Challenging culture from within: The experiences and hopes of a new Trainee Educational Psychologist network

Abstract

The Trainee Educational Psychologists’ Initiative for Cultural Change (TEPICC) is a working group that aims to address issues around equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) within educational psychologist (EP) training and the profession. In this paper, members of TEPICC share their reflections on the current state of the EP profession in relation to anti-racism practice and EDI principles. Key areas of discussion include reflections on training course curricula, experiences on professional placements, and the understanding and application of EDI principles across different aspects of training and practice. The need for culturally responsive supervision and ongoing opportunities for trainee educational psychologists (TEPs) and EPs to reflect on how they relate to EDI, are discussed. An emphasis is placed on the importance of fostering a sense of belonging for TEPs and EPs who identify as being from minoritised-ethnic backgrounds across course and placement providers as well as within the profession more widely. Implications for the EP profession at large are discussed, and the paper concludes by identifying some key actions.