Adult perceptions of attachment-based interventions supporting care-experienced young people in schools.

Abstract

This paper seeks to focus on all young people who are included under the umbrella term ‘care-experienced young people’ (CEYP). CEYP tend to have attachment-related needs, due to the relational disruption they have experienced in their past. These needs culminate in CEYP developing further challenges within schools, which need appropriate interventions to ensure students feel secure, connected to, and cared for within school. Thus, enabling them to develop a better sense of self-esteem and engage more fully in their learning and other opportunities within school. It is argued that gaining the perspectives of the adults supporting CEYP can be more helpful than utilising standardised measurements, as these adults can better contextualise the progress made by CEYP.
In the first chapter I introduce my research journey and why I am passionate about attachment-based interventions and taking relational approaches within school. In the second chapter I present a systematic review of research which explores the adult views and perceptions of attachment-aware interventions, carried out in school to support CEYP. A qualitative meta-aggregation method was taken in order to synthesise results. Categories of key findings include: the centrality of key adult relationships, the development of school-staff knowledge, emotional and behavioural considerations for both staff and students, impacts of interventions on students and potential barriers to intervention implementation. Implications for practice are discussed.

The third and final chapter, presents my research which explored the perceptions of school staff regarding a ‘Designated Mentor’ intervention designed to support care-experienced young people in schools. The programme trained school staff in attachment aware principles, key psychological theory, and approaches best suited to supporting students who have been involved in the care system. The intervention required school staff ‘Designated Mentors’ to run daily pupil-led sessions, lasting for at least 15 minutes with chosen CEYP Mentees. The sessions could be used to prepare students for their day ahead or debrief at the end of the day, and they had a key focus on fostering good relationships and a safe base for their students.

I ran four focus groups with 12 female Designated Mentors, who were trained in this year’s cohort or previous cohorts. Data was transcribed and analysed using Inductive Thematic Analysis at a semantic level. There were six key themes identified, which included the central importance of the Mentor-Mentee relationship, The knowledge Mentors had gained and how it informed the approach they took to working with Mentees. Also, the barriers and enabling factors were discussed alongside how this Mentoring intervention met their Mentees needs. Implications for schools and educational psychologists are discussed.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Sophie-Jane Carolyn Stanwyck: orcid.org/0000-0001-9146-844X

ORCID for Kathy Carnelley: orcid.org/0000-0003-4064-8576

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