Conference Theme
School Psychology in a changing society
Today, children are being confronted with many changes in society that affect their upbringing and developmental and educational needs.

Many societies are becoming culturally diverse, with schools seeking new ways to create challenging and safe environments for children from different backgrounds. Recently, research on the impact of mental health and the well-being of children has become a central issue in politics in the international arena. In many countries the focus on inclusion in the context of special education is also a rapidly changing challenge for schools. At the same time, in many countries, accountability is becoming a key word, requiring schools to justify their policy and learning activities.

Society is becoming more complex and more individualistic. As a result, violence and terrorism are no longer viewed as isolated incidents but rather facts of life. Schools have to find answers, not only to the learning needs of children, but also to their pedagogical and psychological needs. At the same time, the field of educational psychology provides a greater understanding of the processes in cognitive and social development of children in the schools.

School psychologists can and do play an important role in helping schools deal with all these changes by applying new knowledge in establishing procedures for prevention, early identification and intervention of problem behaviour, as well as providing support in crisis situations. The current changes in both society and science call for a more central role of the school psychologist, and that role is to support school staff, parents, the community, and children in coping with the impact of various changes in today’s society.