A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after

The inclusion of a young person who is looked after may present teachers with a dilemma. Including a child who is looked after and acting out the effects of past maltreatment can mean that other pupils miss out. Helping teachers solve this dilemma may be the key to changing teachers' attitudes...

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Main Author: David Woodier
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: CELCIS 2018-06-01
Series:Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care
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author David Woodier
author_facet David Woodier
author_sort David Woodier
collection DOAJ
description The inclusion of a young person who is looked after may present teachers with a dilemma. Including a child who is looked after and acting out the effects of past maltreatment can mean that other pupils miss out. Helping teachers solve this dilemma may be the key to changing teachers' attitudes towards inclusion. Using practitioner enquiry, I examined my role as a teacher supporting three children who were looked after and at risk of exclusion. I used a reflective dialogue to support teaching staff in the implementation of a relational approach. Interviews with teachers and a teaching assistant revealed that they became more reflective in their practice and more confident in relating to children who were distressed. In addition, the skills teaching staff acquired readily transferred to support other pupils. These results suggest that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion of young people who are looked after can improve when the skills they master to support individual children who have suffered maltreatment are shown to have a wider benefit.
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series Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care
spelling doaj-art-8e4d7037bc1144169565e11f4ccac7112025-08-20T01:59:13ZengCELCISScottish Journal of Residential Child Care2976-93532018-06-01172436610.17868/strath.00084642A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked afterDavid WoodierThe inclusion of a young person who is looked after may present teachers with a dilemma. Including a child who is looked after and acting out the effects of past maltreatment can mean that other pupils miss out. Helping teachers solve this dilemma may be the key to changing teachers' attitudes towards inclusion. Using practitioner enquiry, I examined my role as a teacher supporting three children who were looked after and at risk of exclusion. I used a reflective dialogue to support teaching staff in the implementation of a relational approach. Interviews with teachers and a teaching assistant revealed that they became more reflective in their practice and more confident in relating to children who were distressed. In addition, the skills teaching staff acquired readily transferred to support other pupils. These results suggest that teachers' attitudes towards inclusion of young people who are looked after can improve when the skills they master to support individual children who have suffered maltreatment are shown to have a wider benefit.inclusionlooked afterteacher-pupil relationshipmentalizationpractitioner enquiry
spellingShingle David Woodier
A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after
Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care
inclusion
looked after
teacher-pupil relationship
mentalization
practitioner enquiry
title A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after
title_full A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after
title_fullStr A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after
title_full_unstemmed A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after
title_short A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after
title_sort relational approach helps change teachers attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after
topic inclusion
looked after
teacher-pupil relationship
mentalization
practitioner enquiry
work_keys_str_mv AT davidwoodier arelationalapproachhelpschangeteachersattitudestowardstheinclusionofyoungpeoplewhoarelookedafter
AT davidwoodier relationalapproachhelpschangeteachersattitudestowardstheinclusionofyoungpeoplewhoarelookedafter