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Dr Kate Hannah HM Inspectors Education Scotland
Supporting vulnerable children in Scottish schools
1www.britishcouncil.ae
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The concept of vulnerability The national framework in Scotland (universal
support) Focus on a learner pathway How Glasgow is leading on supporting
vulnerable children (targeted support)
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What I am going to talk about…
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5 minute group discussion task
Who is ‘vulnerable’?
Why is it important for schools and education systems to recognise vulnerable children?
Who is vulnerable?
Every child:
No child has ever had a perfect life where they have never felt doubt, fear or pressure but for some it becomes a much more serious barrier to future wellbeing
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The concept of vulnerable children in Scotland
No single accepted definition
Report by 3 Scottish children’s charities identified:
Worklessness Poor quality housing No qualifications Maternal mental health problems Long-term illness or disability Low income Material deprivation
Other factors which cause vulnerability
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Grooming Poverty Neglect
Racial Prejudice
Poor Parenting Abuse
Bereavement Bullying
Why is it important for education systems to recognise vulnerable children?
Schools can play a key role in the educational social and emotional development of children supporting them to avoid risk factors such as:
Physical injury Sexual abuse Mental health problems Suicide violence Crime Educational failure
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In Scotland the Getting it Right for every child (GIRFEC) approach offers a national framework to meet the needs of all children.
A child-centred model for multi-agency working which uses ‘wellbeing indicators’ to measure children’s wellbeing:
SHANARRI (safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible, and included)
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What are we doing to help vulnerable children and families in Scotland?
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Getting it right for every child GIRFEC framework
8 wellbeing indicators SafeHealthyAchievingNurturedActiveRespectedResponsibleIncluded (SHANARRI)
The wellbeing wheel:
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How GIRFEC works
Universal tool enabling identification of children who may be at risk
It supports the participation of the child in the process and his/her family
It leads to multi-agency planning to address unmet needs (Child’s plan)
It’s about sharing information at the right time
Agencies form a team around the child (TAC)
Lead professional/named person who knows child well.
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A learner’s pathway
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Liam
Liam’s Story
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Born in April 2000. He and his family were well known to social work services in Ayrshire.
Early life
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Blighted by: parental drug abuse.
poor environmental home conditions.
domestic violence.
frequent changes of address.
Early education
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Liam experienced considerable disruption to his education, due to frequent changes of address particularly when living in Glasgow between 2008 and 2009.
Primary 3 – Primary 5
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Between primary 3 and 5, Liam’s attendance remained poor at 60% and he was excluded for 17 days
Liam’s fifth primary school: Kirkdale
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Liam makes progress in achievement
His attendance rose to 88%
No exclusions in three years
Steady pattern of improvement
Secondary school
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Despite additional educational support, Liam found the demands of the secondary school challenging
Attendance dropped to 42.8%
12 exclusions
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From this point onwards and despite attempts by the school to explore strategies for Liam to improve his attendance, he continued to disengage from school often stating he was ill or was experiencing difficult relationships at school with other pupils.
Secondary School
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Liam’s school and social work services provided:
Several Community Assessment Team meetings to support Liam
A plan to support his educational difficulties
Liam took his own life in May 2013. He was just 13 years old
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Where did it all go wrong?
Group task 15 minutes
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What are the main reasons in your opinion why the school and its partners failed Liam?
What could schools and partner agencies have done better and what could they learn from Liam’s death?
What our report said (1)
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The need for much earlier intervention to ensure school attendance and prevent educational failure
Unacceptably long time for Liam to have been out of education leading to learning difficulties and self esteem issues
Critical of communication between local authorities and partners for failing to track Liam through different known addresses at a time of particular trauma
What our report said (2)
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Commended impact of approaches used by Kirkdale school on Liam’s self-esteem and behaviour.
The need for enhanced transition arrangements for vulnerable children moving schools
A smaller specialist provision at secondary stages more suited to Liam’s needs
Targeted support for vulnerable children
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The nurture room
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Watch the extract from some children’s stories
As a group, identify the key approaches to nurturing which impacted successfully on children’s ability to cope better with school and social situations
What makes a difference ?
strong, visionary leadership
broaden achievement
reduce exclusions/ improve attendance
corporate parenting needs to be embedded throughout education system
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What makes a difference at school level?
Open, positive, supportive relationships
Being listened to, and feeling secure
Feeling safe and secure;
Staff model positive behaviour
Good learning and teaching
Sensitive and responsive staff
Staff understanding bullying and child protection policies
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What can teachers do to help vulnerable
children?
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build supportive relationshipsunderstanding and empathycalm classroom/ethos
Looking behind ‘acting-out’ behaviour Abused/neglected children suffer deep, long-lasting pain which
comes from:
grief and loss
abandonment and neglect
emotional abuse
fear or terror of the future
depression
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Understanding the impact of trauma on learning hyper arousal
shame
language delay
memory problems
need for control
attachment difficulties
poor peer relationships
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Ten ways schools can help vulnerable
children remain engaged with learning
understand/empathise
manage your reactions
plan for macro/micro transitions
structure and consistency
time in, not time out
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Ten ways schools can help vulnerable
children remain engaged with learning
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connect consequences not punishment acknowledge good decisions/choices support parents carers ensure success
