The purpose of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology is to promote the professional interests of educational and child psychologists and to develop psychology both as a profession and as a body of knowledge and skills.
For any queries regarding the work of the DECP please email [email protected]
Dr Olympia Palikara is a trained Educational Psychologist and Associate Professor in Educational Psychology in the University of Warwick.
Victoria is passionate about the profession of Educational Psychology and keen for the discipline to listen and reflect so that it can support the best set of possible outcomes for children and young people. She qualified as an educational psychologist in the year 2000, having first worked as a primary school teacher.
Dr Cynthia Pinto works for Hillingdon Educational Psychology Service. Cynthia is currently involved with three projects for the DECP. She has been working with the Joint Professionals Liaison Group to develop guidance for EPs when providing statutory advice.
Dr Dan O'Hare is a Chartered Educational Psychologist who currently works for a local authority and as a lecturer at the University of Bristol. He is the current co-chair elect of the Division of Educational and Child Psychology and in this role has contributed to a range of guidance regarding the wellbeing of children, young people, and teachers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Melernie Meheux is co-chair of the Division of Child and Educational Psychology (DECP) and a Senior Educational Psychologist working within a Local Authority. She is a Play Therapist and joint Year One co-ordinator at University College London (UCL), Institute of Education.
Helena’s experience covers aspects of child and adult psychology, educational and life outcomes, academic and research practice in Romania and England. Whilst in Romania, she worked as a psychologist in education and as a course director and was actively involved in European initiatives focused on special educational needs practices and support systems for children in state care and asylum seekers.
Gavin is currently vice-chair of the DECP Committee. Having been an Educational Psychologist for over 20 years, Gavin has held a number of roles in the profession, and for the last twelve years has been an Academic and Professional Tutor on the Educational Psychology doctorate courses at University College London, a role which also includes supervision of research into the practice of Educational Psychology.
Abigail currently works for Neath and Port Talbot Council in South Wales. Prior to her work as an educational psychologist, she has worked as a teaching assistant, learning support mentor, play worker, support worker, volunteer research assistant, and an 'Intensive Interaction' facilitator for children who were home educated. She undertook these roles whilst studying for her BSc Psychology degree and MSc in Research Methods in Psychology at Swansea University. Abigail originally joined the DECP committee as a trainee representative in her second year of EP training and has remained on the committee ever since.
Dr Christopher Arnold has been a practising Educational Psychologist for over 35 years and developed special interests in reducing exclusions and dropout rates by analysing risk factors as well as numeracy assessment.
Vivian Hill is vice-chair of the DECP and Director of Professional Educational Psychology Training at the UCL Institute of Education and a Senior EP for Schools and Community Psychology Service in the London borough of Wandsworth. 
Hester is an Educational Psychologist working in Oxfordshire in a Local Authority multi-disciplinary team that supports care-experienced children and their families. In this specialist role her professional interests are in attachment and developmental trauma, how these impact on children’s experiences in education, and how school staff can best be supported to work with children with complex emotional needs.
Sarah is an Educational Psychologist working for Wandsworth local authority and is a lecturer and tutor on the DEdPsy course at the Institute of Education, UCL.
Dr Kristina Balampanidou completed her doctorate training at the The Tavistock and Portman NHS FoundationTrust in September 2019.
Sarah is an Educational Psychologist who qualified from the University of Exeter in 2018. Sarah works within a local authority supporting children, families and school communities. She is involved in specialist work within the early years, as well as with young people who have social and emotional needs.
Fraser is a registered educational psychologist and has more than 25 years experience of working in a variety of settings. He is Honorary Lecturer at the Universities of Strathclyde and Manchester, where he contributes to the respective Doctoral programmes in Educational Psychology.
Richard Gregory is a 2nd year trainee educational psychologist at The University of Manchester. He is currently on placement with Wakefield’s Educational Psychology Service, and is one of two, 3rd year trainee representatives on the DECP committee.
maternity leave last year, I have become an associate DECP committee member. Prior to this, I served on the committee for 10 years. I have carried out a range of roles including Conference Lead, Honorary Secretary and Chair. It has been a pleasure contributing to numerous DECP working groups and publications including Ethical Trading, Leadership for Educational Psychologists, the Medicalisation of Childhood and Mental Health.
Kim is an educational psychologist, working in Kingston and Richmond, and the Honorary Secretary of the DECP committee. She works as an EP for a community interest company that provides local authority services and part of her role involves supporting children who are looked after, through the Virtual School. Kim completed her Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology at UCL in 2016, and worked in Greenwich following this.