Ward, Becky, Kovshoff, Hanna and Kreppner, Jana (2024) Using a collaborative working group model to develop an ADHD resource for school staff: and a new application with looked after young people. In ECQI2024 Participation, Collaboration and Co-Creation: Qualitative Inquiry Across and Beyond Divides (Congress Proceedings). European Congress of Qualitative Inquiry. pp. 195-200 .
Abstract
Inclusive education for children with ADHD (attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder)
presents challenges for school staff, and professional development is lacking. Training
is not always available when needed, strategies suggested by external experts can be
impractical, and staff lack autonomy in choosing the best way of being resourced.
Additionally, the experience and knowledge of the range of school staff is not utilised.
A collaborative working group of school staff and a researcher explored an alternative
method of ADHD resourcing. Co-construction of knowledge defines how the group
discursively identified actionable knowledge from the different perspectives and
knowledge brought by individual group members. A systemic framework was used to
reflect on the collaboration critically. The framework enabled reflection on four areas
to understand how and why the collaboration led to a published web-based school
staff ADHD resource. Firstly, starting conditions and assumptions were considered to
identify and articulate the rationale for the resource. Secondly, the context and system
dynamics enabled consideration of the socio-cultural and political landscape of the
project, as well as the impact of COVID-19. Thirdly, the different voices of participants
and power dynamics were reflected. Finally, a frame in which to elucidate knowledge
production and changes in practice emerged. The collaborative working group
addressed the research-practice gap and the need for diversity of voices to be heard
across the school. Knowledge co-construction positions staff as knowledge-bearers
and, together with different forms of knowledge, be empowered to create new,
contextualised, evidence-based knowledge. This useful model of co-construction can
be applied in different contexts to enable knowledge sharing and power redistribution,
encouraging greater representation in knowledge production. One such application is
a planned collaborative project with 'looked after' young people (children who live
away from their families, supervised by a social worker from the local authority).
Shockingly, large numbers of young people leaving this local authority care (usually
around 18 years old) experience homelessness, and it is estimated that a quarter of
adults experiencing homelessness have been 'looked after' children. This planned
collaborative project is designed to provide opportunities for young people to share
ways in which they feel prepared and underprepared for independent living. The
collaborative model will be used to shape the project and enable effective knowledge
co-production. The young people and researchers will co-produce recommendations
for policy and practice to be shared with policymakers and practitioners, enabling
more effective support for 'looked after' young people when moving towards
independent living.
This record has no associated files available for download.
More information
Identifiers
Catalogue record
Export record
Contributors
Download statistics
Downloads from ePrints over the past year. Other digital versions may also be available to download e.g. from the publisher's website.