Member Survey on Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Issues - Report

The Association for Educational Psychologists (AEP) is committed to ensuring that equality, diversity and inclusion issues are prioritised within the profession and within the AEP, and that unfair and unlawful practice is ended for all. The way in which this work is organised and undertaken has been considered at length by the General Secretary, members of the AEP staff, the NEC and of course members. The following points detail the focus of AEP work at the current time:

1. Access to the profession – do the numbers of educational psychologists from different protected characteristics reflect the makeup of our population?
2. If not, what is contributing to these barriers?
3. The incidence, type and effect of discriminatory behaviour experienced and witnessed by AEP members within the workplace and how to counter this.
4. The role of EPs in challenging discriminatory behaviour in workplaces and schools and supporting others in teaching and shaping anti-discrimination and inclusive practice.
5. The history of educational psychology and the current training of educational psychologists.  

The current survey was designed to explore the first two objectives, through collecting more demographic information about members than the association has previously held, and through asking members to share their stories and experiences. The survey also asked members to think about the ‘what next’ to ensure that the way we move forward and progress our profession is undertaken in a collaborative and collective manner. Information from other sources has also been collected recently and will be referenced. This includes data from the 2020 HCPC survey, information collected on behalf of the DfE in relation to applications for initial training in England, and research produced by the Nuffield Trust about the progression of psychology undergraduates.

This work is also underpinned by the members’ motion which was debated and passed at the AEP’s AGM in November 2020 (this was further ratified by a postal ballot), in which the AEP was called upon on to:

• Survey members to better understand diversity issues within the profession.
• Collect the voices of members from diverse backgrounds to inform the approaches taken to promoting diversity and equality.
• Promote the expansion of grass roots groups supported by the NEC.
• Evaluate the roles and accountability of NEC members and consider whether changes need to be made to address issues of diversity and representation.

The AEP now collects diversity data, in accordance with its privacy policy, at the point of application for membership and may also seek to carry out further surveys of all members to provide updated information around protected and other characteristics. This information will continue to further inform our work on equalities, enable us to review the effectiveness of the actions we are taking, and support us when designing policies and processes. We ask then when information is sought you take the time to respond, and encourage colleagues to do the same.  

Finally, we invite you to view the resource bank that contains a number of links to a broad range of media and multiple voices to enrich understandings of equality and diversity concerns, facilitate inclusive practice and seek social justice within the EP profession.