The oppression of children and young people in education settings: A Foucauldian Discourse Analysis of Educational Psychologists' constructions.

This article examines how Educational Psychologists (EPs) in the UK construe oppressive discourses about children and young people (CYP) within educational settings, using Foucauldian Discourse Analysis to explore the language and power dynamics involved. It identifies key oppressive constructions—such as "othering," enforced compliance, being "seen and not heard," within-child medicalized perspectives, conformity, and innocence—that position CYP in ways that reflect historical influences like colonialism, eugenics, and capitalism. EPs perceive their role as challenging these discourses through both direct interventions (naming oppression, creating "brave spaces") and indirect strategies (acting as critical friends, systemic policy influence, and empowering CYP via Participatory Action Research). The study highlights tensions EPs face due to systemic constraints, including government agendas and service delivery models, and calls for critical reflection on the genealogy and function of discourses to better support social justice in educational psychology practice.