A Framework for Developing Educational Psychologists’ Consultation Practice

Consultation is one of the five key functions of educational psychologists’ (EPs’) practice, and yet the profession’s understanding of its practical and psychological complexity has resulted in a lack of clarity and consensus around its definition and application. The current systematic literature review sought to consider how EPs are using consultation within their current practice to support children and young people. Ten papers were included in the final synthesis, following strict inclusion/exclusion criteria and reported using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Papers were assessed for consultation quality, regardless of methodological design, using a consultation analysis framework developed from National Association of School Psychology (NASP) guidelines, with key descriptive and evaluative information reported. The NASP consultation framework provided a clear outline of strengths and weaknesses within current practice and offers a practical and accessible model for supporting consultative EP practice. Implications for practice emerge, alongside a consideration of the limitations of the review and future directions for research.