Fostering resilience in children and young people: early learning from Headstart Dr Jessica Deighton

Overview Some background on resilience and protective factors An introduction to Headstart Early findings Next steps A request for information

Child mental health: some background In a class of 20 – Around 2-3 will experience mental health problems Well established risk factors – Individual factors Sex, IQ, Self-esteem – Community Factors Dangerous/unsafe neighbourhood Bad relationship with neighbours – Family Factors Harsh parenting Abuse – Friendship Factors Lack of friends Being bullied

But… Many young people go on to function well in the context of risk factors What differentiates those who do well in adversity from those who struggle? Can those who struggle in the context of risk be supported to achieve better outcomes … resilience??

Resilience is… Michael Ungar “resilience is both the capacity of individuals to navigate their way to the psychological, social, cultural, and physical resources that sustain their well-being, and their capacity individually and collectively to negotiate for these resources to be provided in culturally meaningful ways” Michael Rutter "...the positive end of the distribution of developmental outcomes among individuals at high risk." Dante Cicchetti: "...a two-dimensional characterization that encompasses aspects of children's negative life circumstances, and evidence of positive adaptation among these children, across one or more domains of functioning." Angie Hart: …beating the odd whilst changing the odds Jay Belsky …a misunderstanding of differential susceptibility Anne Masten: "...the maintenance of positive adjustment under challenging life conditions.”

Resilience is… Anne Masten: "...the maintenance of positive adjustment under challenging life conditions.” Resilience is not a ‘thing’ or a trait It’s a relationship between an outcome and a particular context Requires both presence of risk and a positive outcome with respect to functioning Positive mental health in the absence of adverse circumstances is NOT resilience

Why is resilience important? Child outcomes Risk factors Protective factors By study the range of internal characteristics and external factors that are associated with better outcomes for those at risk, we can begin to understand – The range of support required – The characteristics and internal resources that should be fostered These internal and external factors are protective factors

Protective factors By study the range of internal characteristics and external factors that are associated with better outcomes for those at risk, we can begin to understand – The range of support required – The characteristics and internal resources that should be fostered These internal and external factors are protective factors External support Supportive relationships (parent-child relationships, peer, teacher-child) Supportive structures (community resources, school ethos/policies cohesive wider family network) External support Supportive relationships (parent-child relationships, peer, teacher-child) Supportive structures (community resources, school ethos/policies cohesive wider family network) Internal Characteristics Emotion regulation Problems solving Coping Self-management Internal Characteristics Emotion regulation Problems solving Coping Self-management Protective factors

Protective factors are processes that alter the effects of adversity on outcomes The presence of protective factors explain why some young people appear resilient while others do not It’s a balancing act Protective factors Protect- ive factors Negative outcomes are more likely where the risk factors outweigh the protective factors Resilience interventions focus on increasing the amount of protective factors in order to improve mental health and well-being Risks

Schools as sites for intervention: Headstart 12 partnerships – local authorities with public health, voluntary sector, youth justice etc. Focus on: – locally developed and owned – cross-disciplinary and multi-layered – Multiple interventions per partnership – Incorporates schools and ‘out of school’ settings – Whole system change to best support young people

The Headstart Evaluation Information used to inform these questions: Large scale school-based survey Qualitative scoping study and in-depth case studies

The Headstart Evaluation Measures of outcome and mechanism MeasureExample questions General well-being The Child Outcome Rating Scale Me (How am I doing) Family (How are things in my family) Mental Health Me and My School I am unhappy I lose my temper I am calm Resilience Student resilience survey I can work out my problems I know where to go for help when I have a problems Collected from just under 8,000 children in just under 100 schools aged between 10 and 14 Also school data (e.g., FSM, SEN, EAL) Analysis began with this self-report data…

NB cross sectional data Headstart: Early analysis Family connection School connection Community connection Emotional Difficulties Behavioural Difficulties Relationship between ‘protective factors’ and outcomes: external support

NB cross sectional data Headstart: Early analysis Engagement in community Engagement in home Emotional Difficulties Behavioural Difficulties Relationship between ‘protective factors’ and outcomes: external support

.00 NS NB cross sectional data Headstart: Early analysis Self esteem Problem solving Empathy Emotional Difficulties Behavioural Difficulties Goals and aspirations Relationship between ‘protective factors’ and outcomes: internal characteristics

Findings Based on cross sectional data: – Strongest relationships for emotional problems Family connection Engagement in the home Self esteem Empathy Problem solving – Strongest relationships for behavioural problems Family connection Engagement in the home Self-esteem Goals and aspirations

What’s next for Headstart? The next phase of implementation – Partnerships notified whether they continue for the next 6 years – Next stage of the evaluation Evaluation – Analysis of baseline data including school information (risk factors) – Development of a common measurement framework – Some of this learning is being fed into other projects

Some final questions to school staff We are working with Public Health England to create guidance materials for schools regarding measuring positive well-being. 1.What measures for wellbeing and/or resilience do you use in your school? 2.How are these used? (How often, which year groups etc.) 3.How is the information used? (e.g., Ofsted, planning support etc.) 4.How successful do you think their use has been/is in your school? 5.Would you recommend this model? Why/why not?