APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists
The official page for the Australian Psychological Society College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists.
Australian Psychological Society College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists
30/03/2025
🧠🌍 World Bipolar Day | 30 March
Today we recognise World Bipolar Day — a time to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and show support for individuals living with bipolar disorder.
As Educational and Developmental Psychologists, we understand the importance of early identification, supportive school environments, and evidence-based interventions to help young people navigate the challenges of mood disorders. As well as ongoing support throughout their lives to ensure that are able to achieve their ambitions and goals.
Let’s continue working towards inclusive systems that validate lived experience, promote wellbeing, and empower every person with Bipolar Disorder to thrive.
22/03/2025
This week is an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the diversity of human minds.
Neurodivergent people experience, process, and engage with the world in ways that are natural and meaningful — even when they differ from dominant norms. These differences are not deficits. They are valid expressions of identity, culture, and community.
As psychologists, we have a responsibility to affirm neurodivergent ways of being, to listen deeply to lived experience, and to contribute to environments where all neurotypes are welcomed, respected, and supported.
Neurodiversity Celebration Week invites us to move beyond awareness — toward belonging, autonomy, and genuine inclusion.
13/03/2025
Upcoming Event: Understanding & Working with Problem Sexual Behaviours in Children Under 12
Join Dr Helen Kambouridis for an insightful session on recognising, understanding, and addressing problem sexual behaviours in young children. This session is ideal for psychologists, educators, and professionals working with children, offering practical strategies grounded in trauma-informed and attachment-based approaches.
📅 Date: 3rd April 2025
⏰ Time: 6pm - 8pm
📍 Online Event
🎟️ Prices start at $40
🔎 Learn to differentiate between typical and concerning behaviours, explore communication functions, and understand links to trauma. Gain valuable resources, referral options, and insights to better support children in your care.
💡 The session will be recorded for those unable to attend live.
Today, we celebrate the incredible contributions of women in psychology! Did you know that 80.5% of registered psychologists in Australia are women? From shaping mental health policy to supporting individuals, families, and communities, women in psychology make an undeniable impact every day.
This year’s theme, , reminds us that while we celebrate progress, there is still work to be done. Women continue to face barriers to leadership, pay disparities, and discrimination—including in psychology and academia. Gender biases also contribute to the late diagnosis of neurodivergent women, particularly in autism and ADHD, impacting access to support and recognition.
💡 What can we do?
✅ Celebrate the achievements of women in our field and beyond
✅ Raise awareness of gender biases in mental health and diagnosis
✅ Take action to drive gender parity in leadership, research, and opportunities
To all the women shaping the future of psychology—we see you, we celebrate you, and we stand with you.
23/02/2025
Video gaming is one of the most prevalent entertainment mediums worldwide. According to a 2020 Australian gaming industry report, two-thirds of Australians engage in gaming. While traditional media has often focused on the negative aspects of gaming, research has demonstrated that gaming can yield beneficial and healthy outcomes. However, for a subset of individuals, excessive gaming can result in adverse consequences…
In this webinar, Dr Elwin Hu will teach participants to:
👾 Articulate the clinical conceptualisation of Gaming Disorder
👾 Differentiate between healthy and unhealthy gaming behaviours
👾 Familiarise themselves with standardised measures used to assess Gaming Disorder
A massive thank you to the APS - Melbourne Branch who are providing this webinar FREE FOR APS MEMBERS. 👏
Please kindly note that this is NOT a CEDP event and is being run by the APS - Melbourne Branch.
31/01/2025
🌟 Join Us for the APS CEDP VIC Branch AGM! 🌟
We’re excited to invite you to our Annual General Meeting for the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists VIC Branch. This is a great opportunity to connect, reflect on the year gone by, and look ahead to what’s next. 💡✨
📅 Date: Monday, February 3, 2025
⏰ Time: 5:00 PM (AEDT)
📍 Where: Online via Zoom
💬 Questions?
Contact Stacey Rabba, VIC Chair, through PsyCommunity or email the APS Member Groups Team: membergroups@psychology.org.au.
Don’t miss out! Let’s come together as a community and continue to grow and support each other in our professional journeys. 🌱
01/01/2025
Reflecting on the Educational and Developmental Psychologist in 2024 prompts mostly deep appreciation and gratitude. A heartfelt thank you to our authors, readers, reviewers, editorial board, consultants, associate editors, portfolio manager, production team, team at the APS, and our brilliant editorial assistants. Contributing to a journal in today’s complex academic publishing landscape, one that strives to produce accessible, meaningful research to inform practice, is no small feat. So many people are involved, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who contributes to EDP’s successes.
In 2023, EDP published 49 articles, which were downloaded over 52,000 times across the globe. This reflects the journal’s true international reach, with submissions received from countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Canada, India, Germany, Japan, and many nations across Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific.
I also congratulate Paul Ginns, Katherine Muscat, and Ryan Naylor for their article "Rest Breaks Aid Directed Attention and Learning" who won the 2024 Taylor & Francis Altmetric Award. If you haven’t had the chance, take a look- it’s a fascinating read. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/20590776.2023.2225700
As we prepare for 2025, I want to thank everyone in our community for helping EDP to flourish.
From Dr Kelly-Ann Allen (Editor in Chief)
19/11/2024
Perinatal Mental Health Week 2024 💙
As psychologists, we play a crucial role in supporting expectant and new parents through the unique challenges of the perinatal period. This week, let’s focus on raising awareness, reducing stigma, and reinforcing the pathways that connect parents to mental health support. Whether through screening, counselling, or simply providing a safe space for coaching parents through one of life’s most vulnerable transitions.
Together, we can help parents feel seen, supported, and empowered to seek the care they need for themselves and their families. Let’s continue to provide support and ensure every parent feels connected and cared for.
12/11/2024
Voting is now open for two positions on the APS Board:
General Director – APS Division of Colleges (excluding the APS College of Clinical Psychologists) to serve until the 2027 AGM.
(1) Candidates (in alphabetical order by surname): James Bright, Hayden Fricke, Phoebe Gervaise, Heather Ikin and Kathryn Kallady.
(2) General Director – APS Division of Professional Psychologists to serve until the 2027 AGM. Candidates (in alphabetical order by surname): Andrew Chua and Amelia Ishikawa.
Voting is managed by Vero Voting, the Board-appointed independent Returning Officer. Secure voting links have been sent via email to eligible members, which includes: Honorary Fellows, Fellows, Members, and Associate Members of the relevant Divisions
Voting closes at 10:00 am (AEDT) on Monday 18 November 2024.
This Psychology Week (28 October - 3 November), we’re diving into the powerful connection between psychology and the environment. 🌏💚
Join us in the Members-only PsyCommunity each day, where we’ll be sharing new posts that explore sustainable behaviours, the mental health benefits of nature, and strategies for building resilience in the face of environmental stress.
Head over daily for fresh insights, get involved in the conversation, and share your own experiences! Whether it’s a tip for greener living or a reflection on how nature has supported your mental wellbeing, we’d love to hear from you.
Together, let’s make this week a meaningful step toward a healthier mind and a healthier planet. 🌱✨
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Australian Psychological Society College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists
What is Educational and Developmental Psychology?
Educational and Developmental Psychology is concerned with wellbeing across the lifespan, in particular, the development and learning of people throughout their lives. To this end, Educational and Developmental Psychologists work in a wide range of research and practice settings and may have one of many different titles, such as school psychologist, guidance officer, disability services officer, child and adolescent counsellor, and geropsychologist. Within these settings, Educational and Developmental Psychologists may work with individuals, couples, groups, organisations, or systems. In educational settings, Educational and Developmental Psychologists are centrally placed to identify and assist people with mental health and other psychological issues including learning difficulties. Wherever possible, early identification and intervention is essential for the treatment of mental health disorders.
Skills of Educational and Developmental Psychologists
Educational and Developmental Psychologists have knowledge and skills for evidence based practice in the following areas:
Assessing developmental, learning and behavioural difficulties throughout the lifespan
Diagnosing disabilities and disorders, such as Autism Spectrum Disorders
Differential diagnosis
Identifying and using evidence-based interventions
Counselling
Consulting with individuals and groups
Designing training programs
Evaluating programs and interventions
Designing and implementing professional development programs
Case management and liaising with other specialists
Writing reports for multiple audiences (e.g., parents, teachers, and other professionals)
Psychological consultancy and professional learning
Areas of Expertise - Across the Lifespan
Early childhood
Parents or professionals (e.g., GPs, Paediatricians, Child Health Nurses, and Child Care Centre staff) may refer a child to an Educational and Developmental Psychologist for the following reasons:
Concerns about a child’s cognitive, behavioural, or emotional development
Assessment of a developmental delay
Assessment of specific disabilities (e.g., Intellectual Disability and Autism Spectrum Disorders)
Assistance with feeding, sleeping or behaviour problems
Infant mental health problems (e.g., anxiety and disordered attachment)
Managing a child's difficult temperament
Assistance with attachment issues, or with ‘goodness of fit’ between parent and child
Parenting issues
Sibling rivalry within the family
Assessment of school readiness
Assistance with treatment planning and early-intervention programs
School years
Parents, teachers or other professionals (or children themselves) may seek assistance for the following reasons:
Problems with the transition to school, or from one phase of education to another
Separation anxiety or school avoidance
Psychoeducational assessment
Assessment, diagnosis and treatment of learning difficulties and disorders (e.g., Dyslexia)
Poor peer-relationships
Behaviour problems and disorders (e.g., Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
Specialist behaviour management planning
Low self esteem
Well-being issues
Mental health problems (e.g., mood disorders)
Assessment of giftedness
Family relationship issues
Physical or sexual abuse
Assistance with treatment planning and specialist support
Whole school consultancy or intervention (e.g., social-emotional learning programs and critical incident intervention)
Adolescence
Adolescents, their parents, or others concerned with their welfare may seek help to deal with:
Conflict between the adolescent and parents
Friendship issues
Peer pressure
Behaviour problems
Sexuality issues
Disability issues
Identity issues and the transition to adulthood
Mental health problems
Drug and alcohol problems
Career guidance
Adjustment and transition issues
School to work transition
Whole school community issues
Adulthood
Individuals, their partners or employers may seek assistance with:
Relationship problems
Divorce/separation
Parenting and child-rearing
Adoption issues
Mid-life concerns
Career restructuring
Work stress
Education and training in the workplace
Later adulthood
Elderly people or their adult children may seek information or assistance with:
