Non-Statutory Educational Psychology Reports: Views of Key Stakeholders

Report writing is a central part of the educational psychologist’s (EP) role, however little research has explored what key stakeholders think about these reports. This small-scale research project investigated the views of three parents/carers and two special educational needs coordinators about non-statutory reports within a local authority Educational Psychology Service in the South East of England. These views were explored qualitatively using focus groups, analysed using thematic analysis, and three main themes were identified: the tension between accessibility and detail, emotional conflict, and potential for change. Parents and SENCos both reported the need for EP reports to be easy to read but also desired detail and greater information. Participants acknowledged the challenges of finding a balance between the level of detail and the ease of reading in reports, and suggested discussions with the EP and hierarchical recommendations as potential ways to resolve this tension. The findings also highlighted the emotional conflict experienced by parents when reading the report; parents wanted the extent of their child’s needs to be acknowledged but found this emotionally challenging to read within a report. Finally, the research highlighted the potential for EP reports as a tool for change.