Improving Relationships, Promoting Positive Behaviour

1
Improving Relationships, Promoting Positive
Behaviour

• The Role of Local Authorities
• David Cameron
• Director of Childrens Services
• Stirling Council
• 18.03.08

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LA Roles and Responsibilities

• to engage in the development of policy
• to interpret policy in the light of local
  circumstances
• to plan for effective and appropriate
  implementation
• to make effective provision to support
  implementation
• to ensure effective delivery for young people

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The Vision

• a broader definition of inclusion relates not
  only to pupils who have particular needs, but
  also to the entitlement of all pupils to receive
  a high quality experience from the education
  system (Count us in)
• inclusive education necessarily addresses section
  2 of the 2000 Act the development of the
  personality, talents and mental and physical
  abilities of the child or young person to their
  fullest potential

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• it is about ambition supported by provision
• it has to be empowering for the learner
• inclusion is also a goal, it is not just a
  strategy
• it has to be based on getting it right first time
  wherever possible
• or at least on trying not to get it wrong first
  time

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• early identification and high quality provision
• working with partners to improve the physical,
  emotional, social and learning environment
• the central importance of appropriate ethos and
  curriculum in preventing the emergence of
  unnecessary difficulties

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• a spectrum of provision to meet a continuum of
  need
• specialised facilities for complex needs linked
  to mainstream schools
• support bases with additional staffing
• specialist support for pupils in mainstream
• support staff to support staff and pupils

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• a flexible service that is able to cope with
  changes in need, the impact of parental choice
  and other factors
• support for pupils with additional needs as a key
  part of school self-evaluation and a focus for
  discussion with Childrens Services officers

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Operational Principles

• decisions on resources should be made at as local
  a level as possible
• schools should be aware of the resources
  available to them at as early a stage as possible
  to allow sound planning
• the available resources and the decision-making
  process should move from the centre to school
  and cluster level as far as possible

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Operational Principles

• there has to be a formula that allows an
  appropriate distribution of resources
• that formula has to take account of the factors
  most likely to affect demand for support pupil
  roll, social and economic circumstances of the
  school catchment area
• there has to be an element of the available
  resource that is held centrally to address
  exceptional need

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Operational Principles

• there requires to be an element of moderation to
  ensure fairness
• there has to be joint responsibility for
  decision-making
• decisions need to take account of the wider
  picture of support for learning
• there has to be a commitment to ongoing review

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Making the Margins Mainstream

• the experience of specialists in schools
• including the Voluntary Sector
• including the non teachers
• listening to the young people
• studying the cases
• building the partnerships

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1. Initial Perceptions of Strengths

• commitment to both social inclusion and education
  in CP Working Together 2002-2007
• commitment to education and inclusion in For
  Stirlings Children
• commitment to inclusion across Childrens
  Services documentation

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• commitment to inclusion in mainstream schools and
  recognition of importance of meeting needs in
  provision appropriate to individual needs
• commitment to ensuring that placements of pupils
  with significant needs are well considered and
  monitored
• a history of very good provision for pupils with
  learning difficulties - the value of collective
  memory and expertise. Must not be lost

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• readiness to respond to individuals
• focus on community based provision for
  individuals
• attention to needs of pupils who are vulnerable
  due to adverse circumstances and mental health
  issues
• early assessment, identification and provision
  for children and families requiring special
  attention

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• recognition that the range of needs of children
  and young people require a continuum of provision
  
• very effectively embedded approach to staged
  intervention which comfortably encompasses
  individualised learning and co-ordinated support
  plans
• careful attention to deployment of SLANT
  including recognition of specialisms eg HI, VI,
  Gypsy/Traveller education

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• provision for pupils with significant, often
  complex difficulties in learning
• opportunities in new campuses especially
  Riverside
• recognition that some children with social and
  emotional difficulties giving rise to difficult
  behaviours may need educational environments
  other than schools

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• evidence of effective interagency work, eg Early
  Years including CHAT, use of psychological
  services, health links, FVHB
• links with Forth Valley College
• compass for Life documents contain valuable
  insights
• detection of positive impact of inclusion workers
  on staff

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• willingness of SLANT staff to adapt to change
• appropriately strong emphasis on building up,
  maintaining and extending the expertise of
  specialist staff
• evidence of some self-evaluation by centrally
  deployed staff and schools
• willingness to innovate, as in nurture class
• evidence of useful recommendations for best
  practice in policies and guidelines