September…a time for transition in many respects. We begin to notice the first subtle shifts in the seasons, maybe a slight chill in the morning air. The new academic year begins and with it a sense of change, potential, possibility, hope or perhaps dread.
September often brings with it changes for many people who work in education, directly or indirectly. Many of our readers will be starting new job roles, new training courses, or the first day of a promotion. For the young people and schools we work with it’s moving year groups or schools and the maelstrom of new relationships and connections that go along with that.
It’s our pleasure then to introduce our first themed series of articles on ‘transitions’
Transitions in all their forms
When we put out our call for articles on the theme, we encouraged authors to see it as expansively and flexibly as they wanted, and we’ve ended up with a fantastic array of articles.
The pieces that form this series address professional transitions, children’s experiences of moving between different types of school, the journey to becoming an EP, the process of moving in to leadership, and the often personal transformational effects that happen simultaneously.
From 3 years bedridden to reclaiming my voice: why EPs need to understand Functional Neurological Disorder
In our opening article, Liam, a young British disability advocate, uses his personal experience of fighting severe FND since childhood to raise awareness about the condition and to articulate a powerful experience of reflection and change.
The long and winding road to becoming an assistant EP
Gabbi offers an insightful account of her experience as an aspiring EP and the many personal and professional challenges that come with this journey.
The EP journey begins: reflections from current TEPs
Perfect for anyone starting an EP training course this September, members of the edpsy TEP group offer reflections for navigating the transition from applicant to trainee on the Educational Psychology doctorate.
Transition support for care-experienced children moving to secondary school
Emma discusses the development of a tool to support professionals to consider the specific needs of care experienced children as they move from primary to secondary school.
Children’s experiences of special to mainstream school transition
It’s an area that often receives little discussion, and very little attention within the research literature. Becky presents findings from her thesis exploring children’s experiences of the move from special to mainstream school
Shaking the jar: reflections on moving from practitioner to leader in Educational Psychology
Jo’s personal account of moving into leadership roles leaves us with questions to ask of ourselves during these times of transition, not least, ‘Who am I becoming?’
Transition, trauma and becoming
Our final article from Charlie is a powerful reflection on motherhood, identity and becoming, in the context of working towards training to be an EP.
A huge thank you to all our authors who contributed to this series. It’s a great privilege to represent the work and reflections of people from all corners of our profession – aspiring EPs, trainees, maingrade colleagues, leaders and young people who can so often rely on us to, as Liam reminds us, “stop young people from becoming invisible”.
Enjoy
