The Department for Education published a report this morning revealing how many hours local authorities spend developing and issuing EHCPs. This comes alongside an announcement of a long term commitment to growing the Educational Psychology (EP) workforce in England – ensuring more trained workers in the years to come.

On Wednesday, Tes ran a feature exploring the role of EPs in schools and the wide range of support they provide to children, families and communities. Drawing on interviews with members from Wandsworth EP service, including AEP London representative, Simon Ungar, the article showcases work of EPs in addition to roles in individual assessment or statutory processes.

The AEP, alongside fellow education unions, are urgently calling for our voice and expertise as educators and specialists to be at the centre of shaping AI adoption in education settings across the UK.

As the year draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on what has been a really busy and positive start to my role as General Secretary. I’m almost at the end of my first term, and I’m already looking forward to building on this momentum in 2026.

As Educational Psychologists, our work with CYP should support and promote their human rights. At each stage it is therefore important to take account of their views, support their wellbeing and engage with them in partnership, taking the least intrusive approach to assessment and respecting their right to privacy in the information we gather and the records we keep.

The AEP is committed to representing both LA and non-LA educational psychologists (EPs). We offer both professional and workplace support on a case-by-case basis and acknowledge that a nuanced understanding of the individual workplace context is vital in providing appropriate guidance.

The AEP believes that CPD is an important aspect of educational psychology (EP) work, as it ensures that EPs continue to grow and develop new skills as they progress through their career.

As shared in the Honorary Treasurer’s Annual report, the NEC agreed to increase membership fees by 3.5 percent in 2026 to support an increase in expenditure. Fees have remained at the same level for several years, at a time of significant inflation and reduced income and this small increase is necessary to sustain the association's finances.