Membership Spotlight highlights the work of our member organisations and outlines how other individuals and organisations can support them. Together is shining a light on one of our newest members The British Psychological Society. Join us in providing a warm welcome.

Q1. Tell us about the work of your organisation in Scotland.

The British Psychological Society (BPS) is the representative body for psychology and psychologists throughout the UK. A registered charity, we have a total membership of almost 60,000 – over 4,000 in Scotland, working across psychology specialisms. Our members include educational psychologists, clinical psychologists in CAMHS, health psychologists working in public health, forensic psychologists in residential and secure care, researchers, academics, and teachers.

Our work, and the work of our members, helps to influence and develop a psychological approach to policy-making that puts people first. We have a dedicated BPS Scottish Policy Group comprised of members in Scotland across specialisms who share their views and expertise on a range of issues – from contributing to Scottish Government consultation responses, to representing BPS on external working groups and attending Scottish Parliament Cross Party Groups.

BPS also produces guidance for members on a range of issues. We’ve recently published our Guidance for the emotional health and wellbeing of babies and young children from pregnancy to age five, which outlines best practice for supporting the mental health of babies and young children, highlighting the central role of early relationships and psychologically informed care.

Q2. What projects are you currently working on?

With our psychologist members working across health, education and justice, there’s no shortage of issues.

Post election engagement

We’ll be contacting new ministers and Parliamentarians post-election, drawing on our BPS Manifesto for the 2026 Scottish Parliament Election calls to action, which called for psychology to be at the heart of policymaking, with an approach that places people first. Prevention and early intervention – including meeting the needs of children and young people – was one of our three overarching manifesto priorities.

Consultations

BPS continues to respond to consultations of relevance, from the recent Scottish Government consultation on its draft refreshed code of practice on supporting children’s learning; to the UK government consultation on social media use. View all our consultation responses here.

Neurodiversity

Looking ahead, we’ll continue to place a strong focus on policy work around neurodiversity – taking a whole system approach. We’re waiting to hear Scottish Government plans following its paper, published in March, on potential next steps and provisions for a learning  disabilities, autism and neurodivergence (LDAN) bill, to better respect, protect and promote rights. That paper noted the central role that the LDAN Bill Advisory Panels – on which BPS was represented – have played in shaping current thinking.  Many BPS views expressed in our original LDAN Bill consultation response were reflected in the paper and we look forward to working with this administration to take things forward. 

Children’s capacity

Our  Scottish Division of Educational Psychology | BPS is currently working on a position statement on children’s capacity, conscious that this is often a gateway for children’s participation both by psychologists and more widely.

The BPS Psychology Matters programme

We’ll be continuing to highlight the valuable role psychologists play as part of our Psychology Matters campaign, showcasing the impact of psychology on the world, through the voices and stories of our members. To find out more, visit Psychology Matters | BPS and watch The lifechanging power of psychology | BPS .

Q3. Does your organisation influence policy development on issues affecting children and young people? If so, please share an example.

BPS responds to many consultations and workstreams of specific relevance to children and young people. A non-exhaustive list includes Growing up in the online world; supporting children’s learning code of practice statutory guidance refresh; early years screen time and usage; Scottish Parliament ECYP Committee Care Experience Bill; Sentencing and Penal Policy Commission call for evidence; children’s hearings system redesign; LDAN Bill consultation; and Moving On from Care into Adulthood.  Our response to the latter received multiple mentions in the Scottish Government’s ‘Moving On’ from Care into Adulthood Consultation Analysis of Consultation Responses Final Report.

Given the breadth of expertise of our membership across education, health and justice, BPS is well placed to help develop, implement and evaluate a collaborative, whole-system, person-centred and evidence-based approach to policy making in Scotland. We look forward to working with Together and its fellow member organisations to better help children and young people meet their full potential.

Q4. What do you enjoy most about being a member of Together?

The breadth of experience in the member organisations, which allows us to gain insights and perspectives to help inform our own work and share our views more widely.

Q5. How can other organisations or individuals get involved or support your work?

To learn more about our policy work in Scotland, get in touch with june.deasy@bps.org.uk and visit our website: The BPS in Scotland | BPS

Ends

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