Memorandum submitted by Southampton Psychology
Service, Southampton City Council
How to support and reinforce positive behaviour
in schools
— EPs (Educational Psychologist) deliver
training to schools on eg psychological approaches to enhance
understanding of behaviours, how to manage behaviours, how to
reinforce positive behaviour and support with writing effective
policies.
— Link EPs regularly support their schools
in prevention and early intervention
The nature and level of challenging behaviour
by pupils in schools, and the impact upon schools and their staff
— EPs deliver specific training to staff
in both special and mainstream schools on understanding challenging
behaviour in terms of Attachment Theory and Communicative Function
(eg LaVigna model).
— It also provides clear and effective
strategies to help with problem solving and managing challenging
behaviour, including, if necessary/appropriate, physical intervention
strategies using BILD accredited approaches (eg, Team Teach, PROACIT
SCIPr(UK)).
— This training is also offered to all
other professionals within the city to encourage a consistent
multi-agency approach. Evaluation of training strongly indicates
that all staff find the training extremely helpful in that it
increases their confidence and understanding and reduces their
anxiety in dealing with what can be very difficult situations.
— Specialist EPs also provide a bespoke
quick response service to schools focusing on individual pupils
who are exhibiting challenging behaviour—CBC (Challenging
Behaviour Consultancy Service). This is very well received by
staff and reduces their anxiety, helps them to feel supported
and provides a follow-up/review opportunity staff anxiety and
helps them to draw up an effective behaviour management plan which
evaluation shows reduces the child's challenging behaviour and
avoids fixed term and permanent exclusions.
— Importance of maintaining high quality
trainers within the LA to support staff. Often external providers
are not familiar with the specific nature of the problem or the
particular relevant community/social factors.
Approaches taken by schools and local authorities
to address challenging behaviour, including fixed-term and permanent
exclusions
— Specialist EPs also provide a bespoke
quick response service to schools focusing on individual pupils
who are exhibiting challenging behaviour—CBC (Challenging
Behaviour Consultancy Service). This is very well received by
staff and reduces their anxiety, helps them to feel supported
and provides a follow-up/review opportunity staff anxiety and
helps them to draw up an effective behaviour management plan which
evaluation shows reduces the child's challenging behaviour and
avoids fixed term and permanent exclusions.
Ways of engaging parents and carers in managing
their children's challenging behaviour
— Our LA run a number of Parenting courses
to help parents manage behaviour.
— We have a team of Family Intervention
Project workers and Parent Advisers who can go out to family homes
to support and advice.
— Other professionals eg Youth workers,
can support families, children and young people as required via
the Common Assessment process and through effective Locality working.
How special educational needs can best be recognised
in schools' policies on behaviour and discipline
— Both our link EPs and specialist EPs
strongly support schools in their understanding of behaviour as
a SEN and provide input and training on relevant psychological
theories such as Attachment, Behavioural approaches, Autistic
Spectrum Disorders (ASD). This helps schools to understand that
Teaching New Skills is an essential part of any behaviour plan,
not simply Rewards and Sanctions, particularly for pupils with
more challenging behaviours.
Links between attendance and behaviour in schools
— EPs work closely with our EWO colleagues,
Social Care and other relevant professionals in recognition of
the links between behaviour and attendance.
— Multi-agency support obtained through
the Common Assessment process by Locality working (via Locality
Operational Sub Groups—LOSG) ensures that all professionals
concerned have a good understanding of the community in which
the child lives and the issues which may be affecting their attendance.
Experience indicates that community support is as important as
within school support for the individual child in reducing challenging
behaviour.
The Government's proposals regarding teachers'
powers to search pupils, removal of the requirement for written
notice of detentions outside school hours, and the extent of teachers'
disciplinary powers, as announced by the Department on 7 July.
(a) Teachers powers to search—our view
is that this puts teachers and pupils at risk and is likely to
exacerbate/escalate. Our advice is not to search a child who is
resisting but to follow previous DCSF guidelines re calling the
police if necessary.
(b) Removal of written notice for detentions—this
is likely to be unpopular with parents and may put children who
are already vulnerable (in terms of lack or parent/family support)
at greater risk outside school hours. It may also further alienate
those parents whom school or other professionals are trying to
get on board.
(c) Extent of disciplinary powers—Section
550A of the 2006 Education Act is acceptable as it stands as the
clause allowing teachers to "maintain good order and discipline"
is already open to wide and flexible interpretation. Teachers
need to also take account of recognising that challenging behaviour
can be a SEN, or symptom of a SEN such as ASD, Attachment issues,
etc.
— Our LA has found that provision of regular
high quality training on Behaviour Management and a BILD approved
method of safe physical intervention such as Team Teach or PROACT
SCIPr(UK) is the best way to empower teachers to feel confident
to manage behaviour in a way that is safe and effective for themselves
and the pupils.
September 2010
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