1. Dr Kate Hannah HM Inspectors Education Scotland
Supporting vulnerable children in Scottish schools

3. What I am going to talk about…
The concept of vulnerability
The national framework in Scotland (universal support)
Focus on a learner pathway
How Glasgow is leading on supporting vulnerable children (targeted support)

4. 5 minute group discussion task
Who is ‘vulnerable’?
Why is it important for schools and education systems to recognise vulnerable children?
Define ‘vulnerable children’ who are they? And why is it important for education systems to identify them and meet their needs?

5. Who is vulnerable?
Every child: No child has ever had a perfect life where they have never felt doubt, fear or pressure but for some it becomes a much more serious barrier to future wellbeing

6. The concept of vulnerable children in Scotland
No single accepted definition
Report by 3 Scottish children’s charities identified:
Worklessness
Poor quality housing
No qualifications
Maternal mental health problems
Long-term illness or disability
Low income
Material deprivation
3 children’s charities : NSPCC, Action for Children and the Children’s Society suggested there is no single definition of vulnerablility their report identified vulnerable families as having at least 5 of the following 7 key vulnerability factors
Vulnerability can stem from socioeconomic disavantage as well as social factors such as parental substance misuse,social isolation and lack of support and intervention for neglected or abused children

7. Other factors which cause vulnerability
Grooming
Poverty
Neglect
Racial Prejudice
Poor Parenting
Abuse
Bereavement
Bullying

8. Why is it important for education systems to recognise vulnerable children?
Schools can play a key role in the educational social and emotional development of children supporting them to avoid risk factors such as:
Physical injury
Sexual abuse
Mental health problems
Suicide
violence
Crime
Educational failure
There is considerable evidence of the long-term impact of abuse and neglect on both children and society as a whole.

9. What are we doing to help vulnerable children and families in Scotland?
In Scotland the Getting it Right for every child (GIRFEC) approach offers a national framework to meet the needs of all children.
A child-centred model for multi-agency working which uses ‘wellbeing indicators’ to measure children’s wellbeing:
SHANARRI (safe, healthy, achieving, nurtured, active, respected, responsible, and included)
SHANARRI is increasingly embedded in school assessment and review processes which measure children’s wellbeing

10. Getting it right for every child GIRFEC framework
The wellbeing wheel:
8 wellbeing indicators
Safe
Healthy
Achieving
Nurtured Active
Respected
Responsible
Included
(SHANARRI)
Now embedded in our universal support systems in most schools and an important part of the reviews of children’s progress including those with SEN. Children and young people regularly assess themselves against the wellbeing indicators which are also integrated within the four educational capacities as you see on the wheel.
Also more importantly the GIRFEC framework is underpinned by legislation through the Children and Young People’s Act

11. The second stage involves gathering information and analysis using the My World Triangle.
The My World triangle enables assessment and identification of risks and strengths in the child’s world which includes but isn’t limited to their educational experiences.
Very important that assessment is appropriate, proportionate and timely
A resilience matrix is used when required for more complex situations (handout)

13. How GIRFEC works
Universal tool enabling identification of children who may be at risk
It supports the participation of the child in the process and his/her family
It leads to multi-agency planning to address unmet needs (Child’s plan)
It’s about sharing information at the right time
Agencies form a team around the child (TAC)
Lead professional/named person who knows child well.
The Girfec approach includes making a named person available for every child from birth until they reach 18 years

14. Liam A learner’s pathway Liam was born in December 2003

15. Liam’s Story
Born in April He and his family were well known to social work services in Ayrshire.
He and his brother John had a chaotic home life

16. Early life Blighted by: parental drug abuse.
poor environmental home conditions.
domestic violence.
frequent changes of address.
Liam’s early life and family history was blighted by parental drug abuse, poor environmental home conditions and domestic violence. Despite this, Liam was regarded as a likeable boy who had positive relationships with his family.

17. Early education
Liam experienced considerable disruption to his education, due to frequent changes of address particularly when living in Glasgow between 2008 and 2009.
His family moved back Ayrshire, and he experienced learning difficulties in two other schools that he attended there

18. Primary 3 – Primary 5
Between primary 3 and 5, Liam’s attendance remained poor at 60% and he was excluded for 17 days
It is not clear what support Jon received during this time.

19. Liam’s fifth primary school: Kirkdale
Liam makes progress in achievement
His attendance rose to 88%
No exclusions in three years
Steady pattern of improvement
It is particularly significant that during his entire three years at Kirkdale, Liam was never excluded and showed an overall steady pattern of improvement.

20. Secondary school
Despite additional educational support, Liam found the demands of the secondary school challenging
Attendance dropped to %
12 exclusions
Social work notes indicate that Liam was visibly anxious and tearful on his first day at secondary school in August 2013 and clearly he was not coping. He cried and suffered from anxiety at his inability to cope with the work despite the school’s assessment that he could cope.

21. From this point onwards and despite attempts by the school to explore strategies for Liam to improve his attendance, he continued to disengage from school often stating he was ill or was experiencing difficult relationships at school with other pupils.
From this point onwards and despite attempts by the school to explore strategies for Liam to improve his attendance, he continued to disengage with school often stating that he was ill or was experiencing difficult relationships at school with other pupils. During this time, Jon’s social worker noted that he was also experiencing difficulties in his family life having been exposed to inappropriate adult behaviours including domestic violence.

22. Liam’s school and social work services provided:
Secondary School
Liam’s school and social work services provided:
Several Community Assessment Team meetings to support Liam
A plan to support his educational difficulties
neither partner agencies nor the school had been successful in helping Jon to overcome his anxieties about his educational difficulties at the time of his death.

23. Liam took his own life in May 2013. He was just 13 years old
Liam took his own life and died of an overdose of paracetamol in May He was suffering from acute anxiety and depression.
Neither social services nor the school were successful in helping Liam to overcome his anxieties about his educational difficulties

24. Where did it all go wrong? Group task 15 minutes
What are the main reasons in your opinion why the school and its partners failed Liam?
What could schools and partner agencies have done better and what could they learn from Liam’s death?

25. What our report said (1)
The need for much earlier intervention to ensure school attendance and prevent educational failure
Unacceptably long time for Liam to have been out of education leading to learning difficulties and self esteem issues
Critical of communication between local authorities and partners for failing to track Liam through different known addresses at a time of particular trauma
What lessons could be learned from the quality and holistic nature of the support offered Liam by Kirkdale school and the impact of that support on his behaviour, self esteem and willingness to engage with education merits further exploration as best practice.

26. What our report said (2)
Commended impact of approaches used by Kirkdale school on Liam’s self-esteem and behaviour.
The need for enhanced transition arrangements for vulnerable children moving schools
A smaller specialist provision at secondary stages more suited to Liam’s needs
What lessons could be learned from the quality and holistic nature of the support offered Liam by Kirkdale school and the impact of that support on his behaviour, self esteem and willingness to engage with education merits further exploration as best practice.

27. Targeted support for vulnerable children

28. The nurture room Watch the extract from some children’s stories
As a group, identify the key approaches to nurturing which impacted successfully on children’s ability to cope better with school and social situations

29. Vulnerable children www.educationscotland.gov.uk

30. What makes a difference ?
strong, visionary leadership
broaden achievement
reduce exclusions/ improve attendance
corporate parenting needs to be embedded throughout education system

31. What makes a difference at school level?
Open, positive, supportive relationships
Being listened to, and feeling secure
Feeling safe and secure;
Staff model positive behaviour
Good learning and teaching
Sensitive and responsive staff
Staff understanding bullying and child protection policies
When children and young people have good relationships, they are more likely to feel confident about their learning, have higher self-esteem, to show resilience when faced with personal challenges and to show respect for others.

32. What can teachers do to help vulnerable children?
build supportive relationships
understanding and empathy
calm classroom/ethos
Children who experience attachment trauma do so because of the break down of relationships in the first place.

33. Looking behind ‘acting-out’ behaviour
Abused/neglected children suffer deep, long-lasting pain which comes from:
grief and loss
abandonment and neglect
emotional abuse
fear or terror of the future
depression
Much of the behaviour of traumatised children is pain-based and it’s not that they won’t behave like other children – they can’t. Many are hyper-vigilant and that can lead to violent outbursts, silly behaviour, lack of impulse control.
Trauma affects the whole person, their mind, their body, spirit and don’t have the ability to regulate their emotions.
The chemical reactions which help us to respond to threat (ie fight or flight) in abused children are not switched off when there is no threat to their wellbeing present. This is why inappropriate responses and overreactions occur

34. Understanding the impact of trauma on learning
hyper arousal
shame
language delay
memory problems
need for control
attachment difficulties
poor peer relationships
Hyper arousal –causing disproportionate reactions and dissociation
Shame – abused children suffer an overwhelming sense of shame
Language delay – from a reduced capacity for listening, understanding and expressing
Memory problems – which leads to learning difficulties
Need for control – causing conflict with others
Attachment difficulties - making attachment to school problematic
Poor peer relationships – making school unpleasant and compounding low sense of self esteem (hood up)

35. Ten ways schools can help vulnerable children remain engaged with learning
understand/empathise
manage your reactions
plan for macro/micro transitions
structure and consistency
time in, not time out
Understand The most effective strategy a teacher has is a clear understanding of a child’s history and the reasons behind their behaviour. Research shows teachers develop empathy with child and this helps them to feel understood and valued.
manage your reactions working with traumatised children can bring strong emotions to the surface in those working with challenging children/ and young people. staying calm will help the child to calm themselves
Plan for transitions/changes - many traumatised children or those with autism struggle to cope with changes and many have experienced multiple transitions. These need to be care fully planned at macro and micro level. At school level through MA review well in advance of the change. At classroom level, well-planned micro transitions can have a very positive effect. Teachers prepare children from changes of room or activity by using signifiers such as sand timers, counting down and activity sequence strips in pictures or words. At secondary school, support from a trusted adult is easier.
structure and consistency traumatised children and those with autism have little or no internal structure and need firm boundaries, expectations and sensitively, consistently and calmly applied consequences
time in, not time out traumatised children experience time out as yet more rejection, increasing feelings of shame. While this may be necessary, it should be for a brief period with reengagement as soon as possible.

36. Ten ways schools can help vulnerable children remain engaged with learning
connect
consequences not punishment
acknowledge good decisions/choices
support parents carers
ensure success
Connect – relationships are critical. When responded to with patience and care they will see school as a supportive place. Setting the tone and not allowing he/she to control of you emotionally.
consequences not punishment – use natural consequences that relate to the problem behaviour and are designed to repair damaged property or damaged relationships (social stories and cartoon strips)
acknowledge good decisions/choices – traumatised children don’t respond well to praise but need positive reinforcement for doing something well – comments on the job that has been well done work better than rather than praising the individuals intrinsic characteristics
support parents carers keep regular communication with carers and try to be compassionate
ensure success- children with a low self esteem need to experience success in doing something that they value. Find out what they’re good at and provide opportunities to succeed. The principles of CfE should support this

37. Vulnerable children www.educationscotland.gov.uk