Assessment of the effectiveness and value for money of the PDP and options for improvement within the current level of funding

The Professional Development Programme (PDP) for Educational Psychologists (EPs) is supported by the Scottish Government Schools Directorate. The Support for Learning Division, part of the Schools Directorate, currently funds the PDP and commissioned this independent evaluation of the Programme. The main aim of the evaluation was to carry out an assessment of the effectiveness and value for money of the PDP and options for improvement within the current level of funding. Specific objectives of the evaluation were to: 1. Investigate and assess the value of the PDP taking into account both the quality of the CPD and research opportunities that it offers, including its fit with other CPD opportunities for educational psychologists. 2. Assess the effectiveness of the management and organisation of the PDP including how PDP opportunities are currently publicised and the range of educational psychologists participating in the scheme. 3. Assess how the output of the PDP is accessed and utilised by educational psychologists and local authorities and the perceived impact on the professional expertise and practice of educational psychologists. 4. Assess how the output of the PDP is disseminated to other interested parties in the educational community and how it could be improved.