Glasgow Educational Psychology Service LGBTQI+ Statement
(adapted from SDEP Anti Racist Network statement)
Glasgow Educational Psychology Service (GEPS) are committed to fostering an environment that embraces and values the diversity of all individuals, including those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and all other gender and sexual orientations (LGBTQI+).
We recognise that there has been a reduction in the overall percentage of young people rating Scotland as a good place to be LGBTQI+ over the last 5 years. Homophobia, biphobia and transphobia remain prevalent across Scotland. Recorded hate crime is on the rise and issues surrounding the lives of transgender people have been overanalysed and misrepresented by the media (LGBT Youth Scotland, 2022).
As GEPS members we seek to:
- Engage in continuous personal and professional reflection on our own biases
- Create a safe environment for our LGBTQI+ colleagues, children and young people (CYP) and stakeholders
- Challenge homophobia, biphobia and transphobia in all its forms
- Invest in a diverse and representative Educational Psychology Service
- Acknowledge, and try to mitigate against, the impact of media misrepresentation on our colleagues, CYP and stakeholders
- Develop leadership within GEPS which reflects the values of equity, diversity and social justice
The skills and experiences that we need to achieve all of the above are:
- The ability to engage in robust discussions around the LGBTQI+ community 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 issues around the LGBTQI+ community and aware of the influence they have on ethos and culture of the service
- Opportunities for all EPs to develop the skills of true LGBTQI+ allyship
- To develop a continuous dialogue with diverse stakeholders, including CYP, and ensure that their lived experience of the education system is understood and acted upon
