Canadian School Psychology

YouTube video by CPAVideoChannel Who Are School Psychologists?

We can work together to make specialized assessments and interventions available for kids where and when they need it 🫶 #schoolsmatter #strongertogether m.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf6O...

A good professional podcast in psychology and education is the Let's Talk: Youth Psychology Podcast found on Spotify.

Unlike the US, federal and provincial legislation do not delineate role or practices of Canadian school psychologists. Public policy must begin to highlight how school psychologists may address student mental health in schools. A national discussion needs to be fueled to make change.

An excellent collection of current issues and realities in school psychology across Canada

To find out more about the CPA training standards, access the document here: cpa.ca/docs/File/Ac...

To find out more about the NASP training standards, access the document here: www.nasponline.org/standards-an...

The CPA only accredits doctoral programs. Despite this, many training programs in Canada, both doctoral and masters alike, adhere closely to NASP standards. Literature in the US shows APA and NASP standards, contrary to popular belief, are more alike than different. Is this the case in Canada?

The CPA is currently on their sixth iteration of the Accreditation Standards for Doctoral and Residency Programs in Professional Psychology (CPA, 2023). The standards ensure the adequate training and licensure of candidates, and ease the mobility of psychologists between jurisdictions in Canada.

Did you know: The CPA is the only professional association that accredits and provides professional training standards for school psychology in Canada? The APA discontinued accreditation of programs starting in 2015. NASP has never accredited a program in Canada.

Continued and stronger advocacy efforts are needed to promote recruitment in the profession. To find out more about school psychology in Canada, visit the CPA Section of Educational and School Psychology website: cpa.ca/sections/edu...

Feel free to also message us here for more information.

Retention and recruitment issues, lower interest in training programs, growing need for expanded roles and specialization, the trend towards doctoral training, and registration requirements impact both the training of new school psychs, and the availability of qualified trainers.

Evidence from literature in Canada indicate that the profession is "greying." The average age of practitioners, based on unique samples of Canadian professionals, is around 43 , with an average of 15 years of experience. This is similar to numbers reported in the US (NASP: Goforth et al., 2020).

Trainer shortages, trouble finding valid internship sites, few training programs, and many practitioners approaching the age of retirement compound concerns regarding service delivery. The profession is at a crossroad.
#schoolpsych #schoolpsychcan #CPA #NASP #APA

Recruitment and retention issues are as vast as the distance many Canadian school psychologists must travel between their work sites. This affects the type and effectiveness of services a school psychologist may provide.

Heise, D. H. (1964). The status and role of the school psychologist in Canada (T). University of British Columbia. Retrieved from open.library.ubc.ca/collections/...

The above quote is from a psychologist in Saskatchewan (Heise, 1964). Many psychologists at the time voiced this concern across several Provinces. This is not a novel problem. Concerted efforts from the profession must be made. Now is the time for new ideas and expanded approaches for services.

"Service to rural teachers is minimal. The present situation is a temporary measure only. There is need for more recognition by administrators and ready financial aid for services. Some special emphasis should be placed on the problems and needs of rural areas" - Heise, 1964, p.98.

School psychology services for rural and isolated communities in Canada is sparse, as are other fundamental health services. School psychologists in these communities must wear many hats, which may put them at risk for issues such as role confusion, questionable practices, or professional burnout.

- Western University
- University of Toronto
- McGill University
- Université du Québec à Montréal
- Université de Sherbrooke
- Mount Saint Vincent University
- Memorial University

#schoolpsychology #schoolpsychologycanada #CPA #NASP

- University of British Columbia
- University of Calgary
- University of Alberta
- University of Saskatchewan
- University of Regina
- University of Manitoba

#schoolpsychology #schoolpsychologycanada #CPA #NASP

Interested in working as a school psychologist? Below is a list of Canadian universities that provide training in school psychology (or similar). Note: not all universities are CPA-accredited, and some are not formal school psychology programs. Feel free to contact this account for more info.

There is a shortage of school psychologists across Canada. This is at a time where access to critical mental health services for children and youth is becoming increasingly problematic. Canada needs more visibility of the profession, recruitment, training opportunities and programs.

Council of Ministers of Education, Canada Council of Ministers of Education, Canada

It is important for school psychologists to understand how legislation and policy may impact employment and services. Each Province and Territory education system is mandated by their own department/ministry of education, not federally. Find out more about each Education Act here: cmec.ca/en/

Canadian school psychologists are trained to deliver key educational and mental health services in schools. Here are links to two key models of practice that they follow.

CPA: cpa.ca/cpasite/User...

NASP: www.nasponline.org/standards-an...

#schoolpsychology #schoolpsychologycanada #CPA #NASP