Kevin J. Glasheen

A History of School Psychology in Australia

To understand the state of school psychology in Australia at present and to be able to adapt to future trends it is important to understand the origins and history of the profession which have been shaped by the special Australian context as well as international events. It is essential to critically analyse the current practice of school psychology in Australia to ascertain which activities are anarchistic i.e., we do what we do because we have always done it that way, and which can limit adaptation to current circumstances, as well as which activities are essential for positive outcomes in students’ social, emotional and educational development. Secondly, it is important to understand the origins of the profession and how it was shaped in order to plan effectively for change, as changing the practices of a profession is inherently difficult because of the unique distinctive role school psychologists have had in the past which Farrell argues has made the profession victims of that history (Farrell, 2010). In looking backwards we therefore hope to be able to move forward in a proactive, planned way to respond effectively to the challenges ahead.