Received from: AEP
Professional autonomy is a cornerstone of safe, ethical and high-quality public services. For educational psychologists and other regulated professionals, independent judgement protects standards, maintains public confidence and ensures children, young people, and communities receive advice and support based on need, evidence and professional ethics.
Professions are concerned that workforce shortages, excessive workloads, and rigid managerial systems are increasingly used to restrict professional judgement. In education services, this can reduce complex work to targets, standardised templates and rationed interventions, preventing workers from delivering the highest quality of service.
Professional autonomy must sit alongside strong collective bargaining, safe workloads, adequate staffing and respect for professional ethics. Workers must be trusted, supported and protected to provide their professional opinion.
Defending professional autonomy is a trade union issue: it protects workers and ensures professional advice cannot be diluted or suppressed for financial, political or administrative convenience.
Congress calls on the General Council to:
i. campaign for professional autonomy to be recognised as a core employment, workforce and public service issue
ii. press government, employers, and public bodies to protect independent professional judgement in policy, funding, inspection, commissioning and employment practices
iii. oppose service targets and systems that undermine ethical practice, restrict professional advice or prevent professionals from acting in the best interests of service users
iv. promote properly funded public services with safe staffing, manageable workloads and professional freedom needed to deliver high-quality support
v. work with affiliates and professional bodies to defend the integrity, independence and value of professional expertise across public services.
Association of Educational Psychologists
AMENDMENT
‘In Point ii. after commissioning add a comma and healthcare,’
Royal College of Podiatry