El ritmo de juego

Whilst this research cannot be deemed generalisable to wider EP practice, authors argue for a utility within qualitative research in its capacity to increase our

understanding of a particular issue or create new understandings (Yardley, 2000; Braun & Clarke, 2013). When looking specifically at the potential for ‘new

understandings’ regarding the role of the EP in supporting GV CYP, the following tentative considerations are offered.

Area of consideration Implication for EP Practice

Through the research process it transpired that participants were often being led by a level of subjectivity, without always having recourse to more objective informed reasoned action. This was often occurring at an implicit level, with participants espousing a reliance and value on research without looking to this for guidance in practice (Aygyris & Schon, 1977). This finding was captured in the organizing theme ‘distinguishing between the personal and professional self’ and further revealed in the emergence of themes relating to the ‘interview as an active site of

reflection/discovery’ and ‘creating space,’ both of which alluding to the value and potential need for spaces in which

TEPs/EPs can reflect on their constructions around GV and the subsequent roles they could assume given such constructions.

This finding reflects an ongoing call on EPs to be reflective and reflexive practitioners (Fox, 2011; Bowskill, 2017; BPS, 2012) and links to Timini’s (2005) caution that

professionals need to understand the value base driving the profession, and each individual within such professions, before trying to treat a population. Within an emerging area of practice the need for such reflection arguably becomes more pertinent. Use of individual and peer supervision, to explore this emerging area of practice, could potentially offer a means of safeguarding against subjective practice by affording exploration of one’s own views prior to, and during, engagement in

practice.

Five of seven participants indicated that they had received no training in relation to GV and one participant, who had accessed training, had actively sought further

The findings suggest that there is potentially an onus on EPs, and

consequently EPS’s, to access training on areas of practice in which little is known

information, based on their own personal experiences.

about but could arise within their day to day practice. This reflects international research detailing cultural competence (Sue et al, 2009) and the necessity of

professionals to review the competencies required of professionals to achieve such competencies as society changes, thus ensuring effective service provision (Boroughs et al. 2015).

Such a training need could potentially be pertinent for doctoral training courses preparing individuals for the EP role and practicing EPs.

The views of EPs highlighted that the profession not only potentially has much to offer in supporting CYP who self-identify as GV, but that to do so would mean

employing old tools in new ways rather than seeking new tools to equip them to fulfil a stated role. The potential roles for the EP were outlined in the global theme ‘facilitators of a role’.

The views obtained suggest that if the tools already exist, what is required is for

TEPs/EPs to seek to creatively apply these tools to new settings. Cameron (2006) discusses the onus on EPs to evidence, employ, and explicitly promote the

psychology underpinning their work. It was discussed by participant 5 that psychology is a distinct contribution EPs can offer to others. Within the area of GI and gender more widely sharing ‘big ideas’ (Cameron, 2006), in the form of giving psychological theory and research surrounding this area away, could potentially be a way in which EPs can actively work with GV CYP and the surrounding systems.

Participant 6 presented a departure from other participants in being the only EP who had sought and was thus engaging in a role around supporting GV CYP on a routine basis. The organising theme of ‘EP role as multi-faceted’, representing the voice of participant 1, also highlighted that the boundaries around an EP role are

There is arguably a need for EPs to make themselves visible as a professional group who can assume a role within this area of work. Fox (2013) highlights that the discourse about EPs gives meaning to who we are, thus positioning us within the systems in which we work. However these positions can be transitory, with Beal,

specifically in relation to changing legislation and policy around education, present opportunities for further discussion and reflection around what the role of the EP could and should be. Utilising

Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model (1979; Bronfenbrenner & Ceci, 1994), EPs could potentially work at the exosystem level to actively re-position themselves within LA’s and in respect to schools, raising awareness of support they could offer. At a macro level, the emergence of new policy and curriculum within Wales presents a timely opportunity for EPs to assert at government level, how the profession could support GV CYP and a wider agenda in relation to a SRE curriculum.

Whilst the Chronosystem indicates that sociohistorical changes marks a focus on GV within EP work as timely in today’s society, the additional organizing themes captured within ‘barriers to a role’ would need to be explored and considered, to address systemic factors at the micro, meso and exosystem impeding EPs actively repositioning themselves within a given LA. Within the global theme of ‘barriers to a

role’ some of the participants discussed the search for an expert other, due to the perceptions of the EP title and its purposed boundaries and also in the suggestion of a more suitable other whose title and positon made them better equipped to assume a role. This is potentially linked to previous research outlining a historic linking of GV

Future research could further explore the role of the EP in supporting GV CYP and research regarding how this is enacted and perceived by relevant stakeholders, in an attempt to open a discourse within the profession that has arguably yet to fully begin23_{. Beyond this, there potentially}

exists a need for the development of EP specific guidance to support the

23 _{It is noted that there have been recent attempts to widen discourse around GV within the EP}

with mental health due to a westernized discourse around the gender binary (Newman, 2002). Through the process of analysis, it is argued that this link is also influenced by the participant’s levels of certainty around the topic, with those participants who expressed views relating to the basic themes underpinning ‘level of certainty around area’ also seeking an expert other. (As acknowledged in the results section, this link did not exist for all participants)

development and delivery of evidence based practice.

Table 48: Implications for EP practice