Glasgow Educational Psychology Service Anti Racism Statement
(adapted from Scottish Division of Educational Psychologists Anti Racist Network statement)
Glasgow Educational Psychology Service (GEPS) recognise that racism exists, that it is a structural issue with pervasive effects in our society and that it goes beyond the conscious thoughts and behaviours of individuals.
To truly tackle racism, we as GEPS staff members must be aware of the biases that we hold and how these influence our day-to-day interactions and the cultures we work within. As a service we commit to engage in ongoing learning in order to progress on our journey towards anti-racism. This requires us to offer a sustained and active commitment to our own and others understanding of anti-racism.
As GEPS members we seek to:
- Engage in continuous personal and professional reflection on our own biases
- Create a safe environment for our Black and People of Colour (BPOC) colleagues, children and young people (CYP) and stakeholders
- Directly challenge racism in all its forms e.g. stereotyping, bias, microaggressions, overt racism, attitudes and language
- Invest in a diverse and representative Educational Psychology Service
- Acknowledge, and try to mitigate against, the impact of structural racism on our colleagues, CYP and stakeholders
- Develop leadership within GEPS which reflects the values of equity, diversity and social justice
The skills and experiences needed to achieve all of the above are:
- The ability to engage in robust discussions around anti-racism and social justice e.g. through SIIMs, JSTs and other relevant forums
- Rigorous and ongoing self-evaluation of service structures, policies and recruitment processes
- A GEPS leadership team who are knowledgeable, committed and sensitive to the issues of racism and aware of the influence they have on ethos and culture of the service
- Opportunities for all Educational Psychologists to develop anti-racism skills
- To develop a continuous dialogue with diverse stakeholders and ensure that their lived experience of the education system is understood and acted upon
