No abstract

No abstract

No abstract

A series of study days in the Wiltshire Psychological Service is described as an example of how to prepare for the uncertainties of the future through continuing professional development activities. The days focused on various scenarios for the future, the kind of psychological service we would ideally like to provide, the ways in which we might approach this ideal within various scenarios, key tasks required to be ready for a range of possible future circumstances, identification of individual CPD needs and the preparation of area team CPD plans which were then used to devise an initial whole service plan. Examples of the work produced during these activities and some evaluative feedback suggest that the approaches described could be helpful more widely. Continuing Professional Development and the FutureThe pace of change in Education at the moment has considerable implications for educational psychologists. That bulwark of our existence the 1981 Act is due for changes. The Audit Commission and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Schools (1992) urge more specificity in faster produced statements, in which the LEA lays down what schools should provide for pupils, holds them responsible for providing it and monitors to see that they do. The educational psychologist is seen as having a pivotal role in advising on which pupils need a statutory assessment and in participation in the school's annual review of pupils with statements. The increased demands proposed for schools will make them need more support and help in these areas -and who will provide that in the future if we don't? The recent special educational needs consultation paper (DFE, 1992), proposes increases in the influence of parents in the statutory procedures, with the right to name a school they wish their child to attend and to expect the LEA to comply unless there is a good reason why not, and with increased powers of appeal. The Parents Charters (DES, 1991; are part of a government campaign to encourage parents to exert their rights. The Children Act is another upheaval which must have an effect, and the difficulty of finding any specific accounts of how makes it more of a challenge. The consultation document on the new inspection procedures (Her Majesty's Inspectors of Schools, 1992) makes a multitude of proposals as to what the new breed of inspectors should look for -information about exclusions and attendance and associated procedures, standards of and procedures for behaviour and discipline, relationships, identification and monitoring of pupils' needs, provision for pupils with special educational needs, relationships with parents, motivation and recognition of staff and conduct of meetings, to give a few examples. These are all aspects of the school's functioning which can be helped by an educational psychologist. Helping schools prepare themselves for such investigation could be a large and virtually new role for psychologists. Interestingly, use of educational psychology services is itself included in the items recommended for investigation, so ...

No abstract