DEdPsy, is a registered practitioner educational psychologist and is employed as a trainer of practitioner educational psychologists at the University of Manchester.

Simon Gibbs

Simon Gibbs, PhD, is a registered practitioner educational psychologist and is employed as a trainer of practitioner educational psychologists at the University of Newcastle.

Vivian Hill

Vivian Hill, MSc, is a registered practitioner educational psychologist and is employed as a trainer of practitioner educational psychologists at the Institute of Education at the University of London.

Julia Howe

Julia Howe, DEdPsy, is a registered practitioner educational psychologist and is employed as a trainer of practitioner educational psychologists at the University of Birmingham.

Sue Morris

Sue Morris, MSc, is a registered practitioner educational psychologist and is employed as a trainer of practitioner educational psychologists at the University of Birmingham.