11th & 12th February 2014

Presenter: Joe Duffy, Senior Educational Psychologist/ Professional & Academic Tutor, QUB

Outline of presentation

SEBD as a SEN

Assessment framework

• Types of support

Managing challenging situations

SEBD: A special educational need

“EBD is perhaps the only category of SEN that exposes a child to increased risk of exclusion as a function of the very SEN identified as requiring special provision in the first instance” (Jull, 2008)

Social, Emotional & Behavioural Difficulties

SEBD

SEBD; BESD; EBD???

Social, mental & emotional health (SMEH) – Children & Families Bill (2013)

An administrative SEN category (within the context of the Code of Practice, 1996)

“…. an imprecise umbrella term, always difficult to define, although it is quite clear that many children and young people to whom the term is applied have complex and chronic difficulties, which place them at risk of school and wider social exclusion” (Source: Appendix 1 from 2006 SEBDA Business Plan)

SEBD can therefore be manifested as: Externalising difficulties – “acting out” behaviours e.g.

aggression, disruption, non-compliance

Internalising difficulties – withdrawn behaviour, anxiety, phobias, depression

Medical disorders e.g. conduct disorder, oppositional defiance disorder

Mental Health Problems e.g. affective (mood) disorders, eating disorders, post-traumatic syndromes, self-harm & suicide

Comorbidity - e.g. in association with learning difficulties

Understanding SEBD

The biopsychosocial perspective“The more we understand about the nature of the child’s difficulties the better placed we are to provide effective support” (Cooper, 2005, p.105)

“We must find ways of incorporating biological insights with social & environmental understandings of SEBD” (Cooper, 2005, p.105)

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The 5Ps approach to understanding SEBD

Problem SituationProblemSituation

Triggers, setting events

Maintaining Factors

Risk Factors

Resilience

Behaviours

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Understanding SEBD: A systemic, interactionalist framework

Cultural

Neighbourhood

Family

Other pupils

School staff

School

Child

SEBD

Assessment

The SEN Code of Practice: A graduated response to SEBD

Focus on prevention & early intervention school/classroom-wide systems for all pupilsdifferentiation

Focus on small-group & individual needsystems for pupils with at-risk behaviourmore specialised, additional within-school support

Personalised interventionsystems for pupils with high-risk behaviourmore specialised support e.g. “additional to & different from….”external agency involved

The role of Educational Psychology within the Code of Practice

For school-aged children the educational psychologist (EP) typically becomes involved at Stage 3 of the CoP, following a referral from a school.

Once it has been agreed that an EP will assess a child, he/she will be seen in school. On completion of the assessment a report will be written.

Many of the Stage 3 support services have to be accessed through the recommendation of an EP.

SEBD: Individual EP assessments

Psychometric Assessment

Types of Support

Support available for children & young people with SEBD

Behaviour Support Team Behaviour outreach support Counselling Additional Adult assistance (Statemented pupils) Out of school support e.g. short-term placement

in a unit/special school, hospital schools Alternative Education Provision Other e.g. voluntary organisations, Health &

Social Care Trusts, CYPSP

Managing SEBD in challenging situations

Challenging behaviours!

A “challenging” behaviour can be one which is perceived as a management difficulty for a staff member e.g.“High frequency, low intensity behaviours” (e.g. after Elton, 1989)

Managing challenging situations

• Being prepared – effective policies, planning• Understanding child & adolescent development • Awareness of theories on anger & aggression• Staff training - self-awareness & reflection• Knowing how to access appropriate ELB & other

support services e.g. re. Critical Incidents• The four “C”s – an integrated (“team”) approach

to meeting the needs of pupils with SEBD

Planning

One of the best predictors of future behaviour is past behaviour

The Typical Arousal Cycle(After Breakwell, 1997)

Stages Trigger Escalation Crisis Recovery Post-crisis

Depression

ANXIETY

LEVEL

TIME

90 Minutes

Repeated crises

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The Control Trilogy

Phase 1: Calming

Phase 2: Reaching

Phase 3: Controlling

The Four “C”s

Communication

Contribution

Commitment

Collaboration

Thank you