The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS): additional
information provided
The NEPS model of service embodies consultation both as an overarching framework and as a process for the delivery of services to schools. In addressing the developmental needs of all children in education, NEPS psychologists aim to offer schools a balance between individual casework and support and development initiatives designed to promote inclu- sion and teacher/school effectiveness. NEPS psychologists have a list of assigned schools generally comprised of a number of post-primary schools and their feeder primary schools. Schools have a guideline allocation of time. An annual planning and review process with each school is an essential element of maximising the service to the school. During the planning and review process the school and the NEPS psychologist explore jointly the needs of individual students, groups of students and the school. They then agree a plan which incorporates both individual and systemic approaches to meeting the identified needs.
NEPS psychologists are also involved in work in the following areas: • reasonable accommodations in certificate examinations
• research and development, including policy development at a national level (e.g. mental health promotion).
The NEPS has produced the following publications for schools:
• Special Educational Needs – A Continuum of Support Guidelines and Resource Pack for
Teachers (Department of Education and Skills, 2007a, 2007b)
• Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties – A Continuum of Support (Department of Education and Skills, 2010a) which addresses learning and behavioural, emotional and social difficulties
• A Continuum of Support for Post-primary Schools – Guidelines and Resource Pack for
Teachers (Department of Education and Skills, 2010 b, 2010c).
These documents set out three levels of support, which reflect the developmental stage of the students and complexity of the post-primary school system. As noted earlier,
Classroom Support/Support for All encompasses effective preventive, teaching and screen-
ing processes while School Support/Support for Some and School Support Plus/Support
for a Few encompass solution focused assessment and intervention planning for students
with known or emerging needs and those with more complex or enduring needs.
NEPS psychologists provide support for all at whole school and classroom practice level through staff support and development initiatives such as:
• supporting schools with developing and reviewing key policies such as promot- ing positive behaviour, social personal and health education and mental health promotion
• supporting the development of and engaging with school care teams at primary and post-primary level
• working with guidance counsellors and a range of support teachers e.g. Home School Community Liaison and School Completion Programme (SCP) coordinators in post- primary schools to support mental health promotion and development of clear systems of screening, school based intervention and referral pathways for students experiencing significant emotional and behavioural difficulties
• providing staff development in the promotion of social and emotional competence through inputs on relevant theory (e.g. attachment and its application in an educa- tional setting), delivery of evidence-based programmes such as the Incredible Years teacher classroom management programme and supporting schools with the imple- mentation and evaluation of school-based programmes to develop social skills, prob- lem solving, emotional regulation and conflict resolution skills
• providing staff development on specific approaches to promote inclusion of students with diagnosed difficulties such as attention deficit/hyperactive disorder (ADHD) and anxiety disorders
In addition, NEPS psychologists are involved in the development and delivery of staff inputs and interventions in several areas, such as Friends for Life, and the Incredible Years programme, in collaboration with local clinical psychologists, Child and Adolescent Mental Health teams and other service providers.
Special Education Support Service (SESS): additional information provided
The SESS provides a continuum of support for teachers that includes seminar delivery, school visits, conferences, facilitated teacher exchange, telephone/email support, publi- cation of support materials, e-learning, a website, an online library, summer courses and the facilitation of school-based learning communities. Examples of such support relevant to behaviour follow below.
a. Contemporary applied behaviour analysis course
This course is delivered through a series of five one-day seminars in conjunction with the SESS behaviour team. The course is designed to teach skills necessary for the design, implementation, and evaluation of behaviour management programmes for use with individuals with mild, moderate or intensive needs in a variety of settings.
b. Summer course programme (special schools)
This programme is available to schools that deal with serious and persistent challenging behaviour, on a day-to-day basis, and that require CPD on the use of appropriate interven- tions at whole-staff and whole-team level.
c. Development of resources
A number of resources have been developed, for example Signposts: A Resource Pack for Teachers. A section of this resource pack is devoted to emotional/behavioural disorders
and includes learning and teaching tips and a list of relevant resources. Other resources include DVDs, such as Differentiation in Action and Co-operative Teaching.
d. Initiatives such as ‘Establishing School-based Support Groups for Students with Emotional and/or Behavioural Disorders (EBD)’
The SESS engages in a number of initiatives that assist teachers to target specific students with special educational needs across the continuum of support by establishing behaviour monitoring practices, referral processes, programmes for behaviour support and progress indicators.
e. The SESS support scheme
Schools and/or individual teachers can identify their own professional development needs in relation to special education and apply to the SESS for support. Support sought may be financial, professional and/or advisory in nature. An analysis of the applications for support indicates that 20 per cent of applications were seeking support in relation to ‘behaviour and/or emotional disorders’. Approximately 95 per cent of those applications indicated that the students had had a formal assessment of ‘emotional and/or behaviour disorder’ (Source: SESS, 2011).
National Behaviour Support Service (NBSS): additional information
provided
The NBSS has drawn upon international research, the ongoing evidence-based work of the NBSS itself and the existing good practice in NBSS partner schools, to develop the following model of support which the service provides to partner schools.
• Level 1: Whole School Positive Behaviour Support • Level 2: Targeted Intervention Behaviour Support • Level 3: Intensive, Individualised Behaviour Support.
These three levels of support are customised to the specific characteristics, needs and requirements of each partner school on an ongoing basis as change occurs under the following positive behaviour in-school curricular framework:
• behaviour for learning skills
• academic literacy learning and study skills • social and emotional literacy skills • positive health and well-being skills.
Level 1 involves highlighting effective work done in a school as well as developing and disseminating evidence-based good practice, identifying the behavioural issues adversely affecting the teaching and learning environments and working with management and staff members to address these issues. Supported by international research and prac- tice (The Birmingham Framework, Solution Oriented Schools, Whole School Positive Behaviour in Schools [WSPBIS]), and philosophically grounded in the view that positive
teaching and learning behaviours are dependent on the nature of the organisation as a whole, the NBSS defines Level 1 as work on school vision, systems, structures, policies and practices.
At Level 2, Targeted Intervention Behaviour Support involves working with specific groups of students and/or the teachers of particular groups of students that collectively present behaviours that impede teaching and learning in the classroom. The work involves: devel- oping, implementing and monitoring programmes and approaches to address students' needs; offering opportunities for teachers to explore alternative methodologies; intro- ducing effective academic/social/behavioural materials and encouraging the continuous professional development of staff. To date, Level 2 targeted interventions have included work on: academic literacy; respect; expectations, rules, routines and positive reinforce- ments; organisational skills; self-esteem; motivation; positive health and well-being skills; and peer conflicts. Depending on the nature of the intervention and the views of school staff, the NBSS work at Level 2 consists either of supporting teachers as they conduct the intervention themselves or co-operatively partnering teachers in the classroom.
Level 3, Intensive, Individualised Support is tailored specifically to the unique needs of the individual student. This level of support is offered to the small group of students who, notwithstanding whole school behaviour support and targeted interventions, continue to experience difficulty. Level 3 support is provided for students who typically demonstrate a range of challenging behaviours in school in areas such as: social skills; relationships with adults and peers; absenteeism; consistent concentration; and attention difficulties. Their classroom behaviour not only hinders their own educational progress but can also impede that of their peers. This third level of NBSS behavioural support is provided in 23 schools nationally through full-time Behaviour Support Classrooms, 26 schools with Behaviour for Learning programme teachers and in 37 other schools through direct work with students by NBSS team members.
Staffed by two fully qualified post-primary teachers, the Behaviour Support Classrooms provide intensive, short-term, individualised intervention for students who consistently fail to respond to alternative interventions and supports provided by the school. Following the development of a student behaviour plan (SBP), Behaviour Support Classrooms aim to provide an academic, social, emotional and behavioural curriculum to students access- ing support. Where necessary a positive health and well-being curriculum is also provided to students. The fundamental aim of a Behaviour Support Classroom is reintegration. The Behaviour for Learning Programme was initiated in 2010. The programme aims to explore the ways in which an individual teacher, allocated with 22 hours per week, could develop a school ‘Behaviour for Learning Programme’ specifically targeted at students in need of intensive, individualised intervention (Level 3). Following the development of an SBP, the Behaviour for Learning programme teacher works with identified students individually or in small groups. They use Behaviour for Learning programmes that are designed to meet their social, emotional, behavioural, academic and well-being needs, so they can achieve and succeed in school. Rather than responding after young people present chronic behaviours (‘a wait to fail’ intervention model), a school's ‘Behaviour for Learning’ programme includes preventative strategies and early intervention approaches for all students.
To promote capacity building and sustainability, and to assist schools that have actively and successfully engaged in behaviour improvement work in partnership with the NBSS, a ‘Positive Behaviour Liaison Teacher’ initiative is introduced for one year in schools prior to the conclusion of their partnership with the NBSS. The appointment allows for 11 hours to be assigned to an established teacher on the school staff to develop, co-ordinate and implement whole school focused positive behaviour initiatives in partnership with rele- vant school personnel, to facilitate effective responses to challenging behaviour, and to identify and co-ordinate in-school continuous professional development for staff.
A research report entitled, A Research Study of 36 Behaviour Support Classrooms (Henefer J., 2010), was published by the NBSS in July 2010. At present, the NBSS is co-ordinating
Teacher as Researcher: Literacy and Learning Research Projects across a number of schools.
Teachers are engaged as researchers in their schools, piloting a range of literacy, learning and study skills development projects with students. A research report on the voices of students accessing Behaviour Support Classroom support is scheduled for publication in 2012.
An Chomhairle Náisiúnta um Oideachas Speisialta 1–2 Sráid an Mhuilinn
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