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“Supporting Parents, Children and Teachers: research and practice”

Copthorne Hotel, Cardiff 7th March 2012

Professor Judy Hutchings

Centre for Evidence Based Early InterventionBangor University

Email: j.hutchings@bangor.ac.uk

Supporting teachers and children in school: lessons

from Wales

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Overview of presentation The IY parent, child and teacher

programmes

Child and teacher programme content

Developing the programmes in Wales

Evaluation and research on the child and teacher programmes in Wales

Current school based research in Wales

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Teacher Programme

6 full day sessions held monthly

Child Dinosaur treatment Programme: 6 children, 18 - 22 weekly sessions

Child Dinosaur Classroom Programme:3 year curriculum, 2 sessions per week, 30 weeks

ADVANCED Programme: 9 sessions helping adults communicate & problem solve

The Incredible Years Programmes

School Aged BASIC Parent Programme: 10 - 12 sessions, 6 - 12 years

Pre-School BASIC Parent Programme: 14-18 weekly sessions, 3 – 6 years

School ReadinessProgramme:4 pre-school sessions 2 – 4 years

Infant (eight sessions) 0 - 12 months toddler 1 - 3 year olds (13 sessions) programmes

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Components of effective interventions that are in the IY programmes (Hutchings et al 2004)

- new skills must be modelled and rehearsed

- (non-violent) sanctions for negative behaviour and relationship building, praise and rewards

- - practice or ‘homework’- programmes should emphasise principles rather than prescribe

techniques

- interventions work best when delivered early

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Fidelity in Incredible Years programmes

Content – social learning theory

Process – collaboration, individual goals, shared problem solving

Fidelity tools - training, manuals, supervision, certification etc.

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How the IY programmes achieve implementation with fidelity

detailed leader manuals videotapes books and materials for

parents structured leader training, basic 3

day plus consultation days ongoing supervision a leader certification process a network of trainers and mentors

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Incredible Years Teacher Classroom

Management Programme

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Goals for the teacher programmme

Increase positive and nurturing teaching styles

Decrease negative or harsh teaching style

Promote parent-teacher collaboration

Promote supportive school environment - with focus on social-emotional development

Teacher Programme Content Building positive relationships with students Building parent-teacher collaborations Increasing parent involvement Importance of teacher attention,

encouragement and praise Preventing problems: proactive teaching Decreasing inappropriate behavior Promoting positive social/emotional skills literacy & problem solving in the class

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TCM research results• Children in intervention classes had fewer conduct problems and were more ready for school (friendly, follows directions, on task, engaged) than control children.

• Intervention teachers were more supportive of student efforts than control teachers

• Teachers and parents were satisfied with the programme and that it met their goals for their children’s social development

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The Incredible Years Child Dinosaur School

social skills and problem solving

programmes

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Goals for child programme Decrease aggressive and oppositional behavior

when it first starts

Strengthen children’s social competence & self-regulation

Promote children’s academic competence school engagement and school readiness

Develop children’s problem solving skills

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• New Friends and School Rules• Succeeding in School• Understanding Feelings• Problem Solving• Anger Management• Talking with Friends and Being Friendly

Dinosaur Child Programme Content

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Dinosaur SchoolSmall Group and Classroom Models

Small group therapeutic version6 children per group (2 leaders)2 hours weekly, 20-22 weeksHigh rates of reinforcement, reinforcers,Circle time and small group practice

Classroom universal versionTaught 2-3 times per week, 60 lessons plans, per year for three years KS1Presented in: 20-minute large group circle timePracticed in: 20-minute small group activitiesPromoted in lunch, recess, choice time

Dina research outcomes

Improved peer relationships

Greater academic engagement

More problem solutions and more pro-social problem solutions

Reduced behavioural problems

Child and teacher programmes in Wales

2000 Pilot Dino therapy programme for referred children in NHS

2002 Pilot of teacher and child classroom programmes

2004 Roll out of child and teacher programmes in Gwynedd

Positive Estyn feedback 2006 RCT of teacher programme 2009 Pilot Dino treatment in school 2010 RCT Dino treatment in schools

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First Therapeutic Small Group Dina evaluation

Delivered in CAMHS service 9 children, aged 7 - 11, mean 9yrs

3 mos. 4 PRU, one excluded, 1 LD special

school,3 mainstream with support 4 ADHD, 3 with medication 82% mean attendance

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Results ECBI-I 165.75 - 13.38 p < .05

effect size .83 SDQ impact score 5.75 - 2.13 p

< .01 effect size 1.91 SCRS 180.81 - 136.75 p< .05

effect size 1.03

Effect sizes of changes

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Behaviours most frequently reported as having improved:

Helping with choresAnger control Problem solving, compromising, concentration Friendship skills and listening to, and following, instructions

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Parent report Child 4’s mother: We go visiting people, he has

calmed down a hell of a lot. At one time he’d kick off in anybody’s house. He didn’t care who it was and he’d be touchin all their ornaments, the lot. To be fair now, its not very often he seems to kick off. He seems to be able to behave himself more now.

Child 6’s mother: I used to find it hard to take him shopping, you know, the two of them, cos he wanted to go into the shops, he wanted to stay, but now he’ll come out, you know, when I say.

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Child 7’s mother: We went out for a meal in an Italian restaurant…

Three or four people commented on [child’s name] within an hour on how good he had been and isn’t it lovely being able to come out like this and sit and have a meal…We’ve been in a restaurant before and he’s actually jumped on the table, actually, literally jumped onto the middle of a table in a restaurant.

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Child 3’s mother: But his behaviour has changed in such a

way, I mean, he’s accepted into school, he’s accepted by everybody else now. He’s not a pain anymore. Because he was really excluded before by everybody…. But he’s noticed people wanna do more with him, adults want to do more with him because he’s behavin’ whereas before it’d be like, God!

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Classroom Dina development in Wales

Presentation on small group Dina for local Health and Education staff Two champions emerged from Gwynedd Education service Classroom Dino training funded for local teachers Pilot classroom Dino with small scale evaluation

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Initial classroom Dina evaluation

Teachers from two schools trained Implementation in one school All school staff introduced to the

underpinning classroom management principles

Supervision and feedback provided Parent and teacher feedback

collected

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Reception class data Small sample, at start of school

year Not all children had difficulties at

outset Significant improvement on

parent reported SDQ p<.05

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Parent interviews Improvements in children’s

vocabulary and attitude to school work reported

“he seems happier, he’s able to get what he wants to say out – he’s less frustrated”

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She’s apologising a lot if she does things to upset her brother - on her own now, we don’t have to tell her

He counts to three when he is angry and uses his “ignoring” muscle when someone annoys him

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School staff interview The kids all know the Dino rules and are

more polite to each other All the children are beginning to learn

and use the principles I think its becoming a happier school.

The atmosphere is changing, the teachers are getting used to praising. It used to be don’t do that! Now that’s ignored and good things are concentrated on..the kids are taking more responsibility for their own behaviour

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Initial trial of TCM programme

Head teacher in first Dino school had learned the TCM curriculum from the book and used it with all school staff (canteen staff, playground staf,f etc) whilst implementing the first Dino trial

We concluded TCM gave the essential underpinning teacher skills for Dino School and ran two trial TCM courses

Pilot TCM study including teacher satisfaction and classroom observation

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First teacher pilot 2002

23 teachers, 22 women, 2 Local Authorities

2-32 years teaching mean 17 yrs 15 KS1 (4 - 7 year olds), 2 KS2 (8 -

11 year olds), 3 heads, 3 special needs

5 days of training, mean 4.7 attendance,

Teacher satisfaction and interview

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Teacher Report: Teacher Satisfaction

Questionnaire

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Teacher responses“It was good to share experiences with other teacher in similar situations – I no longer felt I was alone. I just wish I’d had this course as part of my teacher training!”

“I liked the fact that useful strategies were highlighted. The flexibility of the course – in terms of being able to select the strategies that would work better for me was great.”

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“I do not raise my voice half as much as I used to, and give a lot more praise. Rather, I think before reacting, and it is good to focus on good behaviour in the classroom – something that I generally tended to ignore in the past. This has had such a positive effect on the children’s behaviour to each other too.”

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“I feel I can engage the children’s attention better. They seem to have more respect for me and other pupils. They love being involved in making up rules, and finding strategies to solve problems. The best course I ever attended!”

“It was refreshing to come back to the staff-room after the training, not having to say that the best thing about the course was the lunch! It definitely has been a worthwhile experience for me, and for my pupils, and I am eager for other members of my staff to receive this training.”

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“I am completely transformed! My views on dealing with misbehaviour have changed radically – and for the better – as reflected in my pupils. I have been going on about the course to my staff – and it’s just a shame that some teachers fail to realise the applicability of adopting a new perspective. I think the only way that they would benefit would be if they all had the opportunity of attending the course.”

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Pilot TCM observation study 2004

Direct observation in classroom by blind observers

30 minutes, frequency counts of teacher and child behaviour

21 classrooms 10 trained teachers, 11

untrained

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Results: pilot study Trained teachers: Used more direct commands Allowed longer time allowed for

compliance Increased teacher praise Children show Reduced non-compliance/increased

compliance Increased positive behaviours to

both teachers and pupils

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Full scale roll out of TCM and Dino in Gwynedd

County decision on roll out TCM and Classroom Dino

Four volunteer schools per year Part-time secondment of head teacher

to do training and supply cover funded By 2005 - 16 schools trained and

running classroom Dino programme School inspection results good Project taken to scale with full time

secondment of head teacher to train remaining 80 schools over a three year period - completed in 2008

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12 classrooms 11 schools Observed teacher and child

behaviour High, moderate and low risk

children identified using the teacher completed Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ)

The teacher classroom management RCT study summary of findings

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Significant changes in teacher behaviour

More positives Less negatives More praise Clearer commands

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Changes in Pupil Behaviour

More on-task behaviour Less non-compliance More compliance Less negative behaviour to

teacher Less negative to other children Generally more positive and less

negative

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Ysgol Abercaseg, Bethesda, Gwynedd School Inspectors report 2006

Pupils personal and social development is promoted effectively through activities such as Ysgol Dina, circle time and school council. …. This is an outstanding aspect of the provision and it makes a key contribution towards the family ethos generated throughout the school.

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The school has played a prominent role in developing the Webster-Stratton programme. As a result there has been a significant improvement in pupils attitudes towards learning and the overall standard of their behaviour

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The nursery and reception children are completely at ease in class and are able to concentrate for increasing periods as they take part in the various activities. They behave well and complete their work with genuine enthusiasm and understanding. During ‘Ysgol Dina ‘ sessions they relate well to each other and discuss their feelings with ease.

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Oldford School, Welshpool, School Inspectors report 2007

During PSE sessions, with puppets Dina and Wally, children showed exceptional sensitivity to the problems of others and how difficulties might be resolved

Ysgol Bro Lleu (2008) Pupils’ spiritual, moral, social and cultural

development is fostered very effectively by a coherent strategy which incorporates and brings together aspects of the curriculum, personal and social education, circle time, services, the use of the ‘Webster-Stratton’ scheme and procedures for promoting good behaviour and developing emotional intelligence. The strategy ensures that there is progression and balance across the school and the manner in which it is implemented is an outstanding feature of the school.

Gwynedd (2008)

The local authority has adopted the Webster-Stratton programme in all its primary schools to target poor behaviour . . . As a results, incidences of challenging behaviour in primary schools have reduced

Latest development: school based small group Dina programme

Additional academic skill coaching for high-risk children may not be effective without basic social and emotional competencies

Many schools in North Wales have teachers trained in IY TCM and deliver the IY Classroom Dina Curriculum

Would an additional dose of the Dino curriculum delivered in the small group therapeutic format help them?

The Bro Lleu trial The idea was piloted in one school Teachers and classroom support staff

trained to deliver it Trial of 10 sessions Results showed children in cause for

concern range benefited Gwynedd partnered with us to get

funds for a larger RCT

Current Dina trial £400k from Lottery grant 22 schools, three counties trained teachers

and classroom support staff, supply cover funded

225 KS1 children identified by teacher SDQ as ‘cause for concern’

Randomly allocated 1:1 to intervention or W/L control

All materials and supervision Trial is ongoing but enthusiasm from

teachers

Research measures Demographics (child and teacher) Parent report on child behaviour

and own mental wellbeing Teacher report on child behaviour,

academic attainment and teacher stress

Child problem solving test Classroom observation Peer interaction observation

Preliminary feedback - Phase 1 schools

Good partnership between researchers, seconded teacher and schools

Teachers prepared well for sessions Set individual goals for children Reinforce the work in the classroom Praised children for effort Children were solving problems on yard and

could explain how they succeeded Support for children who had difficulties with

home activities for various reasons

Current situation 13 phase 2 schools now delivering 150 participants in phase 2 (79 in

phase 1 in 9 schools) Project protocol published Final data collection June – August

2012 Project funded to June 2013 Results out over the coming year

Taking parenting into school to strengthen home-school links

Delivering the School Readiness parent programme in Schools

A four session parent programme to prepare children for school and build home-school links

Two sessions on play, two on promoting children’s interest in books

School staff delivering it to parents of newly enrolled pupils, we are evaluating it with a PhD student

Positive response from schools, results due later this year

Other projects in the pipeline

MRes to do further work on a sensitive scoring scheme for the Schedule of Growing Skills

MREs to evaluate early implementation of the KiVa antibullying programme

PhD funded for PREPARE a web based parenting programme to develop children’s school readiness

Application for funding for a development officer to work with local Authorities in delivering evidence based programmmes effectively

A grant application with Oxford and Cape Town Universities to develop and evealuate a programmme for carers of vulnerable children including HIV orphans

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Conclusions The IY parent programmes have been taken

up across Wales and the UK, The child and teacher programmes less well

developed in UK but Wales is taking the lead It is important to establish that these

programmes work here Teacher, parent and child responses are

enthusiastic Estyn reports are positive Good quality research trials in Wales show

that child and teacher behaviour improves

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Thank you

j.hutchings@bangor.ac.uk