Educational psychologists from across Scotland have been involved in the National Action Enquiry Programme for Educational Psychologists since the summer of 2020. In conjunction with Education Scotland, Association of Directors of Education in Scotland (ADES) and Association of Scottish Principal Educational Psychologists (ASPEP), the themes suggested for research were:

• Impact of COVID-19 and creative learning and teaching solutions.
• Impact of interrupted learning, particularly for vulnerable groups.
• Impact of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing of staff, children, young people, families and communities and how to best support them.
• Impact of COVID-19 on closing the poverty related attainment gap and next steps.

Explore this research

The call for papers for the programme coincided with the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. In discussion with the profession, the National Action Enquiry Programme for educational psychologists was paused. Discussions restarted in June/ July 2020 to clarify if the profession felt able to continue with the programme. There was consultation with ADES, in collaboration with ASPEP to ensure the proposals would be welcomed by the education system. ADES and ASPEP advised they were keen to develop research in particular areas and that the National Action Enquiry Programme could add to this.

Improvement questions

• How can the link between research and practice be further developed across the education system?
• In what ways do you use research and evidence informed practice to influence your thinking?
• In what ways are you using research and evidence informed practice when considering data analysis and subsequent interventions and supports for children and young people?
• How can research be made more accessible to practitioners across the education system? How are you making research accessible to your staff?
• How are you linking with educational psychology services in your local authority and across Scotland to access their research?

What was done?

The programme currently has 9 Educational Psychology Services who have submitted and are working with editors on their rapid research reviews and research. For the first time, trainee educational psychologists were also approached to be involved, as were educational psychologists participating in doctoral studies. The programme is inclusive of research being undertaken by educational psychologists throughout the various stages of their careers.

There are a number of ways which educational psychologists and their services have become involved including:

• Rapid research reviews: Summarised literature reviews which are accessible to all educational practitioners, and which will improve the research base they can use to inform their practice.
• In-depth research and development: Design and implementation of interventions and/ or research which explores some of the gaps identified in a Scottish context and can be used to inform practice to improve outcomes for children and young people.

Why was it done?

The need for an evidence informed approach is promoted and supported by recent OECD reports, Education Endowment Fund and National Improvement Framework key documents and guidance. Educational psychologists are well placed to inform this research base to benefit Scotland’s children and young people.

What was the impact?

The following rapid research reviews and research has been developed as part of this programme or in conjunction with one of the universities involved in the training of educational psychologists (Dundee and Strathclyde).

Mental health and wellbeing: Staff wellbeing (released in Nov 21)

• North Ayrshire: Staff wellbeing and psychological theory
• Angus: The Angus Wellbeing Module and the impact of COVID-19 on staff wellbeing
• Renfrewshire: Practitioner Wellbeing: Research Review

Mental health and wellbeing: children and young people (released in December 2021)

• South Ayrshire: COVID-19 and pupil mental health: The Compassionate and Connected Community

Digital and remote learning (released in Jan 22)

• Fife: Application of what we have learned from remote and digital learning to providing ongoing flexible learning opportunities to those who do not attend school full time (beyond the pandemic)
• West Lothian: Remote learning and pupil engagement

Care Experienced children and young people: (released in February 2022)

• East Ayrshire: Neuro-sequential model in Education (NME): implementing a new intervention to support children and young people affected by trauma during a pandemic
• Inverclyde: Participation of care experienced children and young people: a literature review

Some of these rapid research reviews and papers will be presented at the national conference being hosted by Education Scotland, ASPEP and SDEP (Scottish Division of Educational Psychology) on 25^th March 2022. Practitioners from across education will be invited to attend. Links to presentations from the above research will be available here in due course (approximately April 2022).