bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘Autism doesn’t come with a manual, it comes with a parent who never gives up’: A family resilience perspective to exploring the views of Black and Minority Ethnic parents of children with autism
Authors: Ng Rosabel , Bunn Helena 
Published: January 2023

Aim:The research adopted a family resilience perspective to explore the views and experiences of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) parents raising a child with autism.Rationale:The existing literature concentrates largely on a problem-focussed narrative around culture and raising a child with autism in a Western society.Method:Semi-structured interviews were carried out with ten parents with the aim to elicit what was meaningful to them as their child negotiated their way through the education system. The qualitative paradigm provided insight into understanding the experiences of BME parents, their views on raising a child with autism, and their hopes for the future.Findings:The data was analysed using thematic analysis, with emerging themes highlighting the importance of quality of relationships, cultural aspects and a diverse set of values and beliefs across individual, family and community levels. Specific aspects of resilience experienced by families enabled them to function and remain optimistic in challenging situations. The challenges faced by parents provided insight into how hardships shaped their outlook and hopes for the future.Conclusions:The research indicates overwhelming positive aspects of raising a child with autism that are embedded with values and beliefs across individual, family and cultural contexts. There are implications for Educational Psychologists (EPs) with respect to adopting culturally responsive and strength-based approaches to promote racial justice and community cohesion. There is scope within the profession to reflect and draw on such approaches to promote opportunity, equality and positive partnerships with families from diverse backgrounds.
‘A little understood solution to a vaguely defined problem’: parental perceptions of Ritalin
Authors: Wright Sarah F. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractPrompted by national interest in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and concern over the apparent lack of monitoring of children receiving Ritalin, this study investigated parents’ experiences of ADHD and Ritalin. It was hypothesized that there would be considerable differences between parents in their experiences of how ADHD was managed and that the current systems of identification and treatment do not allow for adequate evaluation and monitoring, even when a need for such is perceived. Seventeen parents were interviewed at home. Results indicated that the group of children in this study appear to have relatively severe ADHD, combined in many cases with associated conduct disorder and specific learning disability. All the children in the study had been prescribed medication as their sole treatment. There was little multidisciplinary liaison and in many cases parents assumed responsibility for determining the optimal dose of Ritalin.
ADHD: the development of a collaborative model of practice within North Somerset Unitary Authority
Authors: Evans G. , Fuller K. , Heller D. , Morgado C. , Salisbury P. , Salisbury R. 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis paper describes a collaborative pilot project which ran from January to July 1996 in North Somerset Unitary Authority involving psychology, education (schools) and health professionals. It aimed to design and establish a multidisciplinary protocol for the assessment and diagnosis of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) among primary school aged children and to study the effectiveness of various types of intervention for the treatment of childhood ADHD. This article outlines the main findings of the pilot project drawing upon case study material, demonstrating that a more comprehensive multi-professional assessment protocol may lead to fewer children being diagnosed as having ADHD. The use of psycho-stimulant medication (Methylphenidate) combined with cognitive/behavioural interventions across home and school brought about improvements in behaviour for some of the sample. Implications for practice are discussed.
Looking after children in secure settings: recent themes
Authors: Epps Kevin 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis article begins by looking at the various kinds of secure setting, and the legislation that allows children to be locked up. It moves on to examine, with reference to recent research, the reasons children are detained in secure conditions. The behavioural problems presented by the child, and the social and legal systems which aim to ensure that secure provision is used only when absolutely necessary, have an important bearing on the decision to place a child in secure accommodation. While there is agreement that the use of secure provision is sometimes justified, its use could be reduced through the expansion of appropriate alternative open provision. It is argued that the role of secure provision is still very unclear and poorly managed as a national resource. Secure units often function in isolation and are poorly integrated with other child-care resources. Some young people are moved from placement to placement in an attempt to avoid admission to secure provision, resulting in further damage to themselves and others. There seems to be a failure in the legislation to distinguish between young people who require a short stay in security during a crisis, from those who require a longer stay in an attempt to deal with long-standing antisocial and self-destructive behaviours. This problem has been compounded by the failure to develop an accepted methodology for understanding the behavioural problems presented by this group of young people. The creation of a national agency with specific responsibility for the administration and development of secure provision may help to resolve some of these problems.
Friends – who needs them? What do we know and what can we do?
Authors: Roffey Sue , Majors Karen , Tarrant Tony 
Published: January 2023

AbstractChildren in school are in a system which is as much social as academic. Schools which plan and take account of this to promote acceptance and inclusion will also be optimizing achievement. Proactive social intervention, at whole school, class and individual levels, addresses many issues including attendance, self-esteem, behaviour, bullying, emotional support and collaborative skills. The increase in research on children’s friendships together with knowledge about the development of children’s understanding, perception and social skills provide the basis for psychologists to work with schools on these vital issues. Here we give an overview of recent research on children and their friends in school, a summary of developmental aspects of friendship and introduce some ideas for moving into this exciting and effective area of educational psychology.
The child in the context of the family: Implications for the practice of educational psychologists
Authors: Wolfendale Sheila 
Published: January 2023

AbstractFor most educational psychologists, family-focused work has been and remains an integral part of the role, although the purpose and emphasis of it have changed over the years, commensurate with legislation on SEN and the evolution of interventions such as Portage, family therapy, family literacy, parenting programmes. The value base behind educational psychologists’ work with families is examined with reference to research into family functioning and within the context of multi-agency services. The notion of educational psychologists having a policy of working with families is proposed.
“Isn’t that what girls do?” – disabled young people construct (homo) sexuality in situated social practice
Authors: Corker Mairian 
Published: January 2023

AbstractVery little has been written about the interaction between disability, homophobia, heterosexism and adultism as they impinge upon the experiences and social practice of disabled young people. This paper takes the view such interaction may be described in terms of the social construction of multiple others which hinges on the value judgements, the social distance and the knowledge which form the relationship between Self and Other (Todorov 1982, p. 185). Taking a ‘narrative’ approach to identity, it draws on the accounts of disabled adults that describe retrospectively the emergence of gay or lesbian identity in adolescence, and on discourses of lesbian and gay identity among groups of disabled young people in contemporary social and educational settings1. It aims to show that when research or pedagogy ‘are viewed as public conversations with difference, through sameness – conversations that are neither objectivist nor subjectivist’ (Bell 1998) – important information can emerge about the social construction of these four important dimensions of institutionalised oppression that can be used in the service of social change.
Multidisciplinary work for children with autism
Authors: Jordan Rita 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis paper examines the necessity for multidisciplinary work in diagnosing, understanding and making effective provision for children with autism. It also examines the constraints of multidisciplinary work and, through examples of good practice, shows how these may be accommodated. It suggests a broadening of the concept of ‘multidisciplinary’ to include collaborative work with parents, siblings and the individuals with autism themselves. It is only through this broad perspective that we can begin to address the paradox of the legitimate claims of individuals with autism not to be pathologised, while acknowledging and trying to meet their problems in coping.
Ethical problem-solving in the practice of educational psychology
Authors: Carrington Gill , Griffin Davina , Hollis Isabel , Parry Jean 
Published: January 2023

AbstractAs educational psychologists (EPs) we are continually presented with difficult and ambiguous situations. Our professional body requires that the decisions we make are firmly founded on ethical principles. It is all the more regrettable, therefore, that ethics is often overlooked in our professional training. As professionals, we would argue that we should have ethical responses that have been arrived at through an analytical enquiry on a conscious, rational level. Four EPs from one local education authority (LEA) selected a current ethical dilemma from their work for use as a way of exploring ethical issues. All four cases involve the application of the ethical principles of autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, justice, fidelity and self-interest. In addition two of the case studies were analysed using Bond’s (2000) six-step problem-solving model. The complexity of the issues raised by the case studies underlines the need for psychology services to explore ethical decision-making in a more systematic way.
Ethics, professionalisation and the future landscape of educational psychology
Authors: Webster Alec , Lunt Ingrid 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis article considers the status of ethics in relation to the emerging profession of psychology, and how the former has not kept pace with the latter. Starting from an examination of the scope of ethics, it is argued that ethical analysis informs more than individual encounters between clients and practitioners and has important applications both for the culture of educational psychology and the organisations in which psychologists work. As part of the process of professionalisation, the next five years are likely to be characterised by lengthened training for educational psychologists (EPs), an increase in specialisms and strategic tasks, and a harnessing of EPs’ energies to national agendas, such as school improvement and the raising of achievement. However, there are competing claims on the territory known as “educational psychology” and one prediction is that the professional culture will need to sustain different roles: “constrained” practitioners who seek to preserve traditional, individual client-based roles, and “complexity” professionals whose focus is more strategic, concerned with organisational development. Whatever shifts in practice occur, there is an urgent need for the profession to become more ethically minded.
Educational psychology and difficult behaviour in schools: Conceptual and methodological challenges for an evidence-based profession
Authors: Miller Andy , Todd Zazie 
Published: January 2023

AbstractCalls for an evidence base to support the work of educational psychologists attempting to address difficult behaviour in schools, present a number of serious challenges. The research literature in this area may be seen to derive from a number of academic disciplines outside psychology and from a range of subdisciplines within. Fundamental epistemological issues in terms of the positivist/constructivist divide become easily apparent in this literature. While the diverse nature of these sources may be described as a strength, a credible evidence base that is distinctive to educational psychologists should be essentially psychological in conceptualisation and methodology. This paper provides a coherent theoretical framework within which to conceptualise practice in schools aimed at what is considered to be difficult student behaviour. By then discussing three areas of current debate within psychology research – objectivity, reflexivity and evaluation – the case is made that methodology within academic psychology is developing in directions likely to permit a greater convergence with practice around student behaviour. In this way, the paper suggests the nature of an evidence base from which educational psychologists may derive a greater sense of confidence and professional identity, both within the wider discipline of psychology and in the particular educational contexts in which they practise and, increasingly, aspire to carry out their own research studies.
A possible method for operationalising the British Psychological Society Division of Educational and Child Psychology quality standards:A case study in one Educational Psychology Service and an evaluation
Authors: Massey Cheryl , Taylor Ali , Gersch Irvine S. , Gibbs Simon 
Published: January 2023

AbstractIn June 1999, the principal educational psychologist of one London service invited two trainee educational psychologists to ‘inspect’ the service using the British Psychological Society (BPS) Division of Educational and Child Psychology quality standards for educational psychology services. In order to do this, a rating scale was devised, using the BPS framework, and three judgement categories: fully met, partially met and not met. Studies of service documentation and a questionnaire to a small number of staff followed. Finally, the service was rated in respect of each BPS standard, namely: guidelines for professional practice; induction; continuing professional development; supervision of educational psychologists in training; appraisal – performance review; supervision of educational psychologists. Areas of strength, weaknesses and further development were identified, which proved to be very helpful indeed to the service in preparing for an OFSTED inspection. The BPS standards do appear to be capable of being operationalised realistically into a system which services could use for self-evaluation.
Political correctness: In the interest of the child?
Authors: Owusu-Bempah Kwame 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis paper argues that, in professional practice, including child protection work and child care practice generally, political correctness often combines with ignorance and preconceptions about clients’ cultural backgrounds and results in more harm than good being done. It argues that many organisations and their representatives often use politically correct language to mask incompetence, bad and discriminatory practices.
Deconstructing ‘Sean’:The language of prejudice for a child looked after by the local authority
Authors: Phillips Janet 
Published: January 2023

AbstractI consider analysis of narrative – storytelling and rhetoric – with reference to Sean, a child looked after by a local authority, as a resource for examining cultural and social aspects of mental health needs of children in public care. These are explored by means of deconstruction – ‘misreading’ – of an in-house case study written for professional training. Examination of oppositions, omissions and non-literal language reveals hypotheses embedded within the text, which are identified as indicators of unacknowledged prejudices. Arguments are presented for regular use of the techniques of deconstruction in professional training and appraisal as a tool for critical reflection.
‘The day the touching monster came’: Solution-focused and narrative approaches to working with children and young people with sexually inappropriate behaviour
Authors: Myers Steve , McLaughlin Marie , Warwick Karen 
Published: January 2023

AbstractThis article explores the application of solution-focused and narrative approaches to children and young people with sexually inappropriate behaviour within the Barnardo’s Junction Project in South Yorkshire, UK. It is argued that changes in philosophy and practice over the previous decade have been influenced by the developing knowledge base and, more significantly, by a commitment to the application of child-centered approaches that challenge dominant notions of ‘difference’. Examples of the direct work are given to illustrate the ideas and practices involved through conversations between practitioners.
Emotional literacy and the ecology of school wellbeing
Authors: Roffey Sue 
Published: January 2023

School connectedness is increasingly identified as significant for enhancing young people’s resilience, prosocial behaviour and learning outcomes (Benard, 2001; Libbey, 2004; Cunningham, 2007). Connectedness encompasses how students feel at school, their participation and engagement with learning, and the quality of the relationships they experience (Bond et al., 2001; Whitlock, 2006). Emotional literacy is defined here as relational values and competencies at individual and whole school levels, and as such is the basis of relational quality and social capital.This paper is based on a qualitative research project exploring processes and practices in six Australian schools. These schools, across ages and sectors, were promoting values of respect, acceptance and care, and actively working to develop emotionally literate learning environments.An eco-systemic analysis of the data illustrates how elements of school systems interact with others over time to create school wellbeing. This highlights what is both useful and challenging in promoting and sustaining good practice in developing a caring school ethos. The findings include the centrality of the vision, skills and resilience of school leaders, a focus on valuing each member of the school community, the development of a positive discourse and high relational expectations. Positive changes in school culture are maintained by shared relational values, a belief in inclusive practices and by maximum ownership by the whole school community in the change process. Sustainability is threatened by negativity from members of staff who may perceive the leader’s vision for students as counter to their own wellbeing.
Play, cognition and self-regulation: What exactly are children learning when they learn through play?
Authors: Whitebread David , Coltman Penny , Jameson Helen , Lander Rachel 
Published: January 2023

This paper explores the particular aspects of learning which might be supported through playful activity and reviews research and theory which link children’s play, and particularly pretence or symbolic play, to the development of metacognitive and self-regulatory skills.Three studies are reported, one observational and two experimental, which have explored this relationship. The observational study involved the video-recording of 582 metacognitive or self-regulatory ‘events’ within Foundation Stage settings. The two experimental studies replicated in different learning domains the classic study of Sylva, Bruner and Genova (1976), which contrasted the problem-solving performance of 3- to 5-year-old children who had experienced a ‘taught’ and ‘play’ condition.Evidence from the present studies reported and other studies supports the view that play, and particularly pretence or symbolic play, which might be with objects or other children, is particularly significant in its contribution to the development of children as metacognitively skilful, self-regulated learners. Evidence from the observational study indicated that child-initiated playful activities, in small groups without adult supervision, supported the greatest proportion of self-regulatory behaviours. The experimental studies suggested that the experience of the ‘play’ condition was particularly effective in preparing the children for effortful, problem-solving or creative tasks which require a high level of metacognitive and self-regulatory skill.Metacognitive and self-regulatory development is crucially important in the development of academic skills which involve intentional learning, problem-solving and creativity. An understanding of the relationship between pretend or symbolic play and self-regulation is also helpful in providing clear guidelines for adults working with young children as regards their role in supporting and encouraging play in educational contexts.
Obtaining the views of children with profound and multiple learning difficulties
Authors: Harding Emma 
Published: January 2023

Obtaining the views of children including those with Special Educational Needs (SEN) and involving them in decisions surrounding their life and learning has become an increasingly relevant issue. Enabling ‘every child’ to make a positive contribution is high on the list of government priorities. However, work in the complicated area of establishing the views of children with more severe and complex needs such as those with Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD) appears to be in its initial and investigative stages and there is an apparent dearth of literature in this area.This review presents the available literature in an attempt to explore the extent to which it is possible to ascertain the views of children with PMLD. A comprehensive literature search revealed two main themes within the literature incorporating the ethical and conceptual issues associated with ascertaining/not ascertaining the views of children with PMLD and the methods and tools that are effective in accessing the views of children with PMLD.There is an apparent need for more research to establish effective ways to enable the views of children with PMLD to be heard. EPs are well placed to become involved in enabling children to have a voice in decisions surrounding their education at many levels and a number of implications for EP practice are included in the review.
Measuring attachment in large populations: A systematic review
Authors: Lim Kim , Corlett Lauren , Thompson Lucy , Law James , Wilson Philip , Gillberg Christopher , Minnis Helen 
Published: January 2023

Objective:Measures of attachment for use in non-specialist settings where limited time is available for assessment, or for large study populations, have eluded researchers. This systematic review summarises measures of infant-parent attachment validated against the Strange Situation Procedure and evaluates the practicalities of their use in non-specialist settings and large scale studies.Method:We searched multiple bibliographic databases to identify references (from 1 January 1966) describing measures of attachment. Six alternative measures of attachment were identified. When the logistics of these measures were evaluated, none were suitable for use in a large scale study or non-specialist settings.Conclusion:There are no measures in current usage suitable for the measurement of attachment in infants in non-specialist settings or in large scale studies and there is a need to develop such a measure.