Improving Children’s Lives 2014
The teachers’ role and training
needs in psychologically and
emotionally supporting pupils
(11-18 years)
Susan Armstrong
Dr. A Moorhead, Dr. J Simms, Dr. D Hazlett
School of Communication
PhD Project
To determine and define
the teachers’ role in
psychologically and
emotionally supporting
pupils (11-18years), to
identify the teachers’
training needs and to
provide recommendations
for potential training
facilitation for teachers’.
Background
•
•
•
•
•
•
1 in 4 Mental Health Issue
1 in 10 Eating Disorder
1 in 10 Neglected, 1 in 9 Physical Abuse, 1 in 6 Sexual Abuse
25% Bullied – 38% Cyber Bullied
1 in 10 self harm
14% think about suicide
• Protect Life Strategy 2006
• DHSSPS - Bamford Review 2002-2007
• DENI announced in 2009 that school counselling would be
available to all post primary pupils
(DENI, 2009; Welsh Assembly, 2006; NIMHE/CSIP, 2005; New Life, 2011; Samaritans, 2013; O’Connor, 2010; YLT Survey, 2009;NSPCC, 2013;
Sullivan & Patrick, 1995; Burns, 2006, youth@clc 2013)
Research Rationale
• ‘Whole School’ Approach
• Recognise Teachers Role
• PEHAW – Pupils Emotional Health and Well-being
– Queens University study (2012)
• Suggestion of a role for teachers
• Need for teacher training
− Youth@clc Report
•
42% would turn to teachers’
•
Mental Health training for teachers’
(Beesley, 2004; Amatea & Clark, 2004; Wilgues & Shelley, 1988; Connolly et al. 2012)
Research Questions:
1) What role do teachers’ have in psychologically
and emotionally supporting pupils (11-18 years)?
2) What are the training needs of teachers’ to
psychologically and emotionally support pupils(11-18 years)?
3) How can the training needs of teachers’ in
psychologically and emotionally supporting pupils (11-18 years)
be facilitated?
Overall PhD Methodology
This study is designed with 4 components:
Literature Review
Interviews
Online Survey
Provide Recommendations
Ethical Approval obtained February 2013 – School of Communication Filter Committee
Methodology
Interviews:
• Database (n=216)
• Contacted Principals (n=216)
• Response Rate: 16.6%
Methodology - Interviews
Recruitment
Consent
Conduct
Transcribe
Analyse
Results
Analysis
Interpersonal Phenomenological Analysis
(IPA)
• Analysed transcripts
• Identified the overarching and sub themes
• Interpret unique subjective experience of
teachers
Results
• Total of 15 Interviews (19 Participants)
Demographics of Participants
Education Board
Gender
Age (yrs)
Experience (yrs)
BELB
4
Male
7
20-30
1-5
NEELB
7
Female
12
30-40
4
5-10
2
SEELB
4
40-50
4
10-20
4
SELB
2
50-60
11
20-30
5
WELB
2
30+
8
Overarching
Themes
Sub-Themes
Teaching
Experience
Experience of Student Support Role, Previous Training/Teacher
Training, Positions Held, Previous and In Job Training
Teachers’ Role
What is the Teachers’ Role?, Definition of Role, Does the Role
Exist?, Current Support
Limitations of Role
Boundaries, Communication, Pressure, Mindset of Teacher
Teachers’ Needs
Counsellor Support and Training, School Support, Support Needed,
Concerns
Training Needs
Issues with Teacher Training Courses, Issues and Limitations of
Training, Potential Training, Need for Training
School Role
Counselling Provision, School Effort, Whole School Approach,
Training and Strategies, Comparisons and Differences
Issues faced by
Young People
Emotional, Mental Health, Physical Wellbeing, Family, Online,
School Support
Teachers’ Role
“Not only that there is
a role, but if teachers
are not doing it then I
don’t think they are
teaching” (P8)
“To take any obstacles out
of the way of achievement
– can be academic, social,
personal problems, the
whole gambit” (P1)
“To do our best for the
children and make
tomorrow better than
yesterday” (P1)
“Nobody is taking account
of the emotional toll that
takes on staff” (P7)
Training Needs of Teachers
“Focuses on the development of
practicing teaching as opposed
to pastoral development and
the needs of the child nonacademically” (P9)
“There isn't any
training for that – it
doesn’t exist” (P1)
“Training hasn’t
caught up with
what's happening
in the world” (P4)
“What to do,
what not to do,
what to say,
what not to say”
(P9)
Conclusion
• Identified teachers’ role
• Identified need:
– Awareness
– training
– supported
Further Research
• PhD ongoing
• Phase 2
• Limitations
By meeting the training and support needs of
our teachers,
we can better address the mental and emotional
needs of our pupils,
and improve the lives of our children.