Trauma-informed family support could offer lifeline to neurodivergent and SEND children
A trauma-informed family support model could offer a lifeline to children with neurodivergence and special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and reduce the number of school exclusions and youth justice involvement, according to a new study.
In the context of the ‘school to prison pipeline’, the study examines how neurodivergent and SEND children are significantly over-represented in school exclusions and youth justice populations both in the UK and internationally.
Researchers from Manchester Metropolitan University have published their findings in the journal Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, which explores why this overrepresentation exists and what support can be offered to children and their families.
The study evaluates data from the Oakshire Family Support Project, which worked with children aged 7-11 who were identified as being ‘at risk’ of school exclusion and potential youth justice involvement.
The project aimed to reduce the number of school exclusions and potential youth justice involvement, improve school attendance levels for children where attendance was poor, support transition from primary to secondary school, develop a whole family approach when addressing challenging behaviours, and identify and support children at risk of child exploitation.
Interviews with practitioners and families who worked with the project highlighted a key benefit was the tailored, individual and flexible support service for children and their families who often felt burned out from advocating for their child’s needs in mainstream education.
As one project worker commented: “It is bespoke to each family. It’s what the family wants rather than, ‘this is a generic and this is what we’re rolling out’.”
Many successful elements of the project centred around family support, containing features of trauma-informed practice which acted as a lifeline to children and their families by building relationships of trust, working collaboratively, focusing on strengths, and empowering children and families to advocate for their needs in educational settings.
One parent commented on the support they received from the project workers: “I think what she’s done is she’s come in gently into the family and she’s become a friend…and we can trust her to do whatever work she decides to do in the future.”
This trauma-informed support significantly reduced school exclusions, with 55% of children not attending or excluded from school at the start of the project compared with 12% after completion of the project.
With 60% of children who were referred to the project having an identified special educational need or disability, practitioners also shared a sense of frustration that the project was plugging a gap in services for neurodivergent children and their families and support was only provided once children had reached crisis point and identified as ‘at risk’. One project worker commented: “They’re not providing services to meet those children’s needs.”
Dr Anne-Marie Day, Senior Lecturer in Criminology at Manchester Met, who led the study, said: “Neurodivergent children and children with SEND have been disproportionately excluded from school for many years. The problem is getting worse – so we need to think about different approaches that focus on supporting children and families to remain in mainstream education rather than excluding and vilifying them.”
Even though more research is needed in this area, the findings suggest the success of the project could offer an alternative model to support children who are ‘at risk’ of school exclusions and youth justice involvement, and their families.
Recommendations to implement this model would include having a clear blueprint to navigate a range of complexities including school resources, family privacy, and multi-tiered support services.
Read the full study Kids ‘at risk’ of school exclusion and youth justice involvement? Or neurodivergent children and families in need of trauma-informed support?, here.
