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This thesis focuses upon the abilities of children with severe learning difficulties to contemplate the psychological states of other people, what is often referred to in the literature as 'mindreading' (Whiten and Perner, 1991). The first section contains a review of the literature on children's developing understanding of the mind and their conceptual representational abilities. This is followed by two studies investigating non-learning disabled children's abilities to attribute first-and second-order false belief. The first of these uses an adaptation of the Sally-Anne test (Baron-Cohen, et al., 1985). The second study uses an original false belief story scenario, which involves children in drama. The researcher uses a technique called 'split-briefing' to provide children with first-hand experience of first-and second-order false belief. Simplified versions of the two false belief story scenarios are then used with children with severe learning difficulties to investigate their abilities to represent first-and second-order false belief. The relationship between children's scores on belief attribution tasks and their scores on tests of non-verbal intellectual reasoning (Ravens Coloured Matrices) and receptive language ability (TROG) is also examined in this study. The third section outlines the findings of a questionnaire-based study examining parental reports of spontaneous internal state use by two groups of children: non-learning disabled children aged 1-5 years and pupils with Down's Syndrome aged 4-19 years with severe learning difficulties. 'Internal state language' is language which refers to intentions, cognitions and feeling states (Bretherton and Beeghly, 1981). This is followed by a further investigation of internal state language among a group of students with severe learning difficulties. This study uses a series of playlets written by the author to provide students with an interactive, participatory medium in which to draw their attention to people's internal states. The thesis concludes with a final statement on research into the social-cognitive development of children with severe learning difficulties, with recommendations for future research and intervention.

Play is an important contributor to children’s development: it reflects, reinforces, and results in development (Johnson, Christie, Wardle, 2005). However, the tools available to support planning and measurement of play are not sufficiently detailed or focused on children with autism and severe learning difficulties (SLD). Play for children with autism is consistently identified as restrictive and repetitive. Although extensive research examines symbolic play, the content and structure of functional play, which is considered a valuable precursor of symbolic play, is rarely the subject of focused research (Williams, 2003; Lifter, Foster-Sanda, Arzamarski, Briesch, & McClure, 2011). Given the developmental potential that play presents, the aim of this study was to examine the functional play presented by children with autism and SLD, with a view to designing a play framework that enables teachers to support functional play development in the classroom. A pragmatic mixed methods approach was adopted across a three-stage study in three schools. Study 1 provides the background for creating a functional play framework, while Study 2 focuses on the creation of the framework through objective observations of the play activity of a total of 27 children with autism and SLD, as well as interviews with nine classroom teachers. Study 3 was a process of trialling the framework in two schools and collaborating with eight teachers to finalise the functional play framework, in particular by considering its usability. Data collected across the three studies provided a description of functional play that suggests it is more complex than traditionally defined. Four key areas of functional play were identified: interacting with one object; interacting with two (or more) objects; interacting with self; and interacting with the environment. Additionally, 12 subcategories were established as components related to functional play. Teachers reported that they could use the framework to baseline play, set targets and measure play progression for children with autism and SLD. The framework was also identified as a tool that supports classroom management and continuing professional development. The proposed framework facilitates the identification of small increments of progress and extends on other available play frameworks. By developing detailed descriptions of the play that children with autism and SLD present, the framework provides a greater ability to identify precise deficits and, more specifically, to target support in the area of play. Additionally, the collaborative approach with classroom teachers provides diverse viewpoints but also begins to merge the gap between researchers and practitioners in order to ensure a useful resource. Recommendations for further descriptive accounts, greater involvement of classroom professionals in the development of resources and additional trials of the framework are acknowledged.

Context: The purpose of this research was to examine if the educational approach (the Approach) adopted at Kilnbarn Residential Special School (the School) secured the developmental learning pathways for its pupils. All pupils were diagnosed with Autistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Severe Learning Difficulties (SLD) and many had single or multiple comorbid conditions. The research sought to understand how their parents could be substantive partners and co-creators in the design, modification, and implementation of the Approach. It was a unique feature of Kilnbarn’s Approach to fulfil the potential of parents to be co-creators and co-therapists in their child’s progress. Objective: The case study became one of the instruments in which to test the School’s effectiveness in meeting the needs of its pupils. It enabled a review of the School’s methodology, curriculum and organisational practices. The Approach was designed to provide secure developmental learning pathways for its pupils, improving their quality of life and independence. Method: The case study design, was chosen as it was considered the most appropriate research model. A Parents’ Questionnaire, distributed annually over 3 consecutive years (2004-6) was the evidential basis for this study. Interviews and collected data were used to analyse and evaluate the progress of the School through parents’ eyes. Results: The combination of parents working with professionals to maximise the culture of “technical eclecticism” seems to be, in the light of this case study, best suited to the needs of children diagnosed with autism, SLD and comorbid conditions. The child should be immersed in a consistent approach across all areas of their life. Improvements in well-being, communication and joint action routines, sleep balance, a healthy diet, physical exercise, incontinence and behaviours was observed. Conclusion The study identified that parents could be substantive partners and influencers in the design and modification of the Kilnbarn Approach. The Approach secured developmental learning pathways for its pupils and appeared to improve their quality of life. Parents as co-creators and co-therapists had regained ownership of their child’s quality of life, learning outcomes and personal development. From the experience and unique evidence of this case study schools should utilise and profit from the mass resource of their parents. It has been shown that the Kilnbarn Approach was, during the research, an effective and suitable intervention for the many children it served. It is hoped that further studies in this field will explore the concept of a “technical eclectic” approach that further validates and brings together interventions that are conceptually grounded and incorporates evidence-based focused intervention practices.