Dr. Valerie Richardson

School of Applied Social ScienceUniversity College Dublin

Belfield, Dublin 4Ireland

valerie.richardson@ucd.ie

Children’s views on personal and social issues

Support services within and outside school

Outline of Presentation

•Background to the study•Aims and objectives•Ethical issues•Methodology•Findings•Conclusions

Neighbourhood of School

• 50% families on State Benefits• 27% parents no formal educational

qualifications• 10% + unemployment rate• 33% lone parent households• 57% in social housing• 25% houses inadequate heating

Home School Liaison Officer

Art Therapist

Special Educational

Needs Teacher

SCHOOL CARE TEAM

Career Guidance Counsellor (teacher)

School Chaplain

AT RISK CARE PROGRAMMEEmotional/Behavioural Difficulties and Special Educational Needs

Statutory Child WelfareServices

Educational Welfare Officer

School Psychological Services

Personal tutor

•Request for the research : aims and objectives•Statutory Child Welfare System

•Child Care Act 1991•Children Act 2001•Educational (Welfare) Act 2000

•Social Work in Schools•School in which study undertaken

•499 pupils aged 12 – 18 years•Mixed gender and multi-cultural

Ethical Issues

•Key principles–Involvement of the children in the

research: children’s voices– Consent and choice– Possible harm or distress– Privacy and confidentiality

Consents Required

• School Principal• Board of Governors of

School• Teachers• Parents: opt in/opt out• Pupils

Methodology

• Scoping exercise with teachers–Information on 499 students

• Semi-structured questionnaire –Junior Cohort: 31 boys and 31 girls

average age 14 years–Senior Cohort: 17 boys and 33 girls

• literacy problems

Self Esteem: Behavioural Problems: Bereavement

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1st Year 2ndYear

3rdYear

5thYear

6thYear

PLC

Self-esteem

Behavioural

Bereavement

Problems with Attendance and Bullying

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

1st Year 2ndYear

3rdYear

5thYear

6thYear

PLC

Attendance

Bullying

Crime and Poverty

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

1st Year 2ndYear

3rdYear

5thYear

6thYear

PLC

Crime

Poverty

Other

Abuse and Self Harm

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

1st Year 2ndYear

3rdYear

5thYear

6thYear

PLC

Physical

Sexual

Self-harm

Serious Physical and Mental Illness

0

1

2

3

4

1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 5thYear 6th Year PLC

Serious Illness

Mental Illness

Substance Abuse and Drug Misuse

0

1

2

3

4

1st Year 2ndYear

3rd Year5th Year6th Year PLC

Alcohol Misuse

Hard-drugsMisuse

The Family Environment

0

5

10

15

20

1stYear

2ndYear

3rdYear

5thYear

6thYear

PLC

Family Break-up

Poor family environment

FAMLY ISSUES

• 17% Experienced family breakdown• 8% dysfunctional • 8% alcohol abuse in family• 2% drug misuse within family• 6% families with serious physical or mental illness• 9 children in foster care•4 children acting as carers

Multiple Issues of Concern

05

1015

202530

354045

1st Year 2nd Year 3rd Year 5th Year 6th Year PLC

Multiple Issues

Who would you approach at school to ask for help? (Junior)

20

18

20

22

22

21

21

18

20

16

10

7

0

1

2

3

2

4

10

7

11

13

17

21

20

19

18

19

18

15

17

12

The Head teacher

Your Class Head

Year Head

Learning Support & Resource Co-or

Youth Worker

Personal Development Tutor

Art Therapist

Stay in School Rep

Home liaison Officer

School Chaplain

Guidance Teacher

18

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Girls Yes

Girls No

Boys Yes

Boys No

Who would you approach at school to ask for help? (Senior)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Guidance Teacher

School Chaplain

Home liaison Officer

Stay in School Rep

Art Therapist

Personal Development Tutor

Youth Worker

Learning Support & Resource Co-or

Your Year Head

Your Class Head

The Principal

Boys Yes Boys No Girls Yes Girls No

0 10 20

Father

Mother

Brother

Sister

Friend

Doctor

Priest

Social Worker in Hospital

Social Worker in the Community

Vincent de Paul

Youth Worker

Counsellor

Child guidance Clinic

ChildLine

Who would you apporach outside school to ask for help? (Junior)

Girls

Boys

Who would you approach outside school to ask for help? (Senior)

0 10 20 30

Father

Mother

Brother

Sister

Friend

Doctor

Priest

Social Worker in Hospital

Social Worker in theCommunity

Vincent de Paul

Youth Worker

Counsellor

Child guidance Clinic

ChildLine

Females

Males

Conclusions

• Students avoided care team within the school• Students preferred to talk to non-professionals outside

the school• Lack of clear communication of role and purpose• Lack of trust – teacher/counsellor role incompatible?• Attitudes to Authority• Outcome: recommendation for a school counsellor• Importance of listening to children• Need to progress with Focus Groups : listen to children