Earlier this year the society conducted a major survey of its members, looking in particular at the pressures they are under in their working lives.
Initial analysis of the 6,000 responses shows clear themes emerging. Significant numbers of members are worried about excessive workplace demands and feel these are affecting their ability to provide the best care.
There is also a strong theme of funding and resources not matching increasing demand and creating gaps in the services that psychologists offer.
The findings for educational psychologists show
- They are among the most likely to report signs of stress and burnout.
- They are the group most likely to intend to leave the profession within the next five years.
- Some 60.8 per cent of respondents who work as an educational psychologist in their main role routinely work more than their contracted hours.
- Nearly half of respondents who work as EPs say they are emotionally exhausted.
- They were more likely than most other kinds of psychologist to report not having experienced any barriers when entering the profession
In response to these initial findings, the chair of the DECP Dr Gavin Morgan said:
‘The DECP welcome the results of the BPS member survey, though at times it makes sobering reading for the educational psychology profession. These findings have to be linked to increased workloads and austerity cuts within local authorities.
‘At a time when our skills and experiences are needed the most, our local authority EP services are being stretched to breaking point. This is a serious situation, and one that needs urgently addressing. Recruitment and retention issues need to be addressed through improved financial situations for local authorities.’
These findings are in line with findings from a DECP Survey run earlier in the year. A hundred per cent of respondents working in fully or partially traded services were unsatisfied or very unsatisfied with their workload.
Most EPs in both service models said that an increase in education health and care plan requests and the diminishing workforce have added to time pressures and workload.
When they are fully analysed, the survey’s results will form the basis for the Society’s work on your behalf. The BPS chief executive Sarb Bajwa says:
‘The BPS is your professional body, and we will be using these results to demand that all of our members have workplaces with the positive and supportive culture which the research done by psychologists has shown to be so important.’