How can Educational Psychologists develop Culturally Responsive Practice? A Delphi Study.

The United Kingdom’s response to growing multiculturalism is subject to debate over how to respond, accommodate and promote cultural diversity. This impacts the role of educational psychologists (EPs) who work with children and young people, their families, and professionals from a variety of cultural backgrounds. EPs are responsible for engaging in, and developing, Culturally Responsive Practice (CRP), an ongoing process which is both intrapersonal and interpersonal; this will ensure the best possible outcomes for their culturally diverse clients. This thesis is an exploratory study which aimed to address the lack of research regarding how EPs take culture into account in their work, and more specifically, develop a framework that can be used by EPs to evaluate the extent to which they are culturally responsive in their practice. This research used a two-round Delphi method to reach consensus regarding what features of CRP are important for EP practice. Round one consisted of an extensive review of the literature pertaining to culture, mainly focusing on School Psychology practice in the United States, and more broadly within the psychological professions. Through this, a deductive thematic analysis was used to identify statements associated with CRP. These statements were presented to EPs (n=23) with relevant experience responding to cultural difference, asking them to rate their perceived importance for their practice, as well as inviting EPs to provide their own features of CRP. In round two, EPs (n=18) evaluated their response to statements which had not met consensus after round one considering the group opinion, and rated additional features of CRP collated from participants. At the end of round two, out of a possible 103 statements, 82 statements were deemed as key features of CRP for EPs, which is presented as a guiding framework for practice. Statements which did/did not meet consensus are considered, and implications for EP practice will be discussed.