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

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Woodier, David (2018) A relational approach helps change teachers' attitudes towards the inclusion of young people who are looked after. Scottish Journal of Residential Child Care, 17 (2). ISSN 1478-1840

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Abstract

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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