For children marginalised from mainstream school, attending alternative provisions (APs) can be positive and offer a different social space to learn in: less formal and hierarchical, more flexible and personalised, with strong relationships between students and staff. However, little is known about why these APs work in the way they do. Case study research was conducted into two small civil society APs established to fill a perceived gap in provision for vulnerable children in England. We found that leader-practitioners developed purposeful, pragmatic and reflexive approaches rooted in a care to re-engage these children in education. This involved engaging their uncertainty, taking an attentive stance and maintaining a persistent determination to find a way to make a difference to these children's learning and lives. We draw on and expand Wenger-Trayner and Wenger-Trayner's (2020) conceptualisation of 'social learning' and discuss the implications of our findings for learning across educational settings.
This qualitative interpretative study investigated school stakeholders' accounts of teachers' adoption or non-adoption of evidence-based practices to promote the success of students with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD) in mainstream school settings. Semi-structured individual and group interviews were conducted with 127 stakeholders (principals, teachers, and educational support staff) from 10 primary and secondary schools. Guided by Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour, a thematic analysis revealed a predominance of obstacles over facilitators, with statements respectively related to behavioural beliefs, control beliefs, and normative beliefs. Perceived practice effectiveness was the sole facilitator within cognitive attitudes, while time constraints represented the main barrier. Affective attitudes highlighted concerns about the potential inequities for other students, and normative beliefs emphasised the role of explicit leadership, coherent school policies, and coordinated teacher implementation. This study suggests that successful inclusion of students with EBD requires comprehensive interventions addressing belief systems, organisational structures, and normative environments simultaneously.
The study aims to reveal the mediating role of problem behaviours between peer rejection and school adjustment in elementary aged children. Data were collected for sample of elementary school students in Turkey (n = 791). Path analysis supported the mediating role of problem behaviours between peer rejection and school adjustment in general. Furthermore, aggressive with peers did not have a mediating role between peer rejection and school liking and self-directiveness. In contrary, anxiety/fearful did not have mediating role between peer rejection and collaborative participation and school avoidance. The children's school adjustment could, to some extent, be explained by their peer rejection and problem behaviours. Implications for understanding the role of peer rejection and problem behaviours on school adjustment are discussed.
Social and emotional learning programmes, such as the Kindness Curriculum, have shown positive effects on children's social and emotional competencies. However, the effectiveness of a programme alone does not ensure its successful implementation and sustainability beyond the evaluation context. This study aims to qualitatively explore preschool teachers' attitudes and experiences with the French adaptation of the Kindness Curriculum, identifying key factors that are likely to affect its implementation and long-term sustainability. Seventeen French preschool teachers participated in semi-structured interviews at the end of the school year, following their implementation of the programme. Data were thematically analysed, combining deductive and inductive approaches. Overall, teachers reported positive perceptions of the programme and its relevance to their practice. However, several challenges were identified that sometimes hindered implementation. Teachers also reported making adaptations to the programme, highlighting the role of flexibility in supporting engagement. Finally, participants provided insights into conditions that may facilitate long-term implementation and sustainability. These findings underscore the importance of considering teachers' experiences and contextual factors when scaling up SEL programmes, and highlight the need to balance fidelity and adaptability.
This study examined how asylum-seeking and refugee (AS/R) families of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) navigate the UK's education and healthcare systems. It investigated recognition experiences and systemic challenges through the lens of Honneth's theory of recognition. A narrative inquiry design was employed with two AS/R families of children with SEND. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and thematic analysis. Findings revealed prolonged struggles for diagnosis and EHCP access, limited awareness of SEND resources, and misattribution of autism-related behaviours to trauma. Positive themes included post-25 training success and community solidarity through churches. Significant recognition gaps persist across education and healthcare systems. Recommendations include early diagnosis, culturally diverse staff recruitment, asylum policy reform, and grassroots information dissemination via schools, churches, GPs, and community organisations. Future research should examine vocational training accessibility for post-25 SEND individuals.
The pervasive nature of cyberbullying in the digital world holds serious consequences for adolescent mental health. Studies show that repeated cyberbullying victimization (often alongside traditional bullying) is associated with depression, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and suicidal thoughts. These outcomes may arise through chronic stress, the development of a negative self-image, and reduced social support. In contrast, research on cyberbullying and adolescent mental health in Vietnam remains limited, particularly in systematic, school-centred studies. This paper synthesizes Vietnamese and international literature published between 2005 and January 2025. Using a narrative review with selected scoping elements, a structured search was conducted across regional and international databases. Studies focusing on adolescents in school contexts and reporting mental health outcomes were prioritised; empirical studies and review articles were included for thematic synthesis. Although the Vietnamese evidence base does not support a formal meta-analysis, the review integrates findings to suggest that, in economically developing countries, cyberbullying may function as a psychosocial risk factor shaped by academic pressure, parental expectations, and mental health stigma. The article proposes a school-based framework integrating prevention and early intervention through digital literacy education, psychologically safe school climates, strengthened counselling services, and enhanced collaboration among families, schools, and communities.
Anxiety among school-aged children is a growing international concern, yet little research explores how teachers perceive their role in addressing it, particularly in New Zealand. Building on an earlier survey, this qualitative study used semi-structured interviews with 22 New Zealand primary teachers to explore perceptions of responses to children's anxiety. Reflexive thematic analysis identified two themes - Teacher Identity and Pedagogy; School and Contextual Factors - and a cross-cutting concern: Teacher Burnout. Teachers described responding through relational and pedagogical adjustments, often guided by intuition and experience, but constrained by limited training, workload, and exhaustion. The findings highlight the emotional labour and limits of relying on individual teachers. Anxiety-responsive practice requires coordinated, system-level support that equips teachers with accessible strategies while prioritising teacher and child wellbeing.
Emotionally-Based School Avoidance (EBSA) is an increasing concern in UK schools, yet it remains inconsistently defined and is often framed through individualised or behavioural explanations. This single-site qualitative study, conducted in a Welsh primary school, examines how staff understand, respond to, and emotionally experience EBSA in the context of everyday school life. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with ten members of staff, including teaching assistants, class teachers, and senior leaders, and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.Findings indicate that staff recognised EBSA not through formal criteria, but through relational knowing, embodied cues, and affective attunement developed through sustained proximity to children. In the absence of policy clarity, responses were largely improvised and shaped by contextual knowledge, ethical commitment, and local school conditions. Participants described the emotional toll of this work as cumulative and often quietly held, with the nature and extent of support shaped by school culture, leadership priorities, and wider systemic pressures.The study challenges deficit-based understandings of EBSA by foregrounding the emotional and ethical labour underpinning staff-led support. While situated within a single school, the findings offer insight into the institutional conditions that enable or constrain relational inclusion and contribute to calls for guidance that is relationally grounded, structurally attuned, and informed by practitioner expertise.
There is little guidance on the clinical management of aggression, violence, agitation and irritability (AVAI) in children and young people, and is more restricted when the young person has an intellectual disability. Psychotropic medication for managing AVAI is a challenging area with a small evidence base. This study explored the prescribing characteristics, beliefs and attitudes of psychiatrists working with young people presenting with AVAI. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 experienced consultant psychiatrists working with young people under 18 years of age in the UK NHS. Participants were purposively recruited from two mental health trusts in the North-East of England. Data were analysed using a framework method derived from Thematic Analysis. Data analysis generated of 1169 primary codes, organised into categories due to similarity of ideas. Six interlinked themes emerged: purpose of AVAI, nature of request, impact of medication, clinician factors, knowledge base and baseline threshold for prescribing. The study's findings show the complex thought processes involved in managing AVAI in children and young people. The shared themes amongst psychiatrists emerging from this analysis illustrate the role medication plays within holistic approaches to managing AVAI and introduce the concept of 'prescribing threshold' at the centre of medication decision-making.
Social-emotional skills are vital for young children, and children have been shown to imitate the actions of adults. Given the powerful influence of imitation of parents, it seems as if there should be a relationship between the social-emotional competence (SEC) of a parent and their child. Our study compared parental SEC levels to the SEC levels of their child. More specifically, 90 parents of children 3-6 years old in the United States completed an anonymous online survey assessing their child's SEC (Social Skills Improvement System- Social Emotional Learning Edition (SSIS SEL)) and their own SEC (CASEL's Personal SEL Reflection) overall and across 5 domains (self-awareness, social awareness, relationship skills, responsible decision-making, and self-management). Parental overall SEC levels were a significant predictor of a child's overall SEC levels. When examining individual domains, parent social awareness significantly predicted child social awareness. Parent self-management significantly predicted child self-management, child self-awareness, and overall child SEC. Parental demographics (race, gender, marital status, education level, income) did not predict SEC. This work has important implications as results suggest that targeting adult social-emotional competence levels, and possibly particularly targeting adult self-management skills, may be a vital first step in increasing the social-emotional competence of young children.
Historically, students diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) have often been subjected to segregating and exclusionary practices within education. This study aims to investigate the school situation of three students with an ADHD diagnosis in a special education setting (resource room), to gain a better understanding of the consequences of having an ADHD diagnosis in compulsory education. A theoretical framework was employed to explore the processes that shaped the students' educational experiences. Specifically, the study examines how their classification in a medical framework affected their schooling. Ian Hacking's concept of 'The looping effect' was integrated with the Staircase Model of Inclusionary and Exclusionary Processes to inform the analysis. The findings show that the ADHD diagnosis influenced how the three boys were perceived, shaping their educational trajectories. The findings also indicate that the students' behaviour and characteristics were perceived as inherent to their diagnosis. The students faced expectations that they were unable to change their behaviour and participate in a regular classroom setting. These expectations seemed to be a powerful force within the school that led to exclusionary processes, as well as to feelings of hopelessness and a sense of being different from their peers.
Permanent exclusion is one of the most serious punitive disciplinary measures enforced in response to a pupil's behaviour. The rate of school suspensions and permanent exclusions remains a growing concern in England. A case study design, utilising semi-structured interviews with local authority (LA) staff, school staff and pupils in two LAs, explored how LA and secondary school systems operate to support pupils who have experienced or are at risk of permanent exclusion. Findings demonstrated key areas of support for successful reintegration, including pupil-staff relationships, personalised support, staff approach and understanding of need. Cross-case analysis revealed differences in systemic approaches across the cases and highlighted current challenges within the UK context. The paper concludes by considering the findings in line with current research and implications for future practice.
This article explores a restorative philosophy in action through the voices of young people with social, emotional, and mental health needs in a special school in South East England. Drawing on walking-tour interviews, ethnographic field notes, and reflexive conversations, the study reveals how these young people conceptualise this philosophy as a rights-based approach to safety, mediated by adults attuned to justice- and rejection-sensitivity. Rather than viewing it as a scripted resolution process, they describe restorative work as embedded in everyday care, with flexibility as a key expectation. Their communities echo these views, reporting secondary harm from proximity to disability - suggesting that, when shaped by systemic harm, disability can be experienced collectively. This creates additional obligations for restorative philosophies that extend beyond the individual. Furthermore, the study highlights how experiences are shaped by bounded contexts, diagnostic mechanisms, and the tendency to frame social, emotional, and mental health needs as invisible disabilities.
Mainstream school behaviour policies in England and beyond increasingly reflect zero-tolerance models, prioritising order, control, and compliance. While such policies may support short-term consistency, they can disproportionately disadvantage children who have experienced trauma, particularly those who are care-experienced, have a social worker, or are adopted. This article critically examines the effects of punitive behaviour management strategies on these groups, drawing on interdisciplinary research and UK-based policy guidance, including the Education Endowment Foundation's (EEF) Improving Behaviour in Schools (2019) report. It argues that trauma-experienced children are not only more likely to be subject to exclusionary practices but are also less likely to benefit from generic strategies unless these are adapted through a trauma-informed lens. The article concludes with a call for systemic reform, recommending trauma-informed behaviour policies that centre relational safety, attachment awareness, and a recognition of adversity-informed needs.
This study examined the practical use of Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) as a brief and economical tool for the initial identification of internalising and externalising behavioural difficulties. The SDQ was not evaluated psychometrically; rather, it served as a data-based decision aid to guide the selection of school-based intervention strategies. Twenty experimental single-case studies (children aged 7-15 years, M = 10) were conducted. Based on SDQ results, 12 children received behaviourally oriented interventions for externalising problems, and 8 received cognitively based interventions for internalising symptoms. Daily Direct Behaviour Ratings (DBR) were collected across 30 school days. Multilevel modelling revealed significant behavioural improvement from baseline to the first (B = 10.956; p < .001; Cohen's d = 1.31, 95% CI [1.09, 1.53]) as well as second intervention phases (B = 13.515; p < .01; Cohen's d = 1.93, 95% CI [1.69, 2.16]). Nineteen of 20 cases showed moderate to strong effects. Children with internalising problems appeared to derive greater benefit. The results support a structured model integrating SDQ, theory-based planning, and DBR for data-based decision-making in everyday school practice.
High schools are a prime environment for engaging with adolescents, however only a small fraction of adolescents grappling with a mental health issue pursue help from adults. While obstacles to help-seeking are well-documented, there is a lack of research, especially qualitative studies, identifying the factors that facilitate adolescents' help seeking at school. To address this gap, individual interviews were conducted with 32 French-speaking adolescents in Quebec (Canada) to examine factors influencing their positive attitudes about seeking help for a mental health problem from an adult at school and explore how these factors varied by type of resource (informal, formal) and mental health issues (internalized, externalized). Using reflexive thematic analysis, three factors were identified: Experiencing a quality relationship, Being listened to and understood, and Believing that help is available. Findings have implications for implementing gatekeeper training in schools and educating adolescents about the benefits of school mental health services
Poor behaviour in UK secondary schools is considered a significant problem. While the Department for Education recommends disciplinary behaviour management strategies (DBMS), their impact on pupil mental health and wellbeing, as well as their effectiveness in addressing poor behaviour, remains unclear. Young people aged 13-18 years were recruited to a study using peer-led semi-structured interviews, analysed using the Framework Method. Fifteen interviews were conducted and analysis showed that participants found DBMS to be confusing, unfair, harsh and inconsistent. They were seen as ineffective for addressing poor behaviour and as negatively affecting pupil mental health and wellbeing, and academic and social outcomes. Participants viewed DBMS, especially the use of isolation, as ineffective and potentially harmful. They suggested that school leaders should review their behaviour management policies and consider the adoption of approaches that build relationships and seek to understand the reasons for poor behaviour.
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the mental health of school-aged children with corona-related future anxiety emerging as a prominent challenge. With this knowledge, it is crucial to identify protective factors that support children in their needs. It is to be assumed, although it is not yet empirically confirmed, that relationships with significant others in school can provide a buffer to the negative association between corona-related anxiety and well-being. Therefore, this cross-sectional study investigates the associations between corona-related future anxiety and well-being, taking into account social integration and the student-teacher relationship as potential mediators in a sample of 3,041 school-aged children (M = 10.25 years; SD = 1.87) from primary and special schools in Germany. Using structural equation modelling with cluster-robust standard errors, the study examines whether these associations are mediated by the quality of student-teacher relationships and students' perceived social integration within their class. Results confirm that corona-related future anxiety is negatively associated with well-being. However, only social integration within the class was found to partially mitigate this relationship. These findings highlight the importance of fostering supportive group dynamics in school settings to enhance student resilience.
This systematic review investigates firsthand experiences of students diagnosed with Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in segregated school situations. Articles published from 2000 to 2023 were identified in ten electronic databases. Research in the field is scarce, with five articles meeting the inclusion criteria. A thematic synthesis identified three analytical themes: 1) predominant negative experiences of previous schooling and the path to a segregated school situation; 2) predominant negative experiences of segregated schooling and a desire for a better school situation; and 3) predominant negative experiences and consequences of medicalisation. The experiences of previous schooling included violence and a perceived lack of classroom structure. There were some positive experiences in the present segregated situation, such as a class environment with fewer students and more friendly, sympathetic teachers. Some segregated students sought improved relationships with classmates and a more structured classroom environment. The data implied a tendency towards permanent placements, given the minimal references to regular schooling. The experiences and consequences of medicalisation indicated that the students appeared to internalise symptoms linked to the diagnoses and saw medication as the school's main measure to control their behaviour. Finally, some students attributed their behaviour to ADHD and saw it as the main reason for their segregation.
