issue 1 - lbhf · issue 1 – using psychology ... children, over 5 years of age, over the course...
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TRI-BOROUGH EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 1
New Trainees in the Tri-Borough!
In September 2015, the Tri-borough was delighted to welcome two new Trainee Educational Psychologists! Both are supervised by experienced, qualified Educational Psychologists and are in their second year of training on the Doctorate in Educational Psychology course. We wish them all the best in their training and research!
Rachel Soares is working across Hammersmith and Fulham. Rachel studies at the Tavistock and Portman NHS Trust and will be conducting her thesis research on parents’ perceptions of readiness for school. Email: [email protected] for more information.
Catherine Wright is working across Westminster. Catherine studies at University College London (UCL) and is researching the effect of oral storytelling versus storybook
reading on Year 2 children's language and literacy abilities and their feelings of school connectedness. Email: [email protected] for more information.
A Message from Dr. Jeremy Monsen , Tri-borough EPS Principal Educational Psychologist:
It gives me great pleasure to launch the first Tri-borough Educational Psychology Service Newsletter. Each school term, we will be sharing with you how applied psychology is making a real difference across the Tri-borough by presenting up-to-date research, creative ideas, programmes and interventions run jointly between Educational Psychologists (EPs) and school colleagues. Dr. Sara Darchicourt and Isabella McDonald are to be commended for all the work they have done in showcasing some of the initiatives and projects we have set up with our teaching colleagues. I took up post as the new Tri-borough Principal EP in April 2015. Following a management re-organisation, I am very pleased to announce that Helen Kerslake is now the Tri-borough Assistant Principal EP, Sam Habal is now the Tri-borough Senior EP, leading on Practice Development, and Felicity Record is now Senior EP (Acting) leading on developing our Traded Offer to schools. All are very experienced and well-regarded colleagues.
When we started on our new journey in 2015 it was clear that with increasing budget reductions and a developing competitive traded environment came the need to begin work on looking at our service delivery to settings and schools. We aim to share our plans for 2016 with you as soon as we are able to, so that we can gain your valuable feedback and views. Our aim is to provide you with a high quality psychological service that is responsive to your needs, evidence-based, ethical and cost effective. Many thanks, Jeremy. If you would like to get in touch please telephone and/or email me on 07739315819 or [email protected].
(L-R: Sam, Felicity, Jeremy and Helen)
Welcome from the Principal 1
New Trainees 1
Tree of Life Training 2
Video Interactive Guidance 2
Mindfulness 3
Teacher Well-being 3
ELSA training 3
Personal Construct Psychology 3
Teaching Resilience 4
Our portfolio of services 4
Consultation Outcomes Data 4
OUR MISSION STATEMENT
The core mission of the Tri-borough Educational Psychology Service is to contribute to raising the attainment and improving the well-being of children and young people, especially those with Special Educational Needs and/or other barriers to their learning and development.
TRI-BOROUGH EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY
SERVICE NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 2016
Issue 1– Using Psychology to
focus on Emotional Well-being and Mental Health
IN THIS ISSUE:
TRI-BOROUGH EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE NEWSLETTER | Issue 1
2
For some children, joining a school ‘late’ or mid-year can be a daunting challenge, particularly if they are new to the country or have experienced an upheaval in their own lives. If children have difficulty in settling into a well-established peer group, they can often try to assert themselves, leading to challenging behaviour and conflict with peers, or they may withdraw altogether. In St. James and St. John Primary school, 3 members of staff have received the 2 hr EP training in how to deliver the ‘Tree of Life’ intervention, to support targeted new children to develop a sense of belonging in the school. Originally developed by N.Ncube (2007) to support traumatised and bereaved children in developing and war-torn countries, the intervention is increasingly being used across the world and in London schools, to foster social inclusion and resilience, and celebrate individual identities.
The approach uses different parts of a tree as metaphors to represent the different aspects of our lives, drawing on principles of Narrative Therapy. It aims to give children a voice and build confidence and hope within supportive relationships. The intervention is delivered to groups of 6-12 children, over 5 years of age, over the course of 8 sessions. Over the coming months, the EP service hopes to extend the evidence-based approach out to different schools facing similar challenges in the Tri-borough.
Email: [email protected] for further information.
In Tri-borough we are continuing to develop the Educational Psychology Service’s use of Video Interactive GuidanceTM (VIG). Several schools, including Barlby Orchard, Golborne Children’s Centre, St Joseph’s, St Francis and Oxford Gardens (K&C), College Park, Hallfield and Edward Wilson (WCC) and Jack Tizard and Bayonne Nursery School (H&F) have been working with the 12 Tri-borough EPs who are taking part in VIG training.
One example of how VIG is being used as an intervention relates to the Blatchford report recommendations to improve the effectiveness of teaching assistants (TAs), by focusing on the quality of interaction between the TA and the child/young person.
Initial feedback from those schools supporting VIG work has been very positive. VIG has been a useful tool to help improve one to one communication for our children who have learning needs, promoting their wellbeing and increasing the range of effective learning characteristics observed in the classroom.
Considering these positive outcomes, we are committed as a service to working collaboratively to develop VIG interventions within as many schools as we can. Please contact your school’s link EP if you are interested in hearing more about how it could work in your setting. For further information email: [email protected] or [email protected]
Video Interactive GuidanceTM
RESEARCH
Video Interactive Guidance (VIG) is an intervention tool used to improve attuned interactions (communication and relationships) between children and young people and important adults in their life, (e.g. parents, carers, teachers, teaching assistants). VIG is a strengths-based intervention where the EP Practitioner supports and empowers teachers, teaching assistants or parents/carers to skillfully reflect on video clips of their own successful interactions with children and young people. This is done by exploring perceptions, building on their strengths and challenging their assumptions, in order to bring about change. VIG aims to increase sensitivity and emotional attunement to the child, reduce stress and increase self-confidence and inspire hopefulness as well as motivate participants to solve their own problems.
Tree of life – an intervention for social inclusion and resilience (Dr. Louise Edgington)
For more information watch this short clip: WHAT IS VIDEO INTERACTION GUIDANCE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRVaL_ZlxHs
The best
CPD I’ve
ever had!
I’ve learned
something at
every step.
There is always something to try
differently and every session gives
me a lot of support.
Using Video Interactive Guidance TM in Schools
(Jane Roller & Sara Darchicourt)
Celebrating Tri-borough VIG Success:
Congratulations to Emma Cravitz, Vicki Evans, Helen Kerslake, Tom Lloyd & Jane Roller for successfully completing their stage 1 VIG training and commencing their Stage 2 VIG training.
Good luck to Sara Darchicourt, Monique Davies, Loraine Hancock, Hema Kotecha, Felicity Record, Cate Summers & Gurdip Theara who have recently started their Stage 1 VIG Training.
“A theory that denies that thoughts can regulate actions does not lend itself readily to the explanation of complex human behavior." - Albert Bandura
TRI-BOROUGH EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 3
“You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn
Mindful. Not mind full.
Mindfulness in Schools (Dr. Christina Mowl)
“Mindfulness involves learning to direct our attention to our experience as it unfolds, moment by
moment, with open-minded curiosity and acceptance. Rather than worrying about what has happened or might happen, it trains us to respond
skillfully to whatever is happening right now, be that good or bad.”
This term mindfulness has been integrated into our whole service EPS meetings with positive results. Many of our EPs are developing their own regular mindfulness practice and using it to support them in their work.
One of our EPs has attended a week’s course in Derbyshire run by the mindfulness in schools project which qualifies them to deliver the .b foundations programme for teachers and parents. This means we can offer an 8 week course of 90 minute sessions to schools to focus on staff or parents developing their own mindfulness practice.
Mindfulness teaching continues to expand across our schools. This term one of our EPs taught an introductory session to the .b mindfulness programme for secondary schools. This involved a room full of 165 year 7’s all trying their first experience of mindfulness practices and a spot of mindful colouring!
The paws b mindfulness programme has been taught in primary schools including one primary school in Hammersmith & Fulham in order to support a class in developing their understanding of the mind and the brain. This is helping them to develop strategies for managing anxiety and developing their focus and attention.
Many schools are booking in for primary and secondary programmes starting in the spring term.
(For further information email: [email protected])
I have frequently have used this Heather Moran (2012) technique when working with teenage girls who have been referred to me because they are showing difficulties in some ways in coping in school either because of their behaviour in school about learning, or with friends, with family or attendance.
It is based on Personal Construct Psychology (PCP). The theory is that we each have unique personal theories of life (called constructs) which are based upon our own experiences, and we behave in ways which make sense according to our theories.
Drawing the Ideal Self is a way of trying to discover the ‘sense’ in the child’s behaviour and attitudes (i.e. to understand their ‘construing’). The emphasis is on trying to understand a child through understanding the way they construe themselves.
It helps the pupil to express their personal views in an effort to address this imbalance. It also provides a personal rating of the child’s view of their own self-esteem, where self-esteem is the
difference between the way they want to be and the way they construe themselves as being now.
This technique helps young people to have a say about their own development, both how it has been and how they would like to proceed and what is important for them in the future. This can run parallel
to adults’ views on similar matters.
I usually manage to complete the task in one session, by working with a young person at school at a desk where we will not be interrupted. I have employed this activity many times and often with a TA supporting the process. When this occurs the TA seems able to follow the process up by sharing the information at other times in school, which I think secures its use and make it more available at times other than an assessment
with an EP.
Email [email protected] for further information on this approach.
ELSA TRAINING Following on from the extremely well-evaluated national scheme, the Emotional Literacy Support Assistant (ELSA) training is being delivered by the Tri-borough EPS. We have over 20 schools with trained ELSAs so far. This training provides Teaching Assistants and Learning Mentors with targeted interventions for pupils in mainstream and specialist primary and secondary schools who have difficulties in understanding and managing their emotions. The skills that pupils are helped to develop ultimately promote their emotional resilience and may make a difference between failure to achieve potential and a successful education. The 5 day training covers: An Introduction to Emotional Literacy; Active Listening; Understanding Anger and Managing Behaviour; Friendship Skills; Developing Resilience; Self Esteem; Therapeutic Stories; Social Skills and Social Stories; Social Communication Skills; Programme Planning and Impact Evaluation. Upon being trained, ELSAs have access to half termly group supervision sessions delivered by an EP which is vital for providing ongoing support for their emotional literacy work in school. If you would like more information about an ELSA course, please contact Dr Felicity Record: [email protected]
Drawing the Ideal Self- A personal Construct Psychology Technique to explore Self Esteem (Dr. Felicity Record)
Teacher well-being (Jane Roller and Isabella McDonald)
As we all know, teachers are an invaluable resource for schools. Poor teacher well-being can lead to high staff absences, and teacher absence is in fact negatively correlated with pupil attainment (Miller et al., 2007; van Dick & Wagner, 2001.). Teacher absence is expensive too! Approximately 56% of school budget is spent on teachers and teaching staff are sick an average of eight days a year (The Guardian, 2011).
One Headteacher in a primary school in the Tri-borough was concerned about high levels of stress and anxiety amongst the staff team and requested EP involvement. A whole school INSET to support the team during the build up to an OFSTED inspection was delivered.
The inset presentation ‘How to be at our best (during stressful situations such as OFSTED) looked at the cognitive processes of stress and explored ideas from Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, Attribution theory and Growth Mindsets. The EP also looked at ideas from Year 6 pupils – ‘how to be at our best during SATs’.
Following the INSET, staff came up with ideas to support themselves such as “visualising” - imagining yourself at your best in the classroom, positive self-talk for each small success, and trying not to over-plan lessons.
(For further information email: [email protected])
TRI-BOROUGH EDUCATIONAL PSYCHOLOGY SERVICE NEWSLETTER | Issue 1 4
REFERENCES
Heather Moran (2012) http://drawingtheidealself.co.uk/drawingtheidealself/Downloads.html
Think Positively! A Course for Developing Coping Skills in Adolescents by Erica Frydenberg , London, Continuum Internqtional Publishing Group,, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4411-2481-4
Ncube-Millo, N., & Denborough, D., (2005). Tree of Life, mainstreaming psychosocial care And support: a manual for facilitators, Randburg, South Africa: REPSSI.
Department for Children, Schools and Families (2008). Targeted Mental Health in Schools project: using the evidence to inform your approach: a practical guide for head teaches and commissioners London. DCSF.
Teaching Resilience
(Tiffany De Wall, Learning Mentor, The Grey Coat Hospital and
Sam Habal, Senior Tri-borough Educational Psychologist, Practice Development)
Sam Habal, Educational Psychologist, and Tiffany De Wall, Learning Mentor at The Grey Coat Hospital developed and delivered a CBT group intervention program during the 2014-2015 academic year. The eight session resilience program was based on Think Positively! A Course for Developing Coping Skills in Adolescents by Erica Frydenberg. Topics covered included positive thinking, emotional strength, self-exploration regarding personal coping skills, common thought distortions, coping strategies, time management and relaxation. The first group was a class of five year 11 students recommended for support in managing exam stress and anxiety. The group met once a week for 50 minutes during lesson time. The second group included seven year 8 students aiming to increase individual problem solving skills and general personal resilience. Through pre and post-test surveys as well as the direct experience of running the groups, Sam and Tiffany determined a few key aspects that impacted the outcome. The program content was valuable. The students felt they gained a better understanding of themselves and an increased ability to manage stress in a constructive way. Email: [email protected] for further information.
Tri-borough EPS portfolio:
In the Tri-borough, we are committed to sharing our psychology to build capacity within the community we work within.
Supporting social and emotional well-being and mental health, here is an insight into some of the work the Tri-borough EPs have been involved in during 2015:
INSET on bereavement and loss – what can schools do to help? (nursery, primary and secondary schools);
Establishing circles of adults in a nursery school to enable reflection and problem solving around emotional needs and behaviour;
Staff training on the use of solution focused questions to develop relationships between pupils and Learning Support Assistants and Lunchtime Supervisors;
Clinical supervision of a sixth form teacher running an art therapy group;
INSET on “Understanding and responding to children’s emotional needs”;
'Attachment' INSET which looks at how children's attachment styles manifest in the classroom / impact on their learning and how teachers can help;
Introduction to mental health twilight sessions in both primary and secondary schools;
Running a 10 session ‘FRIENDS for life – Youth’ group with a Medical Needs Unit teacher. FRIENDS for Life helps young people cope with feelings of fear, worry, and depression by building resilience and self-esteem and teaching cognitive, behavioural, and emotional skills in a simple, well-structured format;
A two-day Tier 1 training event open to education, health and social care with a Community CAMHS worker.
Cate Summers ([email protected]) is completing a 10 week project in a school with eight yr5 children who have been identified through pupil premium as children who need support in terms of their self-esteem, intrinsic motivation and recognising meta-cognitive strategies that work for them as individuals. The children will also be taught CBT techniques, mindfulness and meditation practice;
Erik Dwyer ([email protected]) attended the ‘Special Friends’ training course in November at QEII School. This course takes the well-established ‘Friends’ CBT intervention (for young people experiencing high levels of anxiety) and develops it for an audience of young people with learning difficulties, and, in particular, autism. Erik will now work with the EPS’ CBT development group to take this training forward and create a package of support that we can offer to young people in our local schools. Watch this Space!
Contact your school’s link EP for more information about our portfolio of Tri-borough Educational Psychology Service Traded Services, 2016-17 or contact Felicity Record, Acting Senior Tri-borough Educational Psychology Service Traded Services ([email protected]).
Tri-borough EPS Consultation Outcome Review – analysis of data: Every year the Tri-borough collects data through our Consultation Outcome Review forms that monitor the impact of our involvement. Erik Dwyer recently reported the analysis of the data for the academic year 2014-2015:
82% of children referred (more than 4 out of
every 5) for consultations with EPs resulted in increased progress in the specific target areas being considered.
100% of ‘teacher confidence’ pre and
post consultation rating scales identified as that consultations had led to greater teacher confidence in meeting the needs of the children referred, by an average of +2 points on a 5 point scale.
[Resiliency Research: There is clear evidence that children who are emotionally or mentally healthy achieve more at school, and are able to participate more fully with their peers and in school and community life (DfCSF, 2008). Research shows that mental health in childhood has important implications for health and social outcomes in adult life (DfH and DfSCF, 2007) ]
Newsletter team: Dr. Sara Darchicourt Helen Kerslake Izzy McDonald
Dr. Jeremy Monsen Please contact your school’s link EP if you would like any further information about how our service can support you with any of the topics covered in this issue. Email: [email protected] with any comments you may have on this issue or thoughts on what you would like to be featured in the next issue of our newsletter which will be focussed on ‘using cognitive psychology to expand learning’ and will be released in Spring 2016.
We would also be interested in hearing any questions that you might like answered by an
EP on the topic of cognition and learning to feature in the next issue!