This two-part small-scale research is positioned within a social constructionist interpretive epistemology. Both parts of the research used qualitative methods. Part One explores the perspectives of unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) in relation to their educational experiences in the UK. It also considers the experiences, opportunities and challenges for school and college staff with supporting the educational needs of UASC in a shire county in England. The methodology employed to collect the data for Part One consisted of semi-structured interviews with six professionals and the ‘Talking Stones’ (Wearmouth, 2004) interview technique with six UASC. For Part Two of the research, a Collaborative Action Research (CAR) approach was used consisting of one cycle of three group supervision sessions with five professionals from Part One. Within the group supervision sessions, a Solution Circles framework was implemented and participants were encouraged to prepare cases to discuss and collaboratively problem solve. The benefits to supporting the needs of UASC by introducing professionals to the process of group supervision are also explored. Braun and Clarke’s (2006) interpretation of Thematic Analysis was employed across both phases as a method of data analysis. This enabled themes to be identified which emerged from the data. Two key findings were discovered to play a significant role in the UASC’s social and emotional wellbeing: the uncertainty of the UASC’s future in relation to their unresolved asylum status and their acquisition and fluency of English language. The latter is discussed in relation to how fully the students felt able to integrate and communicate their needs. Barriers to language also link closely to students accessing the curriculum and their experience of inclusion within the setting. An array of opportunities and challenges of supporting the social and emotional needs of UASC are outlined by school and college staff. Such findings include: recognising and identifying the social and emotional needs of UASC, a lack of experience and opportunities for staff training, challenges with inclusion and integration of UASC within the educational settings, funding and available resources, developing supportive and trusting relationships over time and forming social connections. Within the paper, these findings are explored in relation to Bronfenbrenner’s (1979; 1989) Ecological Systems Theory. Implications for educational professionals and for educational psychology practitioners are discussed.

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This study investigates the impact that teacher attitudes and experiences have on their understandings of the social and emotional characteristics and needs of gifted and talented children. It addresses the issues within Aotearoa New Zealand Primary school settings. The study used a mixed methodology approach. Quantitative data was collected in the form of questionnaires to collect information from a range of participants and to identify potential participants for individual interviews. More in-depth qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews conducted with four teachers. The findings suggest that many teachers are uncertain about the social and emotional characteristics and needs of gifted and talented children. Teachers expressed positive attitudes towards gifted and talented children while acknowledging their lack of personal knowledge about gifted and talented education. The findings also identified teachers‘ frustrations at barriers affecting their ability to support gifted and talented children‘s social and emotional needs in their classroom programmes, including, limited personal knowledge and skills, lack of professional development, lack of time to spend with gifted and talented children, and school directed priorities for meeting the needs of other children. The findings of this study have implications for teachers wanting to support gifted and talented children, educators interested in the social and emotional needs of gifted and talented children, and those responsible for gifted and talented education (GATE) programmes and GATE professional development. It would seem that it is highly desirable for all teachers to have professional development in gifted and talented education, in order to better understand social and emotional aspects, and thereby provide a more supportive environment where gifted and talented children can learn and grow.

This study explored pre-existing quantitative data for 55 students when they were in the seventh grade who eventually attended a continuation high school years later. There were 101 students at a particular continuation high school, and this research explored pre-existing data looking solely at the students who were in the same district while they were in seventh grade. Attendance and grades from the pre-existing data in the district’s software system were analyzed using a descriptive methodology followed by a cluster analysis through SPSS. Attendance findings for the 55 students revealed that nine students (16%) were absent with a frequency of 10 or more days in each semester. Reasons given for some absences were bereavement for four students (7%) and suspensions for 10 students (18%). Eight out of these 10 students (80%) declined in their grades from the first semester to the second semester. Overall, 33 students (60%) declined in their grades from the first semester to the second semester regardless. Findings related to grades looked at the number of Fs over the two semesters of the seventh-grade school year and at the number of Fs earned in each course. Forty-four students (80%) earned at least one F either semester. Language Arts was the highest failed academic class second semester, with 32 out of 55 students (58%), and Computer Applications was the highest failed elective class for 5 out of 9 students (56%) who took this class second semester. Other findings related to grades were that 0 students (0%) failed only the elective, and only 2 students (4%) failed Physical Education. Additional findings through cluster analysis revealed a connection between failing an elective in combination with failing Language Arts: 81.8% first semester (9 out of 11 students) and 83.3% second semester (5 out of 6 students). Using a cross-tabulation, the highest pattern between the two semesters was for 10 students of the overall 55 (18%) with no Fs both semesters, and the second-highest pattern was for 6 students (11%) with no Fs first semester and 1 F second semester.