Training Outline: Aims & Objectives 1.Background Information 2.Factors Involved 3.Problems with a Classification Model 4.Functional Analysis Model 5.Assessment.

Training Outline: Aims & Objectives

1. Background Information

2. Factors Involved

3. Problems with a Classification Model

4. Functional Analysis Model

5. Assessment Framework

6. Interventions

7. Links with CfE - 4 capacities

‘‘Enabling children and young people Enabling children and young people with Attendance Problems to develop with Attendance Problems to develop

the four capacities’the four capacities’

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Nearly 6,000 youngsters could be playing truant on an

average day in Scotland

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More than 1 million days a year were

being lost to truancy.

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A Stable Problem:Total absence rates

have remained broadly the same for

a decade*

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* Around 9% in secondary schools

In studies of children with severe

attendance problems, around

50% meet the criteria for a

psychiatric disorder 10/04/23 6

Between 40% and 50% have been found to have

committed offences

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Truancy at 16yrs has been shown to

have an independent

association with more unemployment

at 23 yrs. 10/04/23 8

Attendance rates are 91.1% in Secondary Schools in Scotland

(2008/09)

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Attendance rates are 90.6% in Secondary Schools in WDC (2008/09)

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90% attendance = ½ day missedevery week!!(Would your boss like you to be off work thismuch??). That’s practically part time!

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1 school year at 90% attendance = 4 whole weeks of lessons missed

90% attendance over 5 years ofsecondary school….= ½ a school year missed!

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Every one percentage point increase in absence is associated with a

DROP of 0.1 grade points in the combined English & Mathematics

Standard Grade Score.

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Higher Grade = £10.25 per hour

Standard Grades = £9.02 per hour

No Qualifications = £7.44 per hour

Graduate degree = £15.01 per hour

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If a school can improve attendance by

1%, they will see a 5-6% improvement

in attainment. (Department for Children Schools and Families)

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ACTIVITY 1: 5 MINUTES

Brainstorm as many factors as you can that you feel contribute towards non-attendance?

ACTIVITY 2: 3 MINUTES

Prioritise these factors into your top three?

A multi-causal A multi-causal phenomenon. phenomenon.

ExclusionsExclusions

School School phobiaphobia

DepressionDepression

BullyingBullying

Learning Learning difficultiesdifficulties

Lack of parental Lack of parental supervisionsupervision

Peer group Peer group pressurespressures

Care demands of Care demands of other family membersother family members

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School Withdrawal by Parents

Pursuing home schooling Asking an adolescent to secure a job to help support the

family Protecting children from kidnapping by an ex-spouse Hiding signs of child abuse

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MEDICAL CONDITIONS Asthma & other respiratory illnesses Sleep problems Influenza, allergies, dysmenorrhea, diabetes, head lice, dental disease Chronic conditions:

– Cancer

– Chronic fatigue syndrome

– Crohn’s disease

– Dyspepsia

– Haemophilia

– Irritable bowel syndrome

NB. TRUE MEDICAL CONDITIONS MUST BE ADDRESSED FIRST THROUGH A COMPREHENSIVE MEDICAL EXAMINATION

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TerminologyTerminology

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Absenteeism Legitimate or illegitimate absence from school or class

School Phobia Fear based absenteeism

School Refusal Anxiety based absenteeism

School withdrawal Parent-motivated absenteeism

Separation Anxiety Excessive worry & difficulty separating on the part of a child & possibly a parent

Truancy IIlegal absence from school or unexcused absence without parental knowledge

School Refusal Behaviour

Child motivated refusal to attend school

Traditional Model of Persistent Traditional Model of Persistent Non-AttendanceNon-Attendance

Emotional Distress about attending school

Parents aware of absence from school

Lack of antisocial behaviours Pupil remains at home during

the school day Pupil will do school work at

home

Lack of emotional stress about attending school

Absence from school hidden from parents

Higher incidence of antisocial behaviours

Pupil seeks other peers who are not in school

Pupil shows little interest in completing school work.

School Refusal / Phobia v’s Truancy

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Problems with Traditional model

A significant number of young people demonstrate features of both i.e.– emotional problems (related to school refusal) and anti-social behaviours (related to

truancy & conduct disorder). Some pupils may be able to attend school but choose not to, and stay at

home with the full knowledge of their parents under the ‘screen’ of school refusal.

Therefore, not particularly useful in informing the most effective approach

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School Refusal Behaviour

A Functional Definition:

“child-motivated refusal to attend school and/ or difficulties remaining in school for the entire day”

(Kearney & Silverman, 1996)

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Advantages of a Functional model

1. By focusing on reasons why the young person is not attending it avoids ‘category confusion’

2. It attempts to describe the visible behaviour neutrally

3. Is less presumptive about underlying causes.4. It offers a clearer framework for assessment.5. By helping to identify dominant functional reason, it

helps formulate a more effective intervention plan.6. It fits well with a staged & multi-agency approach

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What is a Functional Behaviour Assessment? It is an investigative process to understand

why a behaviour is occurring. An evidenced-based process based on

observations, review of records, interviews, and data analysis.

It strives to determine immediate and past antecedents and consequences supporting the problem behavior.

An FBA is necessary prior to identifying a functionally equivalent replacement behavior.

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Key Concepts Behaviour occurs in a context, not in a vacuum. We need to

consider the environment as well as the child; we cannot assume that the problem is solely within the child.

Behaviour continues to be reinforced. This behavior works for the student. The challenge is to identify the purpose or function the behaviour serves, and attempt to identify a replacement behavior that is more acceptable and will serve the same purpose for the student.

All too often, we rely on punishment and negative responses. It is not enough to decrease the inappropriate behavior; we

must also teach replacement behaviors and allow for practice of those new skills.

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Key Concepts continued We seem to forget everything we know about learning

when it comes to dealing with behaviour. 96% of behavior is learned so it can be unlearned.(Van

Acker) Non-attendance can become automatic; the student

does not necessarily go through a cognitive process and decide not to attend.

When a student must unlearn an inappropriate behaviour and learn an appropriate replacement behaviour, it may take at least 4 to 6 times more practice.

Behavior change is not a discrete event; it takes time.

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Functional Assessment Process

Describe the behaviour of concern Identify the specific triggers Describe the patterns of behaviour

– Frequency-Intensity-Duration

Describe immediate consequences Present Data Brainstorm hypothesis; functions Ask team members for input

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A Functional Model of School Refusal Behavior

1. To get away from school-related situations that cause distress

2. To get away from school-related social/performance situations that cause distress.

3. To get attention from significant others such as parents.

4. To get to do rewarding activities / experiences outside of school

1. . .

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Quote

"Things should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.”

Albert Einstein

1. To avoid school related Stimuli that Provoke a Negative Affect (SPNA)i.e. children who refuse school to avoid general distress

Behaviours: Fear of a specific school-related object or situation General anxiety or nervousness In-school behaviours designed to avoid class, such as

feigned illness Physical complaints that are often vague in nature, such as

stomach aches, headaches, nausea, abdominal pain & fatigue

Verbal statements about not wanting to be in school or ‘hating’ school.

Common -ve reinforcers can be: bus, lunch, fire alarm, toilets, a teacher, unspecified

More concerned about not being in school than wanting to home (see function 3)

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2. To Escape Aversive Social and / or Evaluative situations (EASE)i.e. avoiding social or performance situations

Social Situations:1. Asking for help, especially from unfamiliar adults or authority

figures2. Attending assemblies or being among a large group of people3. Interacting with peers – starting & maintaining conversations

in playground etc.

Performance Situations:1. Answering a teacher’s question2. Eating among people in the dinner hall3. Speaking or reading in front of others in the class4. Performing in PE5. Taking tests or other graded tasks

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3. To get Attention from Significant others (AS)Behaviours: Defiance about getting to school in the morning, often in

the form of temper tantrums Stubborn, wilful, manipulative, or guilt-inducing

behaviour to try to stay home Verbal statements about wanting to stay home Desires for parents to attend school with the child or eat

lunch with the child Constant telephone calls to parents during the school

day Constant questions about when a parent with pick up the

child from school Need for reassurance from parents about the

consequences of being separated. Running away from the school building to try to get

home.

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4. To receive Tangible Reinforcers outside of school (TR)i.e. to get to do fun activities outside of school.

Behaviours:– Watching TV– Sleeping late– Visiting friends– Shopping– Using or abusing drugs and/or alcohol

tend to display attention problems & more delinquent/aggressive behaviour

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Functional Model of SR

3. ASB Child is positively

reinforced for school avoidance.

2. EASE Child escapes and

avoids unpleasant social or evaluative situations.

4. TR Child receives

tangible reinforcement for school avoidance.

1. SPNA Child escapes and avoids specific

unpleasant things or people.

-ve Reinforcement + ve Reinforcement (Rewards)10/04/23 35

Approaches to Functional Assessment ‘Triangulation’ multiple sources of data is more

reliable. Indirect through interviews and record reviews Direct -observations in a typical day across all

settings Who dunnit.mov Work output/Grades SEEMIS -Discipline referrals SRAS-R ‘School Refusal Assessment Scale -

Revised’– sras-p-r.pdf– School Refusal Scale (C).pdf

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