It is a time of change against a backdrop of change and complexity in society, but potentially full of opportunities for EPs across the UK.
We hope that these examples from the Welsh context spark ideas for ‘getting psychology out there’ into systems and communities, to maximise impact and create meaningful change for babies, children, young people and those who support them.
Rhondda Cynon Taf EPS and Denbighshire EPS collaborate with EdPsychEd to support Emotionally Based School Avoidance (EBSA)
Five Welsh local authorities are working with EBSA Horizons to deliver a whole-authority approach to supporting children and young people experiencing emotionally based school avoidance / barriers to attendance. The aim is to build a shared understanding across every adult around the child, enabling earlier identification and more consistent support across whole systems.
A particular highlight has been the collaboration between EdPsychEd and the Educational Psychology Services in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Denbighshire to translate the full suite of resources into Welsh. This joint effort means that materials for school staff, children and young people, and their families will all be available bilingually, ensuring that Welsh-speaking communities can access the programme in their first language.
Cardiff’s Educational Psychologists and Parenting and Play Team showcase ‘Baby’s Best Beginnings’
Educational Psychologists and colleagues from Cardiff Parenting & Play presented at Blackpool’s Better Start Conference in March 2026, sharing presentations about Cardiff’s ‘Baby’s Best Beginnings‘, a Psychology-Informed, Joint Formulation Model Supporting Babies on the Edge of Care and about how we embed mentalisation to improve outcomes for families.
The teams were also happy to share a poster presentation about how the Psychology-Led Home Visiting Service uses VIG in the community. They were also able to learn about ways others are supporting meaningful change in the early years across the UK.
Cardiff Parenting and Play Team achieve the National Autistic Society Autism Inclusion Award
Cardiff Parenting & Play, led by Principal Educational Psychologist Sarah Fitzgibbon, has achieved the National Autistic Society Autism Inclusion Award – the UK’s only autism-specific quality assurance programme recognising excellence in support and development for services working with autistic people.
Following a comprehensive two-year assessment process by the National Autistic Society, which included visits to provision, meetings with service users, and the completion of self-assessment documentation, Cardiff Parenting have achieved accreditation.
As part of this ongoing journey, amendments have been made to service delivery to become more neuro-affirming, including creating a video for parents to support informed consent to the service and provide clear expectations of what is on offer. In addition, a small research project has evaluated adaptations that practitioners made to their VIG practice in light of feedback from parents who identified as neurodivergent – as presented at the AVIG conference and an AVIG lunch and learn session.
Flintshire EPS celebrates success with ‘Solution Circles’
Flintshire EPS has trialled use of the Solution Circle approach within our Specialist Primary School for children with Complex Needs and Disabilities. The approach was offered to the school alongside an existing offer of regular school-EPS Planning Meetings and individual Consultation.
Solution Circles are a structured, time limited, peer support process based on psychological principles of collective solution-finding, emotional containment, cognitive reframing and increasing agency via collective planning within a group.
At the Specialist Primary School, The Solution Circle approach has been received very positively by staff, with positive evaluations evident regarding increases in staff capacity and wellbeing. Staff ownership has been evident around within-school systems relating to the approach and staff now also regularly facilitate Solution Circles themselves within school. For the EPS, the approach has helped highlight the importance of staff supervision as an integral part of Educational Psychology work and the value of working relationally and systemically within specialist school settings.
For more information, please contact Lisa Davies or Beth Kensall.
Rhondda Cynon Taf EPS develop anti-racism reflection groups
Rhondda Cynon Taf EPS were motivated to act after the killing of George Floyd and to develop anti-racism practice not only within our own team, but also within the Access and Inclusion service and wider within the LA.
In September 2025 we launched the school’s anti-racism reflection groups. The anti-racism leads from each school are invited to attend and staff voice has been important in the development of these sessions.
School staff input has meant every other session being a sharing of good practice. Schools are invited to share something that they feel proud about related to their anti-racism journey. Some schools provide an outline of their journey and the different steps they have taken to develop anti-racism practice in their schools, while other schools have shared their development of pupil voice groups, or involvement of the community in developing their practice. It has been important this year to reflect on and celebrate the good work going on in our schools to become anti-racist and to further develop this in the next academic year.
For further information contact Ceri Rees-Panesar and Rob Kempson.
Educational Psychologist involvement in ‘BEAR – Building Early Attuned Relationships’ protects babies’ rights, wellbeing and development
The BEARS project is a pilot initiative based in Wales, supported by National Lottery funding and led by Dr Liz Gregory (Clinical Psychologist and Parent Infant Foundation Wales Development Lead) and Dr Nicola Canale (Educational Psychologist and Parent Infant Foundation Associate). Its primary aim is to enhance knowledge among professionals and community members about the significance of relationships during the first 1000 days of a child’s life, which is a crucial period for development.
Nicola and Liz have developed accessible training resources and practical ideas to support families in developing early attuned relationships with babies, and ensure understanding of the importance of this both for babies in the here and now and for their future.
The pilot took place between November and December 2025, across all seven regions in Wales. Pilot sessions included 172 participants across health, education, social care and the third sector. Almost all (99%) attendees said they would recommend the BEAR training to colleagues, and 99% of attendees noted they were leaving the training very or somewhat aware of what they need to do when observing and supporting parent-infant relationships.
The pilot project was celebrated at the ‘Big BEAR’ event. Attended by practitioners, leaders and policymakers, including fellow EPs (Abi was there herself, too!), contributors on the day also included Professor Sam Wass and Rocio Cifuentes, Children’s Commissioner for Wales.
Creating ripples
We hope you are enjoying our sharing from Wales and that it inspires you to do something our modest colleagues are not always so good at (shouting about their impact together!). There is such depth and breadth in the ‘ripples’ created, so we hope this makes for joyful reading for all and encourages further confidence in developing, innovating and showcasing it!
If you are interested in sharing updates/news from the Welsh context for the next Winter update round, please drop Abi an email by November 27th 2026.
