Refugee children are at risk of experiencing social, emotional or behavioural needs (SEBN) due to the stressful events they have experienced. These events may have occurred whilst in their country of origin, or when travelling to and seeking asylum in a new country. There are a high number of refugee children in the local authority where the current research takes place. Educational Psychologists (EPs) in the authority have become aware of some of the needs of these pupils through individual case work. However there is an acknowledgement that more detailed information about their needs is still required. There is also a role for EPs in working with school staff to support refugee and asylum seeker children. The current research was carried out by a Trainee Educational Psychologist (TEP) in a primary school with a high number of refugee children (10%). An action research design was employed, using the RADIO model to structure collaborative working with school staff. The focus of the action research was to identify the SEBN of refugee children in the school and to develop school practice. A whole staff questionnaire was completed for each class (15 classes in total) to explore the needs of all refugee children and identify the provision they had received. The ‘Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire’ (SDQ) (Goodman, 1997) was incorporated into this questionnaire to obtain scores for all 46 refugee children in the school. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. In order to further explore this data, three focus groups were run, one with members of staff and two with groups of children in Key Stage 2. The focus group data was analysed using thematic analysis. The SDQ data revealed that just less than 50% of the refugee children scored in the abnormal range for total difficulties. The themes emerging from the thematic analysis highlighted a range of ‘pupils’ emotions and behaviours’ and ‘reasons for different emotions and behaviours’. Provision in school was discussed in relation to ‘newly arrived pupils’, ‘social, emotional and behavioural support in school’ and ‘links with parents’. Somali refugee pupils were also highlighted as a group who had particular SEBN.An action planning group undertook further development work in response to the issues highlighted during the data collection phase. The group devised an action plan to focus on areas of the school’s provision to improve upon. The TEP supported the action planning group to focus on further developing the induction procedure in school. The implications of this research are discussed at the individual child level, the whole school level and for the role of the EP. The TEP also reflects on the role of the EP in identifying the SEB needs of refugee children and in supporting a school to carry out action research.

AFRIKAANS: In hierdie navorsing is deur aksienavorsing ondersoek ingestel na strategieë wat vir opvoeders bruikbaar is in die hantering van leerders met emosionele en gedragsbehoeftes binne die opset van insluitende onderwys. Leerders in Suid-Afrikaanse skole en klaskamers openbaar ʼn wye verskeidenheid emosionele en gedragsbehoeftes, en hierdie behoeftes word as een van die vernaamste knelpunte deur alle belanghebbendes in die land se onderwys uitgesonder. Anders as in die verlede word daar nou van opvoeders verwag om die primêre hulpverleners te wees van leerders met behoeftes in die konteks van die insluitende klaskamer. In die lig hiervan benodig opvoeders bemagtiging om die leerders te hanteer deur ’n verskeidenheid strategieë te kan gebruik. Die navorsing het deur verskeie fases verloop waar die aanvanklike behoeftes van die opvoeders bepaal is, asook die stand van sake voor die intervensie. Op grond hiervan is ʼn implementeringsprogram saamgestel wat gefokus het op die ontwikkeling van strategieë vir opvoeders van die twee skole, die toepassing daarvan in hul klasse/skool en die effek wat dit op die klasse/skool gehad het. Die implementering is op verskeie sistemiese vlakke gemoniteer – deur die opvoeders in hul eie klasse, maar ook deur eksterne waarnemers en die navorser. Gedurende die fases is die intervensie voortdurend aangepas namate nuwe behoeftes bekend geraak het. Die deelnemers het ook insette gelewer ten opsigte van strategieë en hoe dit aangepas kon word. Nuwe gemeenskaplike kennis van strategieë het tydens die intervensie ontstaan. Na afloop van die program het opvoeders die strategieë vir die hantering van leerders met emosionele en gedragsbehoeftes kwantitatief beoordeel, op grond van die bruikbaarheid daarvan in die skool- en klasopset. Uit my bevindinge het dit geblyk dat opvoeders bemagtiging benodig om met leerders met emosionele en gedragsbehoeftes te werk. Die indiensopleidings-program waaraan 47 opvoeders van twee skole deelgeneem het, het daartoe bygedra dat die opvoeders se ingesteldheid teenoor leerders verander het. Na die opleiding was hulle bekend met meer strategieë om leerdergedrag te hanteer en het ‘n gevoel van sukses beleef in die klas, wat bygedra het tot ‘n positiewe belewenis van die klassituasie. Van die strategieë wat as die bruikbaarste beoordeel is, het gehandel oor klaskamerpraktyke en strategieë om taakgerigtheid te bevorder. Ander strategieë het aspekte rondom skoolbestuur en ondersteuning aan ouers ingesluit. Enkele opvoeders het ook meer gevorderde strategieë, soos kognitiewe en gedragstegnieke gebruik. Opvoeders het positiewe reaksie aangemeld van leerders waar die strategieë toegepas is. Hierdie studie is deur ‘n proses van aksienavorsing uitgevoer en kwalitatiewe en kwantitatiewe navorsingsmetodes is gebruik. Die resultate is van toepassing binne hierdie bepaalde konteks. Volgens die navorser kan hierdie opleidingsprogram aangepas word om aan die behoefte vir indiensopleiding vir opvoeders te voorsien. Opleiding kan moontlik fokus op ʼn kleiner aantal strategieë wat deeglik ingeoefen en vasgelê kan word. Dit is verkieslik dat al die personeel van ‘n skool, insluitend die skoolbestuurspan, aan die opleiding moet deelneem om dit ‘n skoolontwikkelingsprojek te maak. Deur twee skole op verskillende vlakke van implementering saam op te lei, kan opvoeders mekaar stimuleer en kan die toepassing van idees bevorder word. ENGLISH: Learners who exhibit emotional and behavioural needs (e.g. ADHD and depression conduct disorder) seem to present a major challenge for educators in the inclusive mainstream class and educators feel that they are not adequately prepared and trained for these challenges. Action research was chosen as research method. The purpose of this research was to useful strategies which educators could implement in supporting and managing these learners, in the inclusive classroom environment. Learners with emotional and behavioural needs exhibit a wide variety of behaviours at school. In the inclusive education environment educators are expected to be the primary supporters of learners with needs. Although this expectation exists, up till now educators have received little or no training on how to support learners with needs. The research process conducted in this study followed different phases. Firstly, a needs analysis was conducted to determine the current state of affairs, the needs of educators, and strategies currently in use. Information that became evident through the needs analysis and literature research prescribed the format and aspects to be included in the initial intervention programme. During the execution of this programme, current strategies were adapted and new ones developed. Needs that came to the fore during the implementation were recognised and incorporated. The implementation was monitored on different levels, for example by teachers who implemented the strategies in their classrooms and provided feedback, by the researcher, and also by external observers. The focus was not only on the strategies, but also on processes. Changes that were observed in the different systems were assessed. During the final step of the implementation phase, educators, based on their practical experience, were required to rate the usefulness of all the different strategies that were either part of the initial presentation or were generated during the course of implementation. The qualitative as well as quantitative findings indicated that the educators became more capable of supporting these learners and implemented a wide variety of strategies. Classroom management strategies and strategies to support task behaviour were found to be the most helpful. Educators also gained more than merely knowledge. Changes in the relationship between educators and these learners were noticeable and they became aware of feelings of personal achievement and competency. Changes also occurred at other systemic levels, such as in the learners, the school, the community and even in the broader education system. This study was undertaken on a small group of educators in a particular context. Whilst the findings cannot be generalised, it is suggested that this programme may also be beneficial for educators to support learners with emotional and behavioural needs in other environments. / Thesis (DPhil)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Psychology / unrestricted