This compares with 1,169 for 203 places in 2021, an increase in applicants of 50 per cent.<\/p>\n
The Education Policy Institute (EPI)<\/a> warned last month the chronic shortage of psychologists (EPs) put the new \u00a31.8 billion \u201cexperts-at-hand\u201d service \u201cat risk\u201d.<\/a><\/p>\n Funding more training places could help ease pressures, but experts warn of a \u201ccatch-22\u201d with more capacity in the system needed in the first place to support them.<\/p>\n EPs play a fundamental role in assessing the needs of children with special educational needs and disabilities for educational, health and care plans (EHCPs).<\/p>\n But under the new system it\u2019s hoped they can do more early intervention in schools.<\/p>\n Jo Hutchinson, EPI\u2019s SEND director, said: \u201cIt feels a bit like what we are going to end up with is that government is expecting a sort of \u2018big bang\u2019 of things actually happening in 2028-29.<\/p>\n \u201cBut it doesn\u2019t look like they are going to have laid the groundwork to have any more EPs.\u201d<\/p>\n Under the terms of the funded training provision, the Department for Education pays for all three years of university fees, across 12 universities.<\/p>\n It also covers the first year of living costs, such as a salary or bursary, while the placement council covers the remaining two years. It is unusual for a student to self-fund their own place, but the option is there in some areas.<\/p>\n The Association of Educational Psychologists (AEP) runs the application system and has charted a rapid rise in interest in recent years.<\/p>\n There are stringent eligibility requirements, including a psychology degree and gaining a minimum of one year\u2019s full-time experience working with children in specific sectors.<\/p>\n Donna Wiggett, the AEP\u2019s general secretary, believed psychology had become a popular course at undergraduate level and had an \u201cinteresting\u201d career trajectory.<\/p>\n Kevin Woods, director of the doctorate in educational and child psychology at the Manchester Institute of Education, said the spike in applications \u201cappears to be as a result of the post-graduation support available to this particular career route, together with the range and availability of post-graduation employment opportunities\u201d.<\/p>\n But just expanding course numbers isn\u2019t a quick fix.<\/p>\n The EPI said a meaningful expansion would require more university capacity, more schools and councils offering supervised training placements and a phased implementation.<\/p>\n Woods said the training route, like teachers, required \u201cspecialist input from practitioners, both directly to university teaching and as supervisions within practice placements.<\/p>\n \u201cThis requirement, in turn, reduces capacity within the psychological services \u2013 it\u2019s something of a ‘catch-22’. So, primarily, expansion in numbers of trainee educational psychologists has to progress within the limits of the qualified professional workforce.”<\/p>\n![\"Jo](\"https:\/\/schoolsweek.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Jo-Hutchinson-inset-300px.jpg\")
Strict requirements<\/h2>\n