Contact:

Sheila Arney, Assistant County Education Officer (Inclusion), 01962 846386

Pete Marsh, Education Officer, Social Inclusion, 01962 845227

1. Summary

1.1 The purpose of this report is to provide members with an update on the activities which have taken place in the past year to implement the second Behaviour Support Plan (BSP) which was approved in January 2002.

1.2 The appendix sets out the 18 activity headings and the progress made for each. Where appropriate it also highlights issues to be addressed for the activity to be successfully completed.

2. Background

2.1 The DfEE in 1998 placed a requirement on local education authorities to plan for the inclusion of pupils with emotional, behavioural and attendance difficulties in ways which were consistent with raising standards of performance.

2.2 The first Behaviour Support Plan operated from 1998-2000 and its implementation coincided with the refocusing of the Education Department and the creation of the Inclusion branch.

2.3 The second Behaviour Support Plan was submitted to the DfES in January 2002. The plan includes:

· Strategic planning for pupils with behavioural difficulties

· Support to schools to improve pupil behaviour

· Support for individual pupils

· Support for pupils being educated outside mainstream.

2.4 The Behaviour Support Plan identified that the issues associated with vulnerable and disadvantaged pupils and those with behavioural difficulties cannot be resolved by any single organisation. The plan aimed to involve schools, social services, health, other government initiatives such as Drugs Action Teams, Youth Offending Teams, Connexions and the voluntary and community sector in supporting the inclusion agenda.

2.5 This monitoring report focuses specifically on the Behaviour Support Plan: The Action Plan was launched in March 2002 and so this report relates to the first year of progress.

2.6 There is a strong relationship between the Education Development Plan and the Behaviour Support Plan. Many of the activities, actions and outcomes operate in parallel.

3. Highlights

3.1 Most activities are on target and making an impact. Significant progress has been made particularly in areas of training and support to school staff. Example are:

· The joint training of designated teachers for looked after young people by both Social Services and the Education Department.

· Training of pre-school providers on managing behaviour.

· Training for staff in mainstream schools on restraint techniques.

· Training in the use of video to improve the management of pupils' behaviour.

· Training of staff working specifically with pupils who have emotional and behavioural difficulties.

3.2 There are new services that have made an impact, particularly the work of the behaviour support teams and social workers based in EBD schools.

3.3 There is an increasing range of support and therapies provided as extensions of existing services which are available to families through Family Group Conferencing and to individual pupils such as;

· Counselling

· Hypnotherapy

· Psychotherapy for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties.

3 Further Improvements

4.1 The activities presented in the appendix demonstrate considerable progress. However, there is still much to be done.

4.2 The Social Inclusion Steering Group has been established with representation from, Health, Social Services, school and Education Department representatives, Youth Offending Teams and the voluntary sector. This group and the locality inclusion groups are currently under review, with the intention of linking with groups that are already operating successfully, such as the Local Strategic Partnerships, and community safety groups. It is envisaged that the Social Inclusion Steering Group will become the more strategic Children's and Young People's Partnership Board. Mechanisms for member involvement in such strategic bodies are being identified.

4.3 The collaborative work to date has been important in building the firm foundations for future multi-agency activity. A shared and common understanding of the issues and priorities will lead to the provision of consistent high quality services throughout the county.

5 Financial Implications

5.1 There is a number of funding streams that support the Behaviour Support Plan including significant amounts of delegated budgets in schools, centrally retained service budgets, standards funds, service level agreements and contributions from other statutory agencies.

5.2.1 Within most activities the level of progress made to date towards achieving the objectives is dependent upon levels of current funding.

5.2.2 Some activities have taken longer to establish because of recruitment issues in the counselling service and support for the education of looked after young people.

5.3 In the financial year 2003/2004 many activities in the plan will continue to be funded at existing levels. Some budget growth has been agreed to develop extended behaviour support services. It is expected that the vulnerable children grant will continue to support the successful activities and some new activities which fit within the context of the Behaviour Support Plan.

6 Conclusions

6.1 This is the first monitoring report of the Behaviour Support Plan and identifies that a promising start has been made. But, if multi-disciplinary working is to be fully successful, a number of issues will need to be addressed. These include strategic planning, staffing levels, (recruitment and retention) the allocation of time for team building, shared understanding of language and priorities.

Recommendations

Members are asked to:

1. Receive the report

2. The progress made on each activity to be endorsed.

Section 100D - Local Government Act 1972 - Background papers

The following documents disclose facts or matters on which this report, or an important part of it, is based and has been relied upon to a material extent in the presentation of this report.

NB: the list excludes:

1. Published works

2. Documents which disclose exempt or confidential information as defined in the Act.

Behaviour Support Plan 2001 - 2004

Education Development Plan 2002-2007

Activity 1 Agree protocol between Social Services, Health and Education for determining priorities on an annual basis

Establishing the collaboration between Health, Social Services and Education has been slow. Changes in national joint planning requirements and arrangements have resulted in shifting priorities. The Social Inclusion Steering Group (SISG) has been established, has met regularly with multi-agency representation and achieved several prioritised and shared objectives. Recent proposed changes to SISG to become a more strategic Children's and Young People's Partnership Board should enable joint planning and prioritising to be carried out in a more structured and systematic way.

Social Services, Primary Care Trusts and the Education Department include the needs of emotionally vulnerable children and young people in their development plans and budget arrangements. The profile of this group has been raised within these services. A presentation has been made to the Wessex group of child psychiatrists and a group is working towards a revised shared protocol and good practice document setting out what each service contributes to emotionally vulnerable young people.

Agreed working arrangements have been established between local Child and Adolescent Mental Health Teams, local Social Services Family Support Teams, area Behaviour Intervention Services, Connexions and Youth Offending Teams, include terms of reference for local steering groups.

Training that is available for one organisation is shared across organisations when it is appropriate to do so. This has been coordinated through the SISG. Examples include training for designated teachers and the framework of assessment. There have also been conference opportunities for managers of services to explore priorities and how they will work together to achieve goals.

There has been improved information exchange and protocols developed between organisations to enable a member of professional staff to readily find out who else is involved with a child. A group has been established to track looked after children, but other databases are being delayed by IT developments, such as the role out of the impulse database. There is an improved understanding of each organisation's role and priorities so that only appropriate referrals are made between partner agencies. Professionals have developed their understanding of each other's roles. Information briefings have been held by Education for other agencies and there is joint working on a number of issues and projects.

Activity 2. Establish seven area social inclusion steering groups to ensure county consistency and full involvement of local communities

The County Social Inclusion Strategy Group (SISG) is being re-organised to provide a more strategic lead related to planning services for vulnerable and disadvantaged young people.

The most appropriate linkage for local inclusion groups in relation to both areas and issues is still being reviewed in light of the many existing local partnerships such as Local Strategic Partnerships, Community Safety Partnerships, Connexions Local Management Groups etc.

There are well-supported multi-agency steering groups in operation in Gosport/Fareham, Rushmoor areas and Andover. In these areas information is exchanged about inclusion developments and, as a result, gaps and duplications are being addressed. Areas for joint assessment and intervention have been identified. In both Gosport/Fareham and Rushmoor local managers are enabling grass-roots staff to work together to identify appropriate interventions. There are also established pathways with health and social services. In Basingstoke and Andover negotiations are still in progress to establish those pathways.

Howard Firth from Social Services and Stephanie Durrant from Education co-ordinate the local groups and ensure there is a strong relationship between the local groups and the County Social Inclusion Steering Group (SISG). In the future local groups will provide an annual report of their activities to the Social Inclusion Steering Group. Currently, regular reports are made about specific projects or areas of work.

Activity 3. Establish seven local behaviour intervention teams

Where Behaviour Support Teams are already in place (Rushmoor and Hart, Basingstoke, Gosport and Fareham) good practice has been established. Baseline monitoring and evaluation mechanisms have been created from which judgements about the success of the teams can be based.

In those other areas where Behaviour Support Teams have only more recently (or only partly) been established e.g. Andover, the monitoring mechanisms are only beginning to be implemented. Other Behaviour Support Teams are being developed in Winchester and the New Forest from existing Education Other than At Schools (EOTAS) resources as a result of restructuring.

Each team is working with schools in the primary phase to support them in the behaviour management of pupils, providing preventative interventions. The teams are multi-professional and each has both education and social work staff, this approach, encourages the use of new techniques developed from a multi-disciplinary approach.

The service has been re-located from Education Psychology to Education Other Than At School and is now an integral part of EOTAS. As the restructuring of EOTAS becomes embedded, the consistency and continuity of practice resulting will also extend to the Behaviour Support Teams.

Elected members have already voted an increased budget to roll the service across the county.

Activity 4. Improve support and training for parents

Parents who have attended support programmes such as Confident Parents - Confident Kids and Supporting Parents Of Teenagers (SPOT) - report, consistently, that their ability and confidence in managing their children's behaviour have improved.

These support programmes are becoming available throughout the county although there have been recruitment difficulties leading to a slower roll out than would have been desired. Co-ordination of these programmes is to be funded from standards funds, this has yet to be finally discussed with schools forum.

The development of family group conferencing (FGC) has proved particularly successful in enabling families to develop their own effective solutions to the challenges they face. Since conception there have been 228 referrals. Approximately 75% of these result in full conferences. In the past year 24 new co-ordinators have been trained and the target of 80 family group conferences will be reached. This is a steadily increasing trend. There has been very positive feedback from those involved. New monitoring and evaluation mechanisms are being introduced which will include the analysis of family plans and their success. These will also include evaluating the experience of both family members and the young people themselves on their Family Group Conference experience.

It had been intended to develop a telephone helpline for parents. In the absence of additional resources it was deemed unwise to direct personnel into this project, although a small pilot is being established in the Havant area.

Activity 5. Improve support and training for pre-school providers regarding behaviour

There are over 600 registered providers of pre-school education in Hampshire. Effective advice and training is co-ordinated by the Early Years and Childcare Team. The two strands to this activity have been, the direct training of existing early years providers and the assessment and accreditation of area SENCOs, Portage Teams and early years centres to ensure they have appropriate knowledge and skills to support local pre-school provision. Liaison takes place between early years providers and the support and training providers on transition from pre-school to school provision.

Those experiencing the training report satisfaction with the clarity of access to support and training and to the actual delivered support and training they have received.

There are still gaps in provision, but a further budget allocation (165K) has been made to provide additional SENCO's in early years. The Portage service is being expanded in 03/04 (100K) so that families whose pre school children have serious difficulties can access the service.

Activity 6 Provide effective training opportunities for schools

Recently there has been considerable national focus on issues of behaviour management; teachers cite poor pupil behaviour this as a reason for leaving the profession. In order to support recruitment and retention strategies it is important for Hampshire to provide effective support to schools for behaviour management.

Behaviour management can be learnt. There is a wide range of courses available to school staff from within the county, and beyond, regarding emotional development and behaviour management.

In Hampshire, examples of this work include:

· Contribution to the behaviour management strand of Southampton University's PGCE course, involving 140 teachers.

· Behaviour management has been incorporated within NQT training for both primary and secondary phase. This has involved 240 primary teachers in single day training events and 80 secondary teachers for two sessions.

· Schools in all areas and across all phases have access to the new seven module course `Managing and improving school behaviour' which 17 staff have completed.

· All staff in special schools have access to positive behaviour management and physical intervention training. Currently 122 staff from a range of special schools have been trained. Such support is also available to staff in mainstream schools and 13 schools have taken up this training.

· Experienced teachers completing training to advanced diploma level in the management of emotional and behavioural difficulties. There are 51 staff currently attending the diploma course.

· The competencies of individual school staff are developed through the use of video interactive guidance (VIG). There have been 50 staff involved in the VIG project.

The evaluation of each training component has demonstrated that teachers who have been involved feel that they have learnt new skills in managing behavioural difficulties which are relevant to their work situation.

In the future it is crucial that the effectiveness of such training can demonstrate that the incidence of behaviour difficulties in schools decreases proportionately to the training input. However, there are many reasons for behavioural difficulties and a variety of ways of resolving them dependent on the needs of the pupil.

Activity 7. Develop emotional literacy in schools

There is a growing recognition that being able to understand the emotions of oneself and others is key to mental health, self-esteem and well being and also to productivity. This project worked with a small number of schools to further develop schools shared identity, joint problem solving, reflection and collaborative learning by staff and pupils.

Where the project took place the 6 day training on the multi-element model of behaviour delivered to teaching staff increased awareness about emotional literacy. Those staff reported increased opportunities for learning with and from colleagues in school(s). This work is continuing through the Emotionally Healthy Schools Forum operated on a termly basis.

In those schools that took part pupils report improved relationships with staff.

Activity 8. Improve access to psychological services by children and young people

Young people have access to a range of additional services, as a result of this activity.

Connexions

Recruitment has taken place and teams of personal advisers based in the 11 District Council areas are being recruited to work in schools, colleges and the community. These teams will be in operation by March 31^st 2003.

Enhanced Pastoral Support

The training in key pastoral skills was undertaken with 15 staff who were in regular contact with young people with disabilities. This was well received by all participants. Follow up evaluation of those involved demonstrated positive outcomes in work practices, such as cascading training to other staff. Considerable increase in confidence has been reported, as well as personal growth and increased skills. Training and supervision is underway for a further 50 staff across Hampshire targeting those who provide pastoral support to vulnerable youngsters who experience disabilities, who have suffered loss or are showing signs of emotional difficulty in school. This initiative dovetails both with the counselling service and the emotionally vulnerable project.

Hypnotherapy

This has proved successful with some pupils who have extreme anxiety and emotional difficulties. Pupils have demonstrated a significant decrease in anxiety, improvement in home life, in confidence and in self-esteem. The changes appear to be maintained over time. Where pupils have been followed up for 6 months after the intervention, schools confirmed that pupils had made progress. Pupils were reported as having increased confidence, self-esteem and assertiveness. Frequently the parent-child relationship is enhanced.

Counselling

A map of the many counselling and other services for young people is being created for schools. Two pilot areas without those services have been identified and approached to assess their interest. This has been well received and schools are keen to be involved. Appointments have been made and outcomes will be reported in the next monitoring report.

Psychotherapy in EBD schools

A psychotherapist has been providing psychoanalytic therapy on an individual basis to pupils at Hawthorns School in Basingstoke (for secondary age children with emotional and behavioural difficulties). Several case studies have been produced. Not all children are able to access "talk therapies" because they find it difficult to put their feelings into words. Consequently, at Wolverdene School (for primary age children with emotional and behavioural difficulties) a drama therapist and a play therapist have been employed to provide alternatives.

Activity 9 Develop the role of schools for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties

There have been a number of significant developments in the past year. The appointment of social workers attached to Emotional and Behavioural Difficulty schools (EBD) has improved the home school links and the involvement of parents and carers in their children's education. It has also provided a fast line into Social Services when required. These staff have provided individual pupils and small groups with semi-therapeutic support and developed parent support groups. They have added new ideas and provided increased activity opportunities.

Other positive developments have been the extension of psychotherapy in Wolverdene and Hawthorns schools. A behaviour profile based on the QCA document has been implemented on a trial basis in all EBD schools to help develop a common system of tracking and intervention.

Outreach, and probably more importantly, inreach services to mainstream schools have been developed. The learning of mainstream staff placed in EBD schools has encouraged a modelling of good practice and provided those mainstream schools involved with new ideas and a broader perspective on methods of managing behaviour. Further roll out of this work will take place in area 4 from September.

There has been considerable growth in multi-agency working through joint training opportunities and the development with local colleges of increased work related learning. Intensive Pastoral Support has also been created through the protocols for preventing exclusions.

Evidence of the outcomes of these different supporting activities on the management of behaviour is difficult to assess. However, we do know that training in positive behaviour management and physical intervention has had a positive impact. A 6-year review of reported restraints in EBD schools shows that there were 388 incidents in 1996 and 85 in 2001. The 2001 number is slightly higher than 2000 (when the figure was 65). However this does not alter the overall significant trend downwards over the intervening years.

Some future developments have been identified. There is an intention to increase the multi-agency work ensuring that mainstream schools form part of this approach, so that the skills of all staff are enhanced and existing barriers are broken down.

Consistency and minimum standards of provision need to be addressed. The specialisms that different EBD schools have developed through their experiences need to be acknowledged in the placement process.

Activity 10 Develop full time provision for children educated other than at school

From September 2002 all children who have been excluded are required to have access to a broad and balanced education on a full time basis.

Currently all permanently excluded pupils receive full-time provision from the sixteenth day following the "effective date" of exclusion. This provision is made in EOTAS Education Centres and/or off-site e.g. in approved work experience placements, college placements or approved community venues.

In most circumstances excluded young people are receiving a broad and balanced curriculum. However there has been a considerable rise in exclusions, and this rise has meant that not all young people are currently receiving the broad and balanced curriculum. This will improve as building programmes are completed and capacity building takes place in terms of developing alternative suppliers to create the breadth of curriculum which will meet individual needs.

EOTAS is about to embark on a best value review that will potentially have considerable impact on the operations of the service.

Activity 11. Secure entitlements for Looked After Children

Statistically the life chances (health, education and employment) of looked after children demonstrate they are at risk. Consequently, looked after children are a corporate priority for the county council.

A corporate team, jointly funded from the Education and Social Services Departments was created at the beginning of 2003. The main responsibility will be to develop a coherent multi agency approach to supporting this group of young people and ensure they are able to achieve their potential. In practical terms the priorities for the team are;

· developing Personal Education Plans

· supporting designated teachers in schools

· training service providers and developing area support networks

· responding to exclusions

· supporting looked after children through transitions

A comprehensive database for monitoring the attendance of Looked After Children (LAC) and Young People has been created. Any LAC who falls below 90% attendance will be referred to the local education welfare service for action. Reports will be made termly to CAPLAC (Corporate Action Planning for looked After Children) about attendance.

Most schools have a trained designated teachers. The rolling programme of training will ensure that the remaining 161 will have that opportunity in the coming year. Designated teachers are also provided with other support and training and have the opportunity to meet with other professionals in local networks.

In the academic year 2001/2002 looked after children improved their education attainment at Key stages 1,2 and 3 there was also a marginal improvement at GCSE.

There were 15 permanent exclusions of looked after children in the last academic year. The increase of 3 from the previous year was in line with the increase in the remainder of the school population.

A number of joint practices have been developed and implemented between the departments, such as the corporate unit itself, the information exchange joint protocol and the joint development plan for future years.

Activity 12. Take action to combat drug abuse and substance misuse

There is a widespread concern about drug misuse and substance abuse in schools and communities in general. This work brings together the Drugs Action Team (DAT) the Drug Advisory Response Team (DART) and the Personal Social and Health Education (PSHE) curriculum in schools.

All pupils receive substance misuse education in line with DfES guidance. Recent evaluation of secondary drug education by the advisory and inspection PSHE team showed satisfactory provision despite the low priority often given to PSHE. Despite their confidence that all schools include drugs education as part of PSHE programme, the quality was variable.

A Drugs Action Team initiative will result in all parents and carers receiving information on substance misuse and local support services. This is being produced during 2003.

During the last academic year there were 170 referrals to the Drug Advisory Response Team (DART). 71 of these were from schools. Each young person referred received appropriate education, advice, information and support on substance misuse both in and out of school settings. Of the young people referred 43% had received a previous fixed term exclusion. The number of permanent exclusions after the DART intervention was 5. The evaluation of DART interventions suggest a reduction in risk to education for 80% of those involved and similar results (81%) for those who were at risk because of attendance or access issues.

The DAT is currently mapping existing provision and identifying how to resource gaps in provision such as in the Winchester area. This countywide access will enable all those young people assessed in need of support to be referred to appropriate treatment programmes and facilities.

Activity 13. Improve school attendance

In the academic year 2001/2002 primary attendance improved by 0.3%. At secondary level attendance levels are above the national average but have fallen by 0.1% in the past year. The DfES have written to the Hampshire schools who are above the average for unauthorised absences for the years 2000/2001and asked them to work with the education welfare service to set school level targets on attendance and plan a strategy for reducing absences. All schools involved have now set those targets to improve unauthorised absence rates in 2003/2004.

One of the Local Public Service Agreement targets is to reduce unauthorised absence in secondary schools in areas of relative deprivation by 15% over the period of the grant. Eight half time Education Welfare Assistants have been appointed to those targeted schools for three years.

Updated guidance on achieving high attendance was published in January 2003 and has been distributed to all Hampshire schools and education centres. This guidance provides consistent, effective procedures for early identification referral and follow up of absence.

There is a best value review of the Education Welfare Service taking place that will report to PRC in March 2003.

Activity 14. Reduce crime and disorder

The Youth Offending Team (YOT) offers a multi-agency approach to reduce offending amongst children and young people. A number of education services make a contribution to these objectives including the Youth Service, Education Other Than At Schools (EOTAS) and the Education Welfare Service.

The Youth Justice Board provides the target for 90% of young people of school age who are under the supervision of the YOT to be in full time education. In Hampshire that target has been exceeded for education (100%) but not yet with full-time provision. For some young people, it is more appropriate to be working towards full-time education encouraging and supporting them towards full re-integration.

There is a link between school attendance and youth crime. A range of activity is taking place to reduce school non-attendance, in particular, the joint work with the police on anti-truancy measures which support crime reduction. Since 1999 there have been 43 truancy sweeps throughout the County enacted jointly between the police and Education Welfare. These sweeps have led to a total of 2026 children and young people being stopped. Details of all children stopped are taken and sent to the pupils' school and Education Welfare Officer. If a pupil is stopped with their parent advice, is given on attendance. Checks are also made against the child protection register.

Activity 15. Improve attendance of emotionally vulnerable children

Some delays have been experienced in achieving this goal due to the difficulties of arranging multi-agency meetings. A new model of provision for emotionally vulnerable children has now been agreed by the multi-agency working party and the various agencies have submitted papers that will explain the way in which each will contribute.

It is intended that the completed model, with associated paperwork, will be taken to a meeting of the Wessex Consortium of consultant psychiatrists in order to enlist their support for the model.

Standards fund money has been used to fund some therapeutic inputs for emotionally vulnerable pupils as well as some education welfare support and it is intended that the remainder will be used to fund a county-wide training event, to introduce the new initiative, in the summer term, 2003. A training module for schools will be developed and introduced in the summer term 2003.

Activity 16. Improve achievement of Traveller children

Traveller children represent one of the most disadvantaged minority groups in Hampshire. There are 186 named individual young people who have been identified as Traveller pupils. Supporting these pupils is the role of the Traveller Education service, which has ensured that all students have participated in baseline assessment.

There has been an increase in school attendance rates by Traveller children at primary and in special schools (primary 73% in 00/01 to 79% in 01/02 and in specials from 72% in 00/01 to 77% in 01/02) however secondary attendance fell. (72% 00/01 to 60%). Because of small numbers this significant decrease can be related to a single problematic case.

There has been an improvement in school exclusions. In 00/01 there were 18 fixed term and 2 permanent exclusions, in the last academic year this fell to 15 fixed term and 1 permanent exclusion.

All mobile families have been visited by the Traveller Education service and for the first time attainment has been collated for all key stages. This will create the baseline for future tracking of attainment. There has been a large increase in the number of schools who access and use Traveller education service resources. Last year 21% of all Hampshire schools used this provision. There has been an increase in returns of CS2 forms which now stand at 70% and 75% of pupils transferred in September. The service is currently establishing a named person in each school who will be responsible for delivering careers advice and encouraging progression into further education or work related training.

Activity 17. Support for the emotional and social development of ethnic minority pupils

Hampshire Bilingual Learners Support Service (BLSS) ensures that cross-cultural counselling is available for ethnic minority pupils referred to the service. The service also offers schools based training and support to impact on the emotional development and educational attainment of ethnic minority pupils or to support behaviour management.

Monitoring is taking place in relation to racist bullying incidents and schools which experience this are offered support to develop whole school policies which address racism issues and ensure that they are managed holistically rather than as an individual behaviour issue.

Activity 18. Improve research and dissemination on good practice

Much action research is carried out in schools. All standard funds bids are evaluated each year. In December 2001 a compendium was published detailing the work being carried out by staff in Hampshire secondary schools to promote better behaviour. This document provided examples of good practice, ideas and contacts for staff in other schools. Examples of current evaluations show that the investment in hypnotherapy and Family Group Conferences is producing effective results.

The development of an Educational Psychology Behaviour and Emotional Development Task Team will assist the sharing process. The creation of this team and the appointment of an assistant psychologist will support both the dissemination and application process.

There is also to be a behaviour strand in the key stage 3 national strategy from April 2003. This will allow the department to work more effectively in the secondary schools in the area of pupils behaviour in the wider context of teaching and learning.