Professional Educational, Child and Adolescent Psychology DEdPsy

UCL (University College London)

The DEdPsy is a three-year professional training doctorate programme that is approved by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) and accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS). Successful completion of the programme enables graduates to register as a Practitioner Psychologist with the HCPC and as a Chartered Educational Psychologist with the BPS as well as enabling them to practice as an Educational Psychologist in the UK. The DEdPsy course provides British Psychological Society (BPS) and Health Care Professions Council (HCPC) approved professional training to become an Educational Psychologist (EP). Our course enables trainee EPs to integrate psychological theory and practice through teaching sessions and professional placement opportunities. The course is based on contemporary andragogy and models of professional learning. We use contextualised psychological analysis (CPAs), skills labs and training in video enhanced reflective practice (VERP) to support professional learning and our assessments are based on the connected curriculum and include developing training materials and resources to support children and young people with a range of special needs. The course heuristic is based on Bronfenbrenner’s Theory of Human Development (2005). This theory embraces an eco-systemic framework that considers the influences of family and wider social and political systems on the developing child, in order to consider how best to respond to a diverse range of learning, social, emotional needs and mental health needs. Trainee EPs are trained to use a diverse range of assessment approaches including standardised and dynamic assessments, along with a range of therapeutic techniques including cognitive behavioural approaches, therapeutic play and video interactive guidance. The placement experiences in Local Authority EP services facilitate trainees to apply psychological theory in practice to develop high quality, psychologically informed evidence-based interventions and strategies that will support the inclusion of all children and young people within their community and learning contexts. This course is perfect for psychology graduates with experience of working with children and young people in a range of different settings, who wish to apply psychology to make a positive difference and join the educational psychology workforce. The course heuristic is based on Bronfenbrenner's Theory of Human Development (2005) which recognises the complex influences and interactions, across the multiple systems and contexts within which children and young people develop. The course equips our trainees with the psychological knowledge skills and expertise to intervene at these different levels (child, family, peer group, school, community) to promote positive change when children, young people, families and teachers may be facing challenges.