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The article presents the call of papers for several behavioral difficulties topics in the "Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties" journal. It says that the special issue "Longitudinal view on emotional and behavioural difficulties" has Markku Jahnukainen of the University of Alberta in Canada as guest editor with the proposal abstracts due in Summer 2010 and the full paper deadline in Autumn 2010. It mentions that the special edition "Early intervention work with children with EBD in the early years" is on the final calling for papers on the subject. It notes that the research papers should be submitted to the electronic mail of the guest editors including Dr. Joseph Agbenyega, Dr. Jill Robbins and Dr. Umesh Sharma at jill.robbins@education.monash.edu.au before September 2010.

This paper explores the experiences of a small sample of girls in English schools at risk of permanent exclusion. A range of visual methods were used to collect data from girls in mainstream secondary schools and an alternative provision setting which formed the basis of subsequent interviews. Through an examination of extant research and the data from this study, it is argued that issues of visibility and voice continue to be prevalent for girls at the margins of education. This paper contends that within the current educational climate in England, girls’ experiences appear to have remained the same as, or deteriorated compared to their contemporaries 20 years ago. It concludes by suggesting some possible next steps and implications for schools and those supporting girls in educational settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilising Critical Race Theory (CRT) as the analytical lens and CRT composite counter-storytelling as the method, this paper seeks to illuminate the experiences of minoritised children and young people racialised as Black in relation to encounters with the exclusionary practice called 'off-rolling'. We conceptualise off-rolling as a hidden process of exclusion in education, and the stories shared in this paper bring into sharp focus the educational, relational and emotional impacts of camouflaged exclusionary practices. We offer four composite stories of exclusion to demonstrate how some of the most vulnerable, excluded, and marginalised young Black people from English urban cities experience further marginalisation because off-rolling, we argue, places learners in a space (both physically and educationally) located beyond care and inclusion. Storytelling is mobilised as a central method in CRT for challenging and exposing exclusionary practices, as it foregrounds the knowledge and lived experience of people of colour and we explore the processes of constructing such counter-stories. As an encouragement to reflection and critical conversation about unlawful exclusion and racial disparities, this paper was written with three goals in mind. The first is that it may inspire educators of colour to tell counter-stories that name their own reality and experiences of exclusion. Second, that in reading and responding to counter-stories, white educators will be encouraged to develop their own racial literacy. Finally, the third goal is that the call to action is answered from within and beyond the confines of academia, where inclusion and racial justice in education can no longer be left to wait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional in-school approaches focus on using consequences for managing pupil behaviour. Within published literature, concerns have been raised about the effectiveness and negative impact of punitive approaches. This systematic synthesis explores the perspectives of children and young people (CYP) in secondary schools on in-school punitive behaviour management policies and practices. Papers are evaluated using an adapted version of the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (2019) and study findings are analysed using thematic synthesis. The findings highlight CYP's thoughts on the fairness and consistency of punitive consequences, the impact of these on academic development and emotional wellbeing, and the limited long-term effectiveness of such approaches. CYP explain their need to feel listened to, understood and supported with their behaviour and emotions. Implications of these views for school staff, educational professionals and education policy makers are outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores a range of theoretical models of resilience and human development to understand the concept of resilience as it has developed over time and how it is understood today. These include both classic and contemporary ideas such as those of Bronfenbrenner, Masten, Rutter and, more recently, Downes and Ungar. Building on this analysis, the paper proposes a new model, taking key elements of established theories to offer a dynamic and interactive model of resilience (DIMoR). This model recognises individual agency and its complex reciprocal interactions both with other individuals but also with the wider system within which the individual is situated. This paper positions the DIMoR as a means of understanding resilience in a range of educational contexts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article reports the findings from a systematic review of qualitative research evidence exploring the views of children and young people identified as having Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs and their experiences of the SEMH label. A systematic search identified seven papers that were reviewed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) checklist. Thematic synthesis of the literature identified the impact of the SEMH label for children and young people as well as their perceptions of this label. Key themes included the negative and positive impact of labels associated with SEMH and the impact on children and young people's identity. Implications for practice are considered including the importance of promoting the voice of children and young people in a description of their needs and working systemically with schools to raise awareness of the implications of language and to consider the impact of wider contextual factors on pupil's difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to articles in the issue is presented on topics including relationship between attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) symptoms and maladaptive achievement strategies, Australian teachers and school leaders' use of differentiated learning experience as responsive teaching for students with ADHD, and preservice teachers' beliefs about ADHD.

This paper will explore the ways in which behaviour features in the accounts of 'off rolling' processes in schools in England volunteered by participants – senior school leaders, SENCos and parents, in an ongoing multi-stranded research project. In addition to analysing these accounts, this paper draws on contextual features and concepts such as parrhesia and authenticity in a probing of methodological considerations. The status of such accounts as data will also be considered given the high stakes accountability environment in which school principals strive to fulfil their legal remit in the field of inclusion. The trustworthiness of findings in qualitative research is more usually the focus of attention; however, our studies to date imply that some professionals carefully manage the image of their school and visibility of exclusionary practices to the detriment of students with mental health and behavioural issues. The methodological implications of conducting research in politicised and highly sensitive areas will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It seems uncontentious that policy development should be informed by evidence, and that researchers should be engaged to assess available evidence. In this paper, we tell the story of a Rapid Evidence Assessment (REA) about school exclusion, a task intended to inform a 'root and branch' policy review. Drawing on Carol Bacchi's 'What's the problem?' approach, we use the project brief and the changing texts that we wrote to show that, while we began reviewing literature with a generous definition of exclusion, our focus progressively narrowed to encompass only the literatures that fitted with the pre-existing policy definition. Our story shows that a need to focus on big E Exclusion policy eliminated insights about little e exclusion, in particular how wider social relations and the school itself were implicated. The case raises critical questions about how policy evidence about exclusion is produced – and limited. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Across the four UK jurisdictions, there are distinct disparities in exclusion rates of school students. Northern Ireland, alongside Scotland and Wales, has demonstrated over time, lower rates of permanent exclusions and temporary exclusions compared with England. This paper examines these disparities from the perspectives of representatives from various system-level educational bodies and third sector organisations representing children and families who experienced the exclusion process. The paper will also present policy and legal frameworks associated with exclusion in Northern Ireland. We interviewed 9 stakeholders, associated with practices of school exclusion in Northern Ireland, from a range of system-level education bodies and advocacy groups. Findings include positive strategies perceived to keep exclusion levels low, types of obstacles or resistance to anti-exclusion policy, participants' perspectives on unofficial exclusion practice, and perspectives on official exclusion data. What emerges from interviews is a series of tensions between implementing a child-centred approach and diminishing support services and resources. We conclude that those working within the Northern Ireland education system, are committed to an inclusive approach. However, the development and implementation of effective supporting frameworks take time and consultation, and there is evidence of tension between the perceptions of those working at a system-level and those working in schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic literature review investigating the views gathered from children and young people (CYP) identified as having Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD) or Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) difficulties. Whilst there is great interest in the area of children's views, there is limited research in the views of pupils with BESD/SEMH. This literature review seeks to identify areas to consider in future research alongside educational practice with pupils with BESD. This paper systematically reviews seven articles which reflect on the educational experiences of pupils with BESD. The paper will discuss the common characteristics in pupil views reported across the seven pieces of research. Strengths and limitations of this review will be identified and finally how best to facilitate the process of listening to the views of pupils with BESD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Young people whose behaviour does not conform to our expectations of how pupils should behave within an educational context have had a variety of labels attached to them including: Social, Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties (SEBD), and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The employment of such labels will shape how the young person is perceived by the adults surrounding them. This will not only have an impact on the relationships that are developed between the pupil and the educator but also how the young people see themselves in terms of their own identity. This paper seeks to give voice and explore the position of young people within the confines of their educational experiences. The paper draws on 13 in-depth case studies to reflect on how young people experience the SEBD labels attached to them by others and what pupils consider to be the main antecedents leading them to display behaviour which is deemed unacceptable in the classroom. The paper highlights the importance of providing opportunities for young people to have their voice heard to fill the gap between professional perceptions and those of the pupil. In order to truly understand why young people display behaviour that is considered difficult and how they experience the labels we attach to them we have to speak to young people themselves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are conflicting theories about the best ways to support behaviour in schools. This paper captures the perspectives of UK primary school staff regarding the advantages and disadvantages of different behaviour support approaches, in addition to exploring the facilitators and barriers to adopting relational-based approaches. Virtual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 school staff across three mainstream primary schools. A reflexive thematic analysis identified nine themes. Participants commented on the approaches' flexibility, familiarity, positive long-term behaviour change and emotional wellbeing and relationships. Key facilitators to adopting relational-based approaches included: whole-school training and understanding; quality and type of training; and working together and feeling supported. Key barriers included: changing perspectives; ease of implementation and familiarity; scarcity of resources; and persevering in the face of difficulties. Themes are discussed in light of psychological research and implications for educational practitioners and future research are considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to our growing understanding of the processes underpinning contrasting rates of school exclusions both within and across the different jurisdictions of the UK. Wales is often compared favourably to its larger neighbour England, where rates of permanent exclusions have risen dramatically in recent years. One explanation for Wales' lower rates might lie in the very different values which underpin its education policies. However, the prevailing policy discourse can only be part of the explanation and cannot account for the high levels of variation in rates of 'official' school exclusions across Wales, nor the many forms of 'hidden' exclusion going on in Welsh schools. Drawing on interview data with policy-makers and practitioners, this paper points to the need to explore how policy is enacted at the local level. This entails taking into account the often unacknowledged conditions in which schools operate and the unintended consequences of policy imperatives which can lead to outcomes that frustrate and undermine anti-exclusionary practices and processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the findings from a systematic review of research evidence on the use of managed moves as an alternative to exclusion in UK schools. The review begins by discussing the political landscape of school exclusion, the concept of managed moves and their use with children and young people (CYP) ‘at risk’ of permanent exclusion. During a systematic search nine papers were identified, reviewed and appraised using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist. A synthesis of the literature identified the most prominent factors relevant to successful integration of pupils following a managed move using pupil, parent and LA staff perspectives. Despite the paucity of research on the topic, this report finds there are key features associated with successful transition during a managed move. Developing new relationships with both staff and peers is key for CYP, in order that a sense of belonging is created for them in their new environment. Further factors supporting successful reintegration are effective communication between all stakeholders and a personalised and pastoral support plan for the CYP. This review holds relevance for those working in schools who may encounter CYP at risk of exclusion during their practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the first significant change to Special Educational Needs (SEN) legislation in England for over a decade, a change that promises new approaches to identification and assessment, increased parental choice and enhanced pupil outcomes. The paper aims to examine to what extent this new framework can live up to its claims in the field of emotional and behavioural difficulties. It analyses the policy context and some key details of this legislation by focussing on approaches such as person-centred planning, multi-professional collaborations and recent mental health initiatives in schools. It also explores what can be expected from the legislative requirements for collaboration between health, social care and education agencies to improve outcomes for children and young people. The paper concludes by addressing tensions between medical and social model assumptions by proposing a systemic approach to multi-agency working and an educationally oriented and integrated functional framework for identifying and assessing emotional and behavioural difficulties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the guest editor discusses topics including the effectiveness of the match between need and placement in provision, the effectiveness of the methods defining social emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD), and the serious effects of bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supporting students with emotional disturbance/behavioural disorder (EBD) in mainstream schools is complex. An alternative school-based model of provision for students with EBD, titled the Altered Provision Project (APP), was piloted in the Irish mainstream post-primary schools. The rationale behind APP was that students with EBD require additional teaching in self-management of behaviour from qualified teachers, rather than the care support provided by a Special Needs Assistant (SNA). This paper reports the findings of a review of APP, focusing on the types of interventions utilised with students with EBD that were found to be implemented the Irish mainstream post-primary schools involved in the project. Findings indicate that a range of different interventions is in place. However, schools require greater guidance and support, particularly in terms of planning and implementing bio-psychosocial approaches. Furthermore, a significant gap in the findings was the lack of evidence of multi-disciplinary interventions as reported by the participants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teaching Assistants' (TAs') roles in mainstream English primary schools continue to evolve. Research suggests TAs play a vital role in managing behaviour and can have benefits for both teachers and children in relation to supporting positive behaviour in the classroom. However, there is a lack of clarityin what constitutes TAs' role, particularly when their pedagogical contribution outweighs any other form of support provided to schools. With a lack of clarity in what constitutes the teachers' and the TAs' role, TAs' responsibilities for managing behaviour are opaque. As a result, opportunities for TAs to manage behaviour can be reduced due to their concerns over undermining teachers. The research this paper draws on found TAs were often passive observers in relation to behaviour management as they did not understand how their role correlated to that of teachers'. The concept of what TAs in this research described as 'knowing their place' in relation to managing behaviour will be introduced and discussed. Strategies to support TAs in 'knowing their place' in a positive, as opposed to pejorative way in managing behaviour will be considered through a range of different approaches to their direct work with children and teachers. The paper then concludes with some 'next steps' for schools to consider in supporting TAs to affirmatively find their 'place' in managing behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the number of students in the UK with diagnoses of mental health or psychiatric conditions is rising, as are the number of students categorised as having a special educational need or disability (SEND). To support these students' objective evidence of deficit or difficulty is required, this usually takes the form of a legitimising diagnosis. However, in the case of mental health conditions, social, emotional and behavioural problems or even in some neurodevelopmental disorders, diagnosis is less useful as there are fundamental problems with the classification and understanding of mental health conditions. Despite this, the prevalence and importance of diagnosis remains in supporting students in education and those who are categorised as SEND. Therefore, this paper seeks to discuss the place that diagnosis has in education and the alternative models that exist in an effort to understand potential other avenues of supporting students and the benefits and limitations of these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Opportunities for children to be involved in the decisions made about them are part of current statutory educational legislation. Person-centred planning (PCP) has been proposed as an appropriate method of meeting statutory requirements to gather pupil views. However, young people within alternative provisions (APs) may lack opportunities to be heard. This paper reports on an action research project with staff from an AP for children at risk of exclusion. Participants opted to trial the use of the PCP approach 'Making Action Plans' ('MAPs'; carried out virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions) and evaluated the project through two focus groups. Findings indicate that (virtual) use of MAPs requires staff to carefully consider their setting's structure, needs, capacity and capabilities. Pre-meeting preparation and adapting the MAP process with technology improved engagement, access and alternative ways of working. The MAP process provided a range of positive outcomes as a by-product of its implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is provided to articles within the issue on topics, including the principles of nurture in schools of north-west England, teachers' well-being and nurture groups in Scotland's secondary schools.

Pupils have been found to be more motivated, engaged and dedicated to their education if they experience a sense of belonging in their school environment. This systematic literature review aimed to explore descriptions of how staff in secondary schools create a sense of belonging for their pupils. Databases, including PsycINFO: Ovid online, Education Resources Information Centre (ERIC), Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts (ASSIA) and EBSCOhost were searched for relevant qualitative research studies. PRISMA guidelines were followed, to identify, screen and select relevant research papers, resulting in 5 studies being screened against a recognised scoring framework. The current systematic literature review identified methods that were perceived to be useful when supporting pupils to develop a sense of belonging within their secondary school environment, both at the individual staff and whole school, systemic level. Limitations of the review are identified and directions for further research are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses the topics tackled within the issue like Boxall Profile for primary school-aged children, empathic concern for victims of relational aggression (ECV), and perspective taking (PT) in self-reported and peer-reported relational aggression (RA).

An introduction to articles in the issue is presented on topics including the assessment of emotional maturity of children living in residential homes in Namibia, beliefs of secondary school practitioners about risk factors for school attendance problems, and evaluation of a teacher-delivered programme to improve the self-regulation of children attending Australian Aboriginal community primary schools.

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition. As such most schools, Further Education colleges, vocational training and Higher Education settings will need to support affected children and young people. When young people who require ongoing treatment for ADHD are around 18 years of age, they must transition from child to adult mental health services. However, only a small proportion successfully transition. As significant educational transitions are often happening at the same time, there is a need to consider how education and health service transitions may impact on one another. This paper presents findings from a large UK qualitative study involving 144 semi-structured interviews with young people who had ADHD, parents and health professionals. Two themes were identified which support the notion that education transition can impact health transition. Firstly, transition to adult health services typically requires continued prescription of ADHD medication, yet many young people stop taking their medication due to a belief that it is only needed for education-based learning. Secondly, if a young person is continuing education post-18, a lack of joined-up planning between education and health (outside of special schools) or consistent support in Higher/Further Education can leave young people with ADHD in limbo between health services and struggling within education. Given these findings, we recommend regarding multi-agency service statutory health care transition, educational staff training and ongoing oversight of child to adult health service and adult to adult health service transition effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with attachment difficulties can experience barriers to learning and their externalising and internalising behaviours can challenge staff: ultimately, such encounters may result in exclusion from school. This paper examines how settings can support the inclusion of pupils with attachment difficulties, through employing a specific member of staff who is not the teacher (1:1), as an additional attachment figure; hereafter, termed a key adult. Using mixed methods, my multiple-case study applies attachment, and secure base, theories to the educational context and evaluates the impact and efficacy of developing supportive relationships with two at-risk children (Child A and B). The findings suggest that key adults can support areas of social, emotional, and behavioural skills previously believed impervious to change. Furthermore, such individuals enable pupils with attachment difficulties to attain equal opportunities and safeguard against exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

School-based non-pharmacological interventions are an important part of the treatment of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). We aimed to systematically review qualitative literature relating to the experience of and attitudes towards school-based non-pharmacological interventions for ADHD. Systematic searches of 20 electronic databases were undertaken. Reviewers screened titles, abstracts and full reports of studies, before extracting data and critically appraising 33 included papers. Studies were synthesised using meta-ethnographic methods. Four-key interrelated themes were identified: (1) individualising interventions, (2) structure of interventions, (3) barriers to effectiveness, (4) perceived moderators and impact of interventions. The perceived effectiveness of interventions used in school settings is reported to vary. Therefore, flexible, tailored interventions ought to hold potential. However, highly individualised interventions may negatively affect children with ADHD. Findings point to the need for school-based interventions to take into account the wider school context, as well as core symptoms of ADHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction to articles published within the issue is presented on topics including the transition from child to adult health services for young people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the impact of the intervention Tuning in to Kids on emotional socialization, reflective functioning and childhood behavior problems, and interviews with head teachers in England on alternatives to school exclusion.

An introduction to articles in the issue is presented on topics including the impact of a schoolwide de-escalation intervention plan on the use of seclusion and restraint in a special education school, factors associated with high and low levels of school exclusions comparing the English and wider British experience, and ways of making collaborative multi-agency working work.

This paper provides a brief review of the legal and other responses to the problem of childhood violence in the USA. Landmark court cases and their implications for practice are discussed. Tensions are highlighted between some traditional educational practices and children's civil rights. The paper goes on to describe the positive move towards more preventive and remedial approached to EBD's in US schools. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Over the past several decades, public schools across the United States have experienced an increasingly visible diversity rift between student enrollment and teaching faculty. The number of students from diverse backgrounds continues to grow while educator ranks continue to become more homogeneous. This diversity rift presents several challenges that affect the quality of educational experiences for students from diverse backgrounds, often to detrimental longitudinal outcomes including the disproportionate use of exclusionary school discipline. The majority of educator preparation programmes continue to train future professionals in traditional, outdated classroom management practices that invoke reactive actions often resulting in suspension or expulsion. Such practices have disproportionately affected students from diverse backgrounds, most conspicuously Black males. However, there are several recommendations school organisations can implement to better prepare their faculty ranks to meet the behavioural needs of students without immediately resorting to exclusionary school discipline. This paper will discuss professional development options that emphasise educator objectivity (i.e., addressing implicit bias, unconditional positive regard) in tandem with evidence-based practices (i.e., positive-based behaviour management, classroom-based functional behavioural assessment) that can be incorporated in the general education classroom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper Marion Bennathan describes the nature and development of nurture groups, which are a system of early intervention for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties in the early years of schooling. The theoretical origins of the approach, which draw heavily on the on developmental theories, are briefly described. Evidence is provided of the effectiveness of nurture group in addressing children's emotional and educational needs and enabling them to return to mainstream classes after relatively short periods of intensive treatment. Data is also provided which demonstrates the cost‐effectiveness of the approach. The relevance and importance of such early intervention to the current educational climate are stressed and the compatibility of the approach with current thinking about the value of inclusive approaches to SEN is demonstrated. The paper concludes with a discussion of directions for future development of the nurture groups movement. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

An introduction to articles in the issue is presented on topics including the application of the Classroom Assessment Scoring System in Classrooms Serving Students with Emotional and Behavioural Disorders, reliability and validity of the Pupil Behaviour Questionnaire, and the outcomes of a systematic review of literature on the narratives that young people use to communicate depression.

Schools often provide structure and safety to students but particularly for vulnerable children and young people. The Covid 19 pandemic has caused unprecedented upheaval across society as a whole but it is clear that the effects are uneven and that some groups have been more directly and negatively impacted, both in the UK and globally. While there are now much helpful quantitative data on the effects of Covid 19 on education, there has been little in-depth qualitative study which examines the experiences and attitudes of young people as students and specifically the effect of school closures and exam cancellations on their mental health and wellbeing. This paper discusses findings from online group interviews with a total of 45 young people and aims to understand the impact on mental health and wellbeing and what young people, themselves, suggest would help mitigate the effects of the global pandemic on their mental health and wellbeing in school. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) are disproportionately over-represented in official statistics on exclusion suggesting that mainstream schools are failing to meet their needs. We argue for the importance of looking at the cultures of schooling. School belonging (or connectedness) has been widely associated with a raft of positive outcomes although there is relatively little research that has focused on pupils with SEND. This paper contributes to that gap presenting questionnaire data collected on the barriers and supports to inclusion and girls' feelings of belonging in school. The needs of girls who identify as having SEND can be more difficult to discern, their strategies for coping effectively masking their difficulties. Our data reveal that the girls in the study with SEND feel less connected to school than other girls. Their scores for their sense of belonging were significantly associated with the barriers and supports they encounter across a range of school contexts. It was the relational aspects of schooling that were most important for girls with SEND. Feeling you belong means that you feel safe to be yourself, that you don't need to hide your "quirky bits," with the attendant demands on mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiple layers of exclusion that can be experienced by a child at school and the relationship of this to mental well-being is the focus of this paper. The relationship between specific mental health problems and school exclusion is discussed. Data gathered from 1648 English school-aged students in 2019 who participated in the OxWell school mental health and well-being survey and responded to the school exclusion question will be presented. Ninety-three pupils who self-reported having experienced school exclusion were compared to 1555 pupils in years 8, 10 and 12 who did not report experiencing school exclusion. More males were present in the excluded sample but apart from that the children share similar vulnerabilities for risk of mental health difficulties and risk of exclusion. Of note, a significantly higher proportion of those who had been excluded from school had experienced being bullied at school and reported that they felt their school dealt badly with bullying. They reported relatively good access to mental health support with a higher proportion of those excluded having accessed mental health support than those not excluded. The difficulties identified by the pupils need to be addressed in a variety of ways by school and health systems, and would benefit from the active involvement of young people in generating solutions. The discourse needs to move away from thinking about individuals to broader systems-level approaches to address pupil, family, school and community differences, difficulties and overall challenges of inclusion and acceptance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prevention of school exclusion is a major UK policy concern in the COVID-19 era of economic uncertainty, speculation about the possible futures for social cohesion, and alarming reports about the prevalence of children's mental health difficulties and eroded sense of well-being and security. This Special Issue on school exclusion is drawn from the work of the multi-disciplinary and cross-jurisdictional research group Excluded Lives, founded in Oxford in 2014 and now involving the universities of Cardiff, Edinburgh, Oxford, Queen's Belfast and the LSE. It adopts a broad view of exclusion including those who are excluded legally and illegally and those who go missing from school. The papers in this special issue represent perspectives on school exclusion across the four UK jurisdictions and from different disciplinary perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An introduction is provided which discusses the articles within the issue on topics, including alternative juvenile detention in the U.S., arts-based interventions for disaffected young people and the involvement of marginalised youth in theatre.

The editor introduces the papers in this issue and discusses their topics, which include the concerns of non-attendance and school refusal, preservice teachers' knowledge of social, emotional, and behavioural difficulties (SEBD), and victimisation and bullying in Australian colleges and universities.

The inclusion of the student perspective in helping to promote more effective learning, engagement and positive behaviour is becoming increasingly evident in both educational research and school and classroom practice. Giving students the opportunity to have a meaningful and influential voice enhances both the teaching and learning processes, impacting both academic and social behaviours. The student voice perspective is also making inroads into the area of special educational needs, where children are participating more actively in their own assessment and individual educational plans. This paper presents the findings of a project in a nurture class (NC) in Malta which sought to capture the views of the pupils attending NCs. Through a child friendly, qualitative approach young children were given the opportunity to discuss and express their feelings and thoughts of what it means for them to be a pupil in a NC in primary school. The paper presents the themes which emerged from a thematic analysis of children’s voices during semi-structured group interviews and collaborative mapping and poster design, and concludes with suggestions on how the NC may operate as a more child friendly space at the school. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper raises questions about schools as positive models of caring societies. Against a background of growing concern for the mental health of children it addresses the centrality of ‘nurture’ and its close cousin ‘care’ as a whole school value, theorised as both a means and an end of schooling. How might school leaders communicate a principle of mutual care and inspire whole school commitment from staff, pupils and parents? Discussion is informed by qualitative data (interviews, focus groups and observations) from a comparative study of seven schools in the NW of England which use the principles and practices of nurture groups. Three demonstrated strong leadership based on ‘deep care’ and an emphasis on ongoing relationships with children. The paper concludes that leadership, as evidenced in the good practice reported here, can go some way towards bringing about the ideal of a whole school ethos of care. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The socio-economic context of SEBD teacher-research and practice-based interventions - in inner-city state schools predominantly- means that the literature in this field has often given disproportionate predominance to the 'social' element in social, emotional and behavioural difficulties (SEBD). Though seeking a 'cause' is not a determining feature of SEBD literature, it is nevertheless assumed in most literature that emotional instability and behaviour manifestations are usually loosely and intrinsically linked to social status and, to some extent, to economic difficulties and their complex ramifications. This paper will examine a decade of teacher-research analysis compiled within a private sector school and attempt to examine hypotheses that to some extent take the emphasis away from the 'S' in SEBD. The data which were collected in a residential school, situated in Quebec, during a period of 12 years between 1997 and 2009, will show that students with SEBD are frequently in fact encountered in the private sector even if, for administrative reasons, they are handled differently and often not given the SEBD label. If social disparities and economic difficulties are in fact not predominantly relevant in manifestations of SEBD, how then can assumptions be reversed and a different construct be put forward to explain why certain children, regardless of background and socio-economic context develop SEBD? Since many of the data collected show that these students may later develop into adjusted adults. The conceptual looking glass of the medical model must be discarded as being incapable of explaining the universal manifestation of SEBD through the socio-economic spectrum. The hypothesis put forward in this paper is that children with SEBD should be seen, foremost, as children unable or unwilling to make a socially acceptable distinction between 'private' world and 'social' context. For reasons unknown, they refuse to comply with or fail to recognise the 'Chinese walls' which exist between these two aspects of human existence and which must generally be adhered to achieve 'functional' status. The study draws on documents relating to and data collected from three cohorts, aged 16 to 19, over a period of 12 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides an overview of a PhD pilot study which aimed to develop innovative, exploratory research strategies for harnessing the pupil voice of children with behavioural, emotional and social difficulties (BESD). The paper highlights how a PhD pilot study engaged young people in novel data collection methods. The main aim of this paper is to locate the pupil at the heart of the data collection and to examine how specific turning points can impact upon the educational experiences of young people with BESD. An overview of the methods employed in the research are offered here; these included activity sessions that involved role play and games in order to facilitate an exploration of pupils' responses to their different experiences of BESD provision. Following on from the activity sessions, interviews were conducted to gain a more detailed insight into pupils' educational experiences. The methods employed throughout this paper were interactive, with emphasis placed on engaging and involving the young people in the research process. The paper ends by offering a discussion of the preliminary findings from the pilot study and the researcher's experiences of engaging young people with BESD in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the effect of a reading intervention aimed at improving the comprehension performance of three students with hyperactive behaviours in Hong Kong. Comprehension tasks, adopted from local exercise books based on Hong Kong Certificate Education Examination Paper I, were used to appraise three participants' reading performance, and their corresponding in-class behaviours were observed and recorded as a point of reference. A five-week reading intervention, introducing four major adjustments to the conventional drilling task, including pre-teaching vocabulary, providing visual clues, offering instructions on a separate piece of paper and encouraging productive physical movements, resulted in an improved reading outcome. Following the treatment stage, a two-week conventional comprehension approach was re-employed and results compared with those at the pre-intervention stage. A very slight improvement was shown, suggesting the effectiveness of the intervention. A similar pattern of improvement in students' behaviour was shown during the intervention. The results indicated that students made improvements in terms of both comprehension results and behavioural status. Implications for teachers facilitating students with hyperactive behaviours are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large numbers of adults and children have emotional difficulties that are severe enough to be classified as mental health problems. This places a current and future economic drain on society and prevents individuals from leading fulfilling lives and has led to a call for more therapists to work with those affected. However, there are insufficient professionals working in mental health services to meet demand. This paper will explore the case for educational psychologists (EPs) engaging in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in their role as applied psychologists. This discussion paper adds to the debate about the level of training needed to be deemed competent to deliver individual CBT. For example, would EPs have 'appropriate levels of training' suggested by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the treatment of depression? Six arguments are presented discussing some of the issues of professional competence leading to the conclusion that EPs are well placed to deliver a cognitive behavioural psychology service to schools, pupils and families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Symptoms of depression are common in adolescents and have negative impacts on academic engagement and achievement, as well as on future mental health and functioning. A number of psychological therapies are effective for the treatment of adolescent depression but there are barriers to young people accessing treatment promptly. Providing treatment in school may help improve access to mental health care; school-based mental health care is routinely provided in some parts of the world and is currently a policy priority in the UK. However, introducing mental health services into schools will require services to adapt. This paper illustrates how a short-term psychological therapy can be delivered successfully in schools. It describes the treatment and outcomes for two young people with symptoms of depression. Both received Brief Behavioural Activation (Brief BA) which has been adapted specifically for adolescents. Brief BA focuses on helping young people engage with valued activities in different areas of their life, thus increasing rewards and reducing symptoms of depression. The two cases highlight a range of educational and clinical benefits of Brief BA for young people with depression symptoms and illustrate how the treatment and service delivery were adapted for schools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The facilitation of children's emotional intelligence (EI) through social and emotional learning (SEL) and wider pastoral support schemes is common practice in schools. Although the benefits of enhanced EI have been widely reported, little is known about its 'dark side': emotional manipulation, or how this may manifest in school settings. Focus group and individual interview data gathered from staff members working across case study schools located in a town in the North West of England inform the points raised in this paper. The article explores the extent to which emotional manipulation takes place in the strategies and forms of support utilised by schools to enhance children's social, emotional and behavioural skills. The ramifications of emotionally manipulative behaviours are discussed and recommendations for future directives are made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-level classroom disruption (LLCD) is characterised by pupils swinging on chairs, whispering or fidgeting in class. This paper provides initial data on the development and validation of the teacher-rated Low-Level Classroom Disruption Scale (LLCD-S), with two samples of primary school pupils. Exploratory factor analysis in Study 1 (N= 120) revealed one factor accounting for 61% of the variance; supported by confirmatory factor analysis in Study 2 (N= 274), with one factor accounting for 63% of the variance. Both studies reported high Cronbach's alpha values of.82 and.93 respectively. The evidence supports LLCD being a unidimensional construct, measured by the eight item LLCD-S. Weak convergence validity was found between the LLCD-S and the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire's (SDQ) externalising behaviours: conduct problems and hyperactivity. This preliminary evidence indicates that LLCD-S is a valid and reliable measure of low-level classroom disruption. Further research is needed to test the utility of the LLCD-S across different levels of education, cultures and as a pupil-reported measure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]