School-based consultation in the United Kingdom - Principles, practice and effectiveness

Within the past ten years, there has been a gradual but steady growth in the popularity of school-based consultation as an approach to service delivery in educational psychology services across the UK. The present article reviews the current practice of school-based consultation in the UK, and discusses the degree to which current practice matches research findings on effective consultation from the UK and the USA. The article identifies some of the key characteristics which are essential for consultation to be effective in achieving change, and points out the need for such characteristics to underpin current approaches to consultation in the UK. While research findings have shown consultation to be a potentially effective approach to service delivery, a number of methodological shortcomings have been characteristic of research in this area, limiting the degree to which conclusions can be drawn. The article concludes with suggestions for future research and implications for school psychologists.