12. A Primary Child with Significant Challenges, from a Travelling Family
Background
A (Looked After) P2 pupil had experienced part-time education in another school because of significant challenging behaviour. She had been identified pre-school in a Child-and-Family Centre as having significant needs. Her family struggled with many issues including illiteracy and substance misuse.
Solution Focused Approach
During 3 years, the School Support team along with others took account of this child ‘ s unique personal, social, emotional and cultural needs so that they could begin to meet her learning needs. This included providing a range of imaginative activities which the child had never experienced before. The Headteacher and her team developed a strong relationship with the child’s carer which included providing the carer with access to literacy.
Strategies
Key success factors were as follows:
•
the school immediately adopted a ‘fresh start’ approach for the child;
• it used its Nurture Group as the ‘safe place’ to turn around her behaviour and allow her, and a close relative who cared for her, to start to trust adults;
• all staff demonstrated acceptance of the child and her carer;
• flexible learning arrangements were made, which included partial integration into mainstream classes, initially for environmental studies;
• the school gradually increased integration using the Additional Support Needs base for maths and Range of Strategies to Promote Positive Behaviour and Improve Learning
The school had in place a calm and positive environment which supported many children with a wide range of needs. The school used their ‘safe space’ at the outset as the child’s initial behaviour was highly challenging, posing risk to herself and others. The ethos in the Nurture Group promoted her confidence and allowed her opportunities to talk about how she felt. The support provided by the Nurture Group for the child’s carer helped counteract the family’s isolation in the community and develop the carer’s own confidence and sense of self worth.
Individualised Planning and a Flexible Curriculum in Line with Curriculum for Excellence
Learning for the child was carefully planned between the Nurture Group and the Class teacher and others using the Individualised Educational Programme. The degree of need of the child and the level of intervention required was recognised by the preparing of a Co-ordinated Support Plan. Alternative learning opportunities such as Riding for the Disabled (paid for by the school), Outdoor Education and Art Space increased the child’s self esteem and broadened her experience.
Partnership Working
Many in-school practitioners worked closely together to plan and meet this child’s needs. A strong co-ordinated team included many partners and the child’s carer as a crucial member of the team. Partners included the Social Worker who knew the family’s regularly changing circumstances, monitored the child’s living situation and financed travel to activities. A Housing Department representative provided more appropriate accommodation for the family. Education Services staff sourced additional support from Outdoor Education and Art Space. The
Community Link worker provided links between home and the NurtureGroup and ensured the carer felt sufficiently confident to attend
literacy classes.
full acceptance by a range of practitioners for a very vulnerable child and family;Successful Outcomes included:
- excellent partnership between the school and a carer whose own experience had made her feel threatened by school staff;
- active, meaningful partnership within and beyond the school;
- by P5, the child coped with the mainstream class and had started to achieve;
- predicted attainment of Level B in maths in P5 for this child;
- realistic future educational targets which will include by the end of P6, Level C in maths and Level B in reading and writing;
- an increase from part-time to full-time education for a very vulnerable child with additional support needs.
full acceptance by a range of practitioners for a very vulnerable child and family;Successful Outcomes included:
- excellent partnership between the school and a carer whose own experience had made her feel threatened by school staff;
- active, meaningful partnership within and beyond the school;
- by P5, the child coped with the mainstream class and had started to achieve;
- predicted attainment of Level B in maths in P5 for this child;
- realistic future educational targets which will include by the end of P6, Level C in maths and Level B in reading and writing;
- an increase from part-time to full-time education for a very vulnerable child with additional support needs.
Education and Children's Services