What the resource is:
The focus of this
Teachers TV programme is the 'Every Child Matters' agenda and the challenges confronting inner city secondary schools in its implementation.
In reference to the Victoria Climbié enquiry, the resource highlights the issue of child protection and the much wider agenda of children's wellbeing in reference to the five principles underpinning the Every Child Matters agenda (DFES, 2007):
- Be healthy
- Stay safe
- Enjoy and achieve
- Make a positive contribution
- Achieve economic well-being
However, in order to ‘care for every child in every way', the video draws attention to the need of a multi-agency approach, which involves professional from the NHS, Social Services, Education and the Police.
By means of two case studies, representing two London inner city secondary schools (Mayfield and George Green), the video provides examples of how the ECM framework can be implemented in different ways with the aim of addressing the needs of all children in a comprehensive way. It presents evidence of good practice of multi-agency work from a range of professional perspectives: Senior school management, teaching and support staff, Social Services, the NHS and the Police. By showing the process of a pupil review meeting, a wealth of information is provided, allowing insights into the dynamics of a multi-agency team and how it can effectively support students at risk by drawing on a diverse range of expertise.
The aims of the resource:
Produced a couple of years ago, in the wake of the emergence of the ECM agenda, the video aims to highlight its importance in terms of ensuring children's well being. It identifies the potential challenges schools face in taking on board their duty of care within the ECM framework and provides valuable insights into how a multi-agency team can work collaboratively to meet the needs of ‘every child in every way', including physical and emotional, social and financial needs.
Examples include,
- Pupils with special/additional needs (E.g. Downs syndrome, ADSD) who would otherwise have to return to a special school
- Pupils at risk who need the immediate support of social services and the police, which in the past was a complicated referral process wasting precious time
- Pupils with integration difficulties
- Pupils with a refugee background with English as an Additional Language (EAL) to help them access the curriculum
Key findings or focus:
Within the ECM framework and the social inclusion agenda, schools have a remit to focus on children as individuals, to build their confidence, help them succeed and thus prepare them for managing the challenges imposed by a constantly changing world.
The resource emphasises that in order ensure pupils' access to multi-agency support the co-operation and collaboration of local services is fundamental. However, it also acknowledges that when faced with the reality of working together with other agencies, the teaching profession still produces a certain defensiveness, which needs to be overcome. They not only have to find a way of working together, but also need to find a common language/vocabulary.
By accepting children who traditionally would have remained in special schools or been referred to Pupil Referral Units (PRUs), schools take on a large commitment, which generates new pressures in terms of the sheer volume of work generated and the co-ordination of multi-agency teams. In addition, schools need to show a willingness to get involved with the community and have an interest in things beyond the school gates.
George Green High School, for example, have operated a multi-agency approach for the past 11 years. This involves a childcare protection team, behaviour support team, complex needs team, a behaviour therapist, a youth team worker, an full-time on-site police officer, school- based social workers and a deputy inclusion officer.
Mayfield High School pride themselves of a large learning support team and, like other schools, work with children agencies off-site or bolt-on. Child protection issues are referred to external services. Given that 12% of their pupils are refugee children, integration and induction programmes, including EAL classes, are provided to facilitate access to the curriculum.
The resource also acknowledges that not all schools are the same and therefore do not share the same priorities with regard to the ECM agenda. Whilst the extra effort invested at George Green and Mayfield High School is not reflected in their league table results, they draw attention to the fact that this is not their primary purpose. The introduction of the school profile, which will pay attention to the aspect of addressing the needs of all pupils as comprehensively as possible, is therefore welcomed and perceived as helpful in gaining recognition for the work they do. Furthermore, there will be funding made available to provide programmes and activities which respond to the specific needs of particular populations and community needs.
The quality, authority and credibility of the resource:
The personal accounts of the two headteachers of George Green and Mayfield and the diverse perspectives of the multi-agency staff employed by the two schools enhance the authenticity and trustworthiness of the resource. Its validity is further strengthened by authentic examples of community involvement in widening the school curriculum and the one-to-one support provided to pupils with special and additional needs, including EAL. Another perspective which would be interesting to explore is that of parents/carers of those children who have already enjoyed the support of multi-agency services.
The implications for ITE tutors/mentors:
This resource should form an integral element of every ITE and Induction programme as early as possible with the aim of alerting trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers of the urgency of the ECM agenda and the role they will have to play in delivering it successfully.
The resource could also be a valuable component on any mentor and induction tutor training with the aim of raising awareness of the importance of the ECM agenda and the kind of professionalism that will have to be embraced in the promotion of multi-agency work.
The relevance to ITE students:
This resource provides trainee teachers and newly qualified teachers with a holistic view of the wide spectrum of challenges to be met in terms of responding to children's needs appropriately and in the way in which this can be achieved in collaboration with colleagues from other services, such as health, social services and the police. The video would therefore be particularly beneficial at the beginning of their training in preparation for their first school-based practice, when trainees may need to take on particular responsibilities and roles related to this agenda. Together with tutors it can stimulate discussion as to what extent and in what way the ECM agenda is implemented and manifests itself in specific pupil support programmes and initiatives across the various schools.
Reviewed by:
Marion Jones
References:
DFES (2007) Every Child Matters - Change for Children. Children and Young People http://www.everychildmatters.gov.uk/children/ [accessed 19th July 2007]
This programme can be downloaded from the Teachers TV website