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
30/09/2025
✨ Psychology Week 2025 – Day 3 ✨
This week we’re shining a light on the impact of Educational and Developmental Psychologists, and how our work is often misunderstood or underestimated.
💬 If you could correct one public misconception about our role, or share one insight about how psychology truly supports people, what would it be?
Let’s reshape how our profession is seen... one conversation at a time 💬🌱
The SA section of the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists warmly invites you to an in-person social evening with your fellow CEDP colleagues!
Enjoy cocktail nibbles and a complimentary drink on arrival in the private dining room at the Caledonian Hotel, North Adelaide.
🗓️ Friday 17 October 2025
🕠 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM ACDT (Adelaide Time)
📍 215 O’Connell Street, North Adelaide
👥 Open to all CEDP members
💬 Stay on for dinner afterwards - let us know in advance, and we’ll book a table!
The APS is preparing a submission to the federal government on the Thriving Kids initiative, which has been announced as a new early intervention system for children under 8 with mild to moderate developmental delay or autism.
📣 We’re calling on Educational & Developmental Psychologists and all APS members working with children and families to contribute your insights on the terms of reference outlined in our post.
💬 Your experience matters. Help us to shape the future of Thriving Kids.
Thinking about supervising an educational and developmental psychology student?
Whether you’re a Board Approved Supervisor or just curious about taking the next step, supervising a placement student can be one of the most rewarding ways to support the next generation of Educational & Developmental Psychologists.
Join our upcoming webinar to explore how supervision works and what support is available:
Let’s build a stronger future for our educational and developmental psychology.
13/09/2025
✨ 7 DAYS TO GO... ✨
Children and adolescents with complex neurodevelopmental and mental health presentations often require input from multiple professionals. This webinar will explore how bringing together perspectives from paediatrics, psychology, speech pathology, and lived experience can enhance assessment, feedback, and ongoing support for young people and their families.
Participants will learn to:
✅ Apply practical strategies for collaborative assessment and case formulation
✅ Integrate neurodiversity-affirming approaches into assessment and intervention
✅ Understand the distinct and complementary roles of different disciplines in complex presentations
We welcome paediatricians, psychologists, speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and allied health professionals involved in assessment and intervention with children and adolescents presenting with complex needs.
A massive thank you to the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists and the APS College of Counselling Psychologists for hosting this event!
🚨Supervisors: Educational and Developmental Psychology Needs You! 🚨
Are you a Board Approved Supervisor, or thinking about becoming one?
Each year, over 200 Masters students train in Educational & Developmental Psychology across Australia. These students are preparing to make a real difference in the lives of children, families, and communities.
But they can’t do it without you.
This FREE APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists (CEDP) webinar is your chance to:
✔️ Learn how university placements work
✔️ Hear from current supervisors across diverse settings
✔️ Discover the support available for new supervisors
✔️ Connect with university representatives and express your interest
Your mentorship can shape careers, strengthen our profession, and grow the future of Ed & Dev Psych in Australia. 🌱
We’d love to see you there!
04/09/2025
📣 Educational & Developmental Psychologists are essential to the NDIS, and here's why.
From comprehensive assessments and developmental insight to capacity building and collaboration across sectors, our work makes a meaningful difference across the lifespan.
Swipe through to learn more about our role... and if you want to dive deeper, listen to our new Subject for Change podcast episode featuring Camelia Wilkinson, Chair of the APS College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists.
🎧 Available now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts, just search “Subject for Change” or visit https://subjectforchange.podbean.com
Let’s keep advocating for recognition of Educational & Developmental Psychologists in the NDIS.
01/09/2025
📚 Our Most-Read Articles of All Time 📚
Did you know the College of Educational and Developmental Psychologists has its very own journal?
Discover the Educational and Developmental Psychologist Journal, which is the home to some of the most influential research in our field.
From the benefits of rest breaks on learning, to the impact of adolescent social media use, to school-based positive psychology interventions, these most read articles have shaped how we understand, support, and empower people across the lifespan.
✨ FREE access for all College Members: Explore our articles and stay up to date with the latest research shaping Educational and Developmental Psychology.
🔗 Read now by visiting the Members page at your APS login.
22/05/2025
🖤💛❤️ National Sorry Day – 26 May ❤️💛🖤
Today we pause to acknowledge the grief, loss, and trauma experienced by the Stolen Generations, and the lasting impacts of colonisation and forced removal on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
As psychologists, we commit to:
- Listening with humility
- Uplifting First Nations voices and stories
- Advocating for culturally safe, trauma-informed, and strengths-based practice
- Supporting truth-telling, healing, and systemic change
We recognise that sorry is just the beginning.
We would also like to personally acknowledge the Barkindji community whose views and experiences have shaped this post.
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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:
