Despite an underlying inclusion agenda, sexuality equality remains a low priority in education. A large body of literature suggests the marginalization of sexual minority young people (SMYP) in schools and indicates the need to enhance understanding in this area to change existing practice. Whilst other disciplines have begun to examine professional practice with regard to heterosexism (defined as a socially created value system which contrasts heterosexuality as normal and non-heterosexuality as inferior, Fish 2008), educational psychologists have not yet embraced action which locates intervention at the social level. This study explores Educational Psychologists’ (EPs’) constructions of sexuality and the implications for practice. Discursive psychology (Potter and Wetherell 1987) was used to analyse semi-structured interview data from seven EPs. Multiple and context dependent constructions of sexuality emerged from the study. The research revealed that participants oriented to the need to maintain a non-prejudiced position and managed tensions of accountability using rhetorical strategies and various interpretive repertoires. Conclusions centre on the need for reflexive practice to challenge taken for granted assumptions regarding sexuality in education and psychology communities. Training is also recommended which is underpinned by social constructionist methods to develop awareness of the cultural barriers for SMYP and reveal the complexities of sexuality diversity. It is intended that such training would develop confidence for EPs in this area so that new discourses infuse the drive towards a sexuality inclusive school culture.

The focus of this volume is on reflective practice. It presents a literature review relating to reflective practice and its development and an account of a research and development initiative aimed at promoting the development of reflective practice in Children‟s Centres. The Introductory Chapter provides an overview of the structure and contents of the volume as well as an explanation of the context in which the research study was completed and an account of the influence of a social constructivist perspective and empowerment research on the position of the researcher and the focus of the study. It also provides details regarding the completed and proposed dissemination of findings for a variety of audiences. Chapter 2 provides a review of the literature in relation to five broad questions but with a particular focus on the role of the Educational Psychologist in supporting organisational development through developing reflective practice. Literature regarding reflective practice is reviewed and used to inform the development of the focus for the research study which is presented in Chapter 3. The study involved the design, implementation and evaluation of an intervention aimed at supporting the reflective practice of practitioners in two Children‟s Centres. Realistic Evaluation principles were used to inform the design of the evaluation which measured the impact of the intervention through gathering the practitioners‟ perspectives. Implications for the role of Educational Psychologists in supporting reflective practice are also highlighted and discussed within Chapter 4.

The thesis explores how schools cope psychologically with a Critical Incident, from the perspectives of the school decision-makers. It examines support strategies in the short, medium and long-term and at a whole-school, group and individual level. The process of support is considered in terms of its contribution to normalisation. The exploration makes particular reference to decision-making factors for schools regarding outside support post-Critical Incident, especially that which is available from a Local Authority Critical Incident Response Team (C.I.R.T.). Eleven schools participated, creating two data sets balanced between those requesting C.I.R.T. support and these that did not. Decision-makers, most of whom were head teachers, were interviewed and subsequently the resultant data was scrutinised through the process of thematic analysis from an interpretivist perspective. Overall the themes revealed that schools coped psychologically through a pastoral response targeted for both staff, young people and families, leading to reduced stress and whole-school normalisation. There are systemic limitations and pressures, however schools which requested external support through C.I.R.T. reported useful outcomes, particularly a strengthened staff and an enhanced sense of preparedness. Decision-making regarding external support is influenced by the initial impact of the C.l. (Critical Incident), circumstantial factors and situational need whereby schools assess their own capacity to cope. The thesis concludes that schools are generally able to cope effectively psychologically post-C.I., however some decision-makers do request support from C.I.R.T., which schools perceive as being beneficial.

In recent years, there have been calls for an increase in our understanding of the mental health needs of young people who have been excluded from school and therefore attend Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) (Centre for Social Justice, 2011; Mental Health Foundation, 2002; National Children’s Bureau, 2011). Evidence suggests that disruptive behaviour (DB) and depressive symptoms (DS) are closely linked. Previous research suggests that DB is a risk factor for DS, and vice-versa. Due to the likelihood of high levels of DB in young people excluded from school, the aim of this thesis was to examine the relationship between DB and DS in a PRU sample. Results showed a significant correlation between DB and DS; this was stronger than the correlation between DB and anxiety. Furthermore, the presence of negative self-concept increased the influence of DB on DS and of DS on DB. It seems that there is a mutual relationship between DS and DB, in part explained by the presence of a negative self-concept. Surprisingly, no association was established between DB, DS and academic attainment. The findings have implications for research and professional practice. Efforts should be made to increase awareness of affective difficulties, such as DS, in disruptive pupils.

The reforms supporting children with special educational needs and disability have undergone significant changes with the introduction of a coordinated system which places parents and children at the heart of processes, with education, health and social care professionals working together to support the needs of children. There has been little focus within research in this area, that in relation to the role of Educational Psychologists (EPs) and on multiple perspectives of working together particularly that including children and their parents. The current two phased study therefore utilised a multiple case study design to explore the expectations and experiences of EPs, professionals from health, social care and education, parents and children on working together through the statutory assessment process under the Children and Families Act (2014) through the application of Activity Theory methodology. The findings suggest roles for EPs, parents and children and support and constraints of working together similar to that identified within literature with additional roles, supports and constraints identified as directly related to the process. Methods of enhancing working together through the process are suggested and the implications of the findings to the practice of EPs, professionals, parents, children and the Local Authority are discussed along with future research.

This research explores the effects of a group intervention aimed at reducing self-reported test anxiety with sixth form students preparing to sit AS / A Level examinations. Previous research has suggested that a combination of cognitive behavioural therapy, relaxation skills training and study skills approaches are most effective in alleviating test anxiety and an intervention was designed combining these approaches. The effectiveness of the intervention was measured using a mixed methods design, with test anxiety measured pre and post-intervention using self-report questionnaires and two focus groups: the first in the pre-examination period and the second following the examinations. The results from the questionnaire showed that, after completing the intervention, participants’ test anxiety had been significantly reduced (p = <0.05), while the findings from the qualitative data suggested that participants felt that the intervention had skilled them with practical tools to reduce anxiety associated with high stakes testing. The findings suggest that the intervention is promising as a proactive approach in educational settings with pupils who have been identified as experiencing test anxiety. The implications of the research for the work of EPs are considered.

This research was undertaken to explore and explain the contexts and mechanisms influencing full-time class teachers’ emotional wellbeing (EWB) in a primary school rated ‘outstanding’ by the Office for Standards in Education, Children’s Services and Skills (Ofsted). Despite being associated with issues high on the national agenda including pupil wellbeing, pupil performance, teacher retention and teacher recruitment, the wellbeing of school staff is a cause for concern calling for supportive and positive measures. Previous findings often describe wellbeing in deficit terms: the impacts of stress and burnout; however, research on what promotes teachers’ EWB is relatively scarce or, in Ofsted outstanding primary schools, non-existent. The current qualitative study aims to address this gap by applying grounded theory (GT) methodology to data collection and analysis on what enhances and hinders teachers’ EWB in their professional role and what interventions could be implemented to produce desirable outcomes. Semi-structured interviews were employed to elicit the views of 5 full-time class teachers at a mainstream primary school in an outer London borough. Adopting a critical realist ontological and epistemological stance, a general, abstract theory grounded in the views of the participants was drawn and discussed in relation to existing literature on psychological theory and research. Findings provide evidence to inform professionals linked to the chosen setting on what teachers think ‘works’ for them and how this could be applied in practice. It is hoped that outcomes will also facilitate further research in similar settings.

In the past three years, the Educational Psychologist (EP) profession has undergone significant developments as a result of the revised Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) Code of Practice (Department for Education, 2014). Two specific changes outlined in the SEND Code of Practice underpin the purpose of this research. The first was the change in terminology from Behaviour, Emotional and Social Development (BESD), to Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), as one of the four broad categories of identified SEND. The second change was the extended age range of which the SEND Code of Practice now relates to: 16-25 years. The aim of this research was to explore how college staff co-constructed SEMH needs in their setting, to offer a valuable insight as to how EPs can best support similar settings in the future. Existing literature highlighted an absence of EP research on SEMH needs in post-16 education, or how college settings conceptualise SEMH needs. This study used a Discourse Analysis approach to explore how participants in a focus group (6 staff members in a sixth form college) co-constructed SEMH needs through their discourses, and a social constructionist epistemology underpinned the approach to this study. The identification of dominant and suppressed discourses illustrated variation in the staff members’ talk, suggesting the difficulties and dilemmas that arose when co-constructing a term such as SEMH. Emphasis placed on various discourses of SEMH was seen to impact on practice, highlighting the importance in identifying dominant and suppressed discourses of SEMH in educational settings. The college setting was seen to hinder and support SEMH needs simultaneously, and contrasts between disempowering and empowering students and staff to manage SEMH needs were explored. The emotional energy required to work with adolescent students was highlighted, and the extent to which discourses of pathologising students with SEMH needs functioned to defend against social anxiety, was also explored. The role of reflexivity throughout the research process, strengths and limitations of the study, and implications for EP practice were discussed.

<p> There is a distinct need to understand subjective well-being for neurodivergent students in early childhood. Review of previous literature suggests the positive influence of subjective well-being in mitigating psychological distress; however, young children have been excluded from these investigations. Therefore, this study employed an advanced mixed methods research design, through which a convergent core was embedded within an overarching quasi-experimental framework to analyze three key outcomes in early childhood education: (a) self-identified conceptualizations of student covitality, (b) self-evaluated levels of student covitality, and (c) teacher-rated levels of executive dysfunction. </p><p> All students actively enrolled in a local partner school serving pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade (<i>N</i> = 45) participated in qualitative and quantitative evaluations of covitality. Qualitative data were collected through semi-structured focus groups, and quantitative data were collected through student ratings on the Social-Emotional Health Survey-Primary (Furlong, You, Renshaw, O&rsquo;Malley, &amp; Rebelez, 2013). Qualitative findings suggested students conceptualize covitality as positive school experiences along a developmental trajectory across five themes&mdash;play activities, classroom instruction, school environmental factors, interpersonal relationships, and special programs. Quantitative results determined excellent internal reliability of the covitality scale for early elementary 1st- and 2nd-grade students (Cronbach's &alpha; = .908). </p><p> Two classrooms were randomly assigned to the waitlist control (<i> n</i> = 14) or intervention (<i>n</i> = 10) condition&mdash;1st- and 2nd-grade, respectively. A novel positive psychology intervention was designed and tested to promote covitality. Implementation of strategically targeted practices supported the underlying factors of gratitude, zest, optimism, and persistence. </p><p> Additional quantitative data were collected through teacher ratings of cognition on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function, Second Edition (Gioia, Isquith, Guy, &amp; Kenworthy, 2016). Intervention effects indicated a statistically significant interaction for improved executive functioning relative to the waitlist control group (<i>p</i> = .011). Integration of qualitative and quantitative results produced preliminary evidence of categorical advancement in a dual-factor clinical classification system and distinctions in varied and nuanced conceptualizations of well-being constructs over time. Synthesis of qualitative, quantitative, and integrated findings highlighted the value of design-based research generally, and the <i>Student Strengths Safari</i>^&copy; program, specifically, to establish a dual-factor model of educational well-being (EdWB) for optimal student development. </p><p>

This study attempts to explore the experiences of Designated Safeguarding Leads (DSLs) in secondary schools in England working with young people at risk of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and identify what facilitating factors and barriers they believe they face in their role. The study followed a two phase mixed methods exploratory sequential model based on a critical realist epistemology. In Phase 1 qualitative data was gathered from individual and paired interviews, conducted using a focus group process and script in the researcher’s local authority. The data was analysed using Inductive Content Analysis and initial categories identified for facilitating factors and barriers. These initial categories were then used to develop a questionnaire. For Phase 2 the questionnaire was sent out via Local Safeguarding Children Boards (LSCBs) in England to DSL in secondary schools. The questionnaire involved both open and closed questions. The quantitative data from the questionnaire was analysed using descriptive statistics and Multinomial Logistic Regressions and the qualitative data was analysed using Content Analysis to assess the validity and transferability of the categories identified in Phase 1. The data analysis from Phase 1 and Phase 2 were interpreted together to explore the experiences of DSLs in England and identify the facilitating factors and barriers in their role. A Systems-psychodynamics lens was used to consider the implications of the findings. These included the need for supervision and protected time for DSLs , evidence-based intervention programmes for young people at risk, improved sharing of information between agencies, shared training opportunities and an increased understanding of the roles and boundaries within the local safeguarding system. The development of guidelines should be considered. A potential role for Educational Psychologists (EPs) to develop targeted interventions for young people (including those with Special Educational Needs [SEN]) and provide supervision for DSLs should be considered further.