SYSTEMIC INTERVENTIONS IN
SCHOOLS
Presentation Of A Model
Journée régionale – le 20 février 2009
Family and School Support and Treatment Team
Student Services
Lester B. Pearson School Board
Nathalie Constant
Janis Davies
Cindy Finn
Maureen Hunt
Rita McDonough
Laura Mosca
Scott Waugh
Welcome
 A Model
– FSSTT – Historical/Philosophical – overview
– Questions/Discussion
 How is this integrated? – Resource Team
– Questions/Discussion
 FSSTT Tech Role
– Questions/Discussion
 T.I.E.S. – Overview
– Questions/Discussion
 Professional Development Model – Building Capacity in
School Community
– Questions/Discussion
 Research Overview
– Questions/Discussion
 Closure
“A Model”
FSSTT Overview
 Historical
 Philosophical
Beginnings
 Established Fall 1995
 3 year pilot
 McConnell Foundation
 Dr. Mounir Samy
 5 schools - 4 Elementary - 1 High School
 Early Intervention Research
 Dr. Richard Tremblay – Université de Montréal
 Expanded to 7 Elementary - 1 High School by the year
2000
 Currently
 15 Elementary Schools
 5 High Schools
WHO IS THE FSSTT?
 Actually, each professional involved in the life of a
referred student is a member of the Treatment Team
and part of the intervention plan.
 The multi-disciplinary team consists of a
Coordinator/Consultant, a Child Development
Specialist, two Psycho-educators, Family Therapist,
Art Therapist, Itinerant Social Aide Technician, and
the part time services of psychiatrists and
psychologists.
 The Core Team consists of a Social Aide Technician
working in each of the schools with the resource
team.
 Additional Natural Extensions of the team are the
school psychologists, Student Services personnel,
resource and classroom teachers, CLSC social
workers, nurses, and outside professionals.
FSSTT
2008 – 2009
Communication Links – Organogram
ORCHARD ACADEMY
 Psychologist
FSSTT Social Aide Tech
Special Needs Consultant
CLEARPOINT
EDGEWATER
COORDINATOR
GREENDALE
RIVERVIEW
SPRINGDALE
MEADOWBROOK
CO-COORDINATOR
ST. LAWRENCE ACADEMY JR.
PURCELL ACADEMY
ST. PATRICK
ST. LAWRENCE ACADEMY SR.
FSSTT Link Person
BEURLING
LCCHS
LAKESIDE ACADEMY
MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM
Psychiatrist
FSSTT Consultants
Psycho-Educators
Psychologists
Itinerant Social Aide Tech
Art Therapist (TIES)
Family Consultant (TIES)
FSSTT Link Person
ALLION
BISHOP WHELAN
SUNSHINE
LPHS
RIVERDALE
FSSTT Link Person
THORNDALE
FSSTT Link Person
Global Objectives
 Professional Development for school
personnel in the area of socio-emotional
development of the child
 To provide Therapeutic Support to
students and their families both in the
school and in the home where
appropriate
Specific Objectives
 To improve the well being of the child
 To increase the child’s self esteem and self
worth
 To decrease the stigma and marginalization
of the child
 To assist the child to understand the problem
Specific Objectives cont’d.
 To assist teachers in understanding the
nature of the child’s difficulty by:
– Recognizing and accepting the relevance
of the concept of psycho-social
maladjustment
– Developing an understanding of the
systemic approach to social-emotional
maladjustment
Specific Objectives cont’d.
 Becoming familiar with and recognizing
the indicators of psycho-social
maladjustment
 Developing interventions and
techniques to assist teachers
 Modifying environmental variables to
accommodate the needs of the child
Underlying Objectives
 System Change - Ecological Approach
 Moving toward creating Therapeutic
Environments in our schools
Questions/Discussion
How is this integrated?
Resource Team
FUNCTION
HUB:
Re: delivery of services to students in
need
 Provide support for classroom teachers

Resource Team
PURPOSE
 Review the record of teaching strategies
(RTS) already in progress
 Brainstorm additional strategies with multidisciplinary group
 Develop a collaborative approach to problemsolving
 Facilitate communication within the school, with
parents, with other professionals involved
 Carry out referral processes for consultation,
assessment, or identification of special needs
Resource Team
SCHOOL
SOCIAL
WORKER
SOCIAL
AIDE TECH
SCHOOL
PSYCHOLOGIS
TSSD
CHILD/
FAMILY
SCHOOL
RESOURCE
TEACHERS
PRINCIPAL
CLASSROOM
TEACHER
INTEGRATION
AIDE
OTHER
PROFESSIONAL
S
NURSE
CLSC
FSSTT
Process
 Problem solving - use of

brainstorming; 30 minute problem
solving model (Porter)
Follow-up:
–
–
Review and assess action plans
Revise if needed
 Referral process:
1. Resource Team general referral
2. FSSTT intervention specifically
RESOURCE TEAM
TEACHER
RESOURCE TEAM
Problem solving developing
a plan at school
REFERRAL TO STUDENT SERVICES
In-school psychologist development
of an intervention plan
and/or assessment referral
FSSTT
REFERRAL
SOCIAL WORK
REFERRAL
HOSPITAL
REFERRAL
OTHER
PROFESSIONALS
REFERRAL
Referral Process to the FSSTT Intervention
RESOURCE
TEAM
problem solving
developing a plan
at school
TEACHER
FSSTT
REFERR
AL
PROBLEM
SOLVING &
FURTHER
DEVELOPMENT
&
AUGMENTATION
OF PLAN AT
SCHOOL
REFERRAL TO STUDENT
SERVICES
in school psychologist
development of an intervention
plan and/or assessment referral
HOSPITAL
REFERRAL
SOCIAL WORK
REFERRAL
TYPE I
INTERVENTIO
N
Behaviour
Resource
ON-SITE
PRO-ACTIVE
TYPE III INTERVENTION
PSYCHIATRIC FAMLY
ASSESSMENT, ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION, PSYCHOSOCIAL
ASSESSMENT (FAMILY AND OR
CHILD) INTERVENTION PLAN
HOME AND SCHOOL
OTHER
PROFESSIONALS
REFERRAL
TYPE II
INTERVENTION
DIRECT
CONSULTATION
WITH TEACHERS
AND SCHOOL
PERSONNEL WITH
M.D. TEAM AND
PSYCHIATRIST
Summary of Consults
Type
II
Type
III
Type
IV
TOTAL
409
116
67
592
Questions/Discussion
FSSTT Tech Role
Role of the Social Aide Technician
 Child advocacy through: games, social
skills, one on one discussions, groups,
breakfast programs, recess and lunch
support, conflict resolution, parent-child
meetings
 Set limits through relationship building
 Participate in the resource team
meetings
 Liaison with parents
 Support teachers in and out of class
 IEP’s –writing, implementation and review
 Provide support for integration aides,
daycare, and lunch supervisors, as well as
resources
 Provide professional development to the
school
 Training of stagieres
 Establish/maintain links with outside
agencies
 Peer support meetings (POD)
 End of year report detailing their summary
of interventions
FSSTT LEGEND OF
INTERVENTIONS
1. On-going Individual Support
2. Social Skills
3. Anger Management Skills
4. Parent Meetings
5. Parent Telephone Contact
6. Home Visits
7. Transportation Runs
8. Recess Support
9. Lunch Support
10. In-Class Support
11. Crisis Intervention
12. Individualized Behavioural
Modification
13. Homework Support
14. Consultation with Staff
15. Consultation with Parents
16. Family Therapy
Questions/Discussion
T.I.E.S.
(The Intensification of Existing
Services)
T.I.E.S.
Systemic Intervention
 Building capacity within the school
 Purpose:
 Support emotional and behavioural
needs
 Professional Development for school
staff
 Support families
Implementation of T.I.E.S.
 Co-ordinated by school psychologist
and FSSTT consultant
 Implemented in 5 LBPSB elementary
schools (Thorndale, Riverview, Purcell,
St. Lawrence Sr., Orchard)
Need to enhance services
Areas of Intervention







Academic Support (Resource Teacher)
Behaviour Resource (FSSTT Tech)
Therapeutic Intervention (Art Therapist)
Family Support (Family Consultant)
Assessments (Psychologist)
Psychiatric Consults (FSSTT Staff
Psychiatrist)
Consultations with Team (FSSTT
Consultant & Psychologist)
Procedures for Start Up
Setting the scene…
Building T.I.E.S. in every school
 School buy-in
 School’s selection of students
 Meetings with individual parents
 Type II consults for each student
 T.I.E.S. team’s development of goals and
recommendations
 Resource teacher’s meetings with T.I.E.S.
students to discuss goals
 Weekly updates with T.I.E.S. team
Therapeutic Intervention
 Delivered by Art Therapist
 Role:
 Works with students individually/groups
 Observes classrooms
 Consults with classroom teachers and
team
How Art Therapy Benefits T.I.E.S.
Students
 Provides an outlet for feelings
 Helps the development of personal
expression
 Enhances communication skills
 Addresses personal concerns at an
individual pace
 Reduces stress
 Helps build positive coping skills
 Helps build self-concept/identify and
self-esteem
Family Support
 Delivered by Family Consultant
 Role:
 Meets with T.I.E.S. team on weekly
basis
 Is in direct contact with parents
 Meets with teachers
 Liaises with outside
services/agencies
Psychiatric Consults
 Delivered by FSSTT Psychiatrist
 Role:
 Consults with classroom teachers


and team
Meets with the T.I.E.S. team
Consults with professionals
individually
Academic Support
 Delivered by Resource
Teacher
 Role:
 Direct academic skills
instruction
 Consultation with classroom
teachers and team
 Relationship building with
students
Direct Academic Skills Instruction
 Read level books
 Personal dictionaries and word walls
 High frequency words
 Reading strategies
 “Handwriting Without Tears’’ program
Consultation With the Classroom
Teachers and Team




Weekly meeting with the T.I.E.S.
team
Up-dates to classroom teachers
Colored cue card
Parent meetings
Relationship Building with the
Students
 Set reasonable goals
 Develop personal confidence
 Check in/Breakfast Club
 Work on organizational skills
 Create a safe and special place
Student Benefits
 Relationship building
 Social skills
 Self-esteem
 Integration into the classroom
 Self-awareness
 Coping strategies and conflict
resolution
Family Benefits
 Additional non-academic support
 Home visits
 Better communication
 Better relationship
 Liaison with community resources
 Bridge building
Staff Benefits
 Empowered by feedback/Type II
meetings
 Professional Development
opportunities
 Extensions of positive relationships
 Acknowledging the work of teachers
Systems Benefits
 Better communication
 Better organizational skills
 Better understanding of challenging
behaviours
 Reframing the needs of other
students
Success Plan for Sam
 Developed life skills and support
academic needs
 Provided for teachers to meet with
student to develop personal relationship
 Neuropsychological assessment
 Mentored relationships with other adults
 Family involved in therapeutic
intervention
 Art Therapy-a variety of projects
 Student’s plans and goals were
reviewed at weekly meetings
Safe and Special Place
General Strategies Card
Working on Organizational Skills
The Tree People
“I feel like I am falling
sometimes.”
Note: The colour chosen by
the student was a blue.
“I feel happy and on top!”
Note: The colour chosen
by the student was a
bright yellow and orange.
Questions/Discussion
Professional Development
Model:
Building Capacity in the
School Community
FSSTT Tech
 On-site weekly support
 Six month internships on a
multidisciplinary team at the
Montreal Children's Hospital
Peer Support
 POD Meetings
 On-site visitation of techs in other
FSSTT schools
 Joint professional development
sessions with Planning Room
Techs
School Contributions
 Workshops to school teaching
staffs
 Workshops to Daycare and Lunch
Supervisor staffs
 Participation in weekly Resource
meetings
 Case discussion and consultation
with team psychiatrist
Tackling the Challenge …
Jean Duckett
Janna Gillis
Scott Macquisten
Mario Mazzarelli
Rita McDonough
Gerry O’Reilly
Noella Paradis
Monique Thirlwell
Family and School Support and
Treatment Team
FSSTT
Creating Positive Environments
During Lunch and Daycare
Presenters: Jean Duckett - Itinerant Behavior Resource
Rita McDonough - Co-Coordinator FSSTT
Board Contributions
 Newsletter
 FSSTT Educational Library
 Lecture series
Contributions to Other Learning
Communities
 University and CEGEP Teaching
Tackling the Challenge:
Our Graduates are Now
Your Students
June 9, 2008
Jean Duckett
Rita McDonough
Lester B. Pearson School Board
Concordia University
Seminar in Child Study
• School Systems and the Impact on
Children with Behavioral Challenges
J. Scott Waugh MA
Bridging the Gap
Between Teaching and
Learning
Concordia University
Education Conference
Friday, October 15, 2004
Rita McDonough, M.Ed.
J. Scott Waugh, M.A.
Questions/Discussion
Research
Research
 Collaborative Research since 1997
School Board + University + Government
 CQRS, FQRSC Funding
 MEQ/MELS (Action Research)
 Partners:
–
–
–
–
–
–
Dr. Nancy Heath, McGill University
Dr. Hariclia Petrakos, Concordia University
Dr. Cecile Rousseau, Montreal Children’s Hospital
Cindy Finn, LBPSB
Diane McLean-Heywood, LBPSB
Family and School Support and Treatment Team
Research Question
 What effect does a systemic,
professional development oriented
(school, family, child) model have on
children, teachers, parents?
 WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THE
FSSTT?
Program of Research

Early Focus Group Study (19992000)

Survey & Large Evaluation Study
(CQRS, 2000-2002)

Follow-up Evaluation Study
(FQRSC, 2003-05)

Impact on Community School Study
(MEQ Action Research, 2003-04)

TIES Project Study (MELS Action
Research, 2007-08)
Phase 1: Early Focus Groups
Participants


Staff from 6 schools with team services
Divided into 4 groups (teachers, behavior resource,
resource teachers, principals)
Method




Focus group facilitated by university researcher
Parallel questions used for each group
Group discussions audiotaped and transcribed
Data analyzed with an open coding qualitative
approach to yield themes (Strauss & Corbin, 1990).
Emerging Themes








Team Roles
Advantages and disadvantages
Understanding of the child
Changes (adult-child relationships, peer
relationships, within the child)
Family-school collaboration
Interagency collaboration
Challenges and complexities
Future Recommendations
Phase 2: Evaluative studies
 Research lagging behind practice (opinion
papers and anecdotal evidence)
 Need for evaluative and comparative
research
Survey Study

Anonymous surveys of the teachers and
parents of children who were being followed
by the FSSTT in 2 schools
– (a) their satisfaction with the services of FSSTT
– (b) their perceptions of the child’s




behaviour problem (severity, frequency, duration),
social functioning, self-esteem, mood
academic achievement
Sample = 36 children (29 boys, 7 girls, M =
10.8 years, SD = 1.2) were identified by the
schools as having moderate to severe E/BD.
Parent Survey Results





76% reported positive changes in their child’s
behaviour
78% felt that the team helped them better
understand their child’s behaviour
61% reported that the team helped them
understand the complexity of the problem
86% felt the team provided them with the
support they needed
96% agreed that these children could function
in the regular classroom.
Teacher Survey Results



55% of the teachers felt that the behaviour of
the children had improved
100% of the teachers felt that:
(a) the team had helped them understand the child’s
behaviour
(b) the team helped them appreciate the complexity of
the problem
(c) the team provided them with the support they needed
to work with the children.
93% of the teachers agreed that these
children could function in the regular
classroom.
Comparison Studies
(CQRS/FQRSC)
Comparison of
FSSTT approach:
 Change school environment (social &
academic) to fit needs of the child
(ECOLOGICAL)
with
Standard approach (range of services)
 Change the child to fit the school
environment (MEDICAL)
Comparative Study #1(CQRS)
 Compare FSSTT schools to matched nonteam control schools
 What changes over time? (children,
parents, teachers)
Methodology
 Participants
– Selection of 6 LBPSB schools
– Teacher nominations of children with behavior
problems
– 227/1585 students were nominated (prevalence rate of
14%)
– 139 children (gr. 1-6) were followed for 1 year
 99 boys, 40 girls
 3 conditions
–
–
–
–
2 Established FSSTT schools (4 yrs +) = 57 students
2 New FSSTT schools = 46 students
2 “standard” services schools = 37 students
Testing at 2 time periods (October & May)
Measures
Teacher

Teacher Rating Form
(TRF; Achenbach, 1991)
 Social Skills Rating
System (SSRS; Gresham &
Elliott, 1990)
 Self-Perception Profile for
Children (Teacher Form;
Harter, 1985)
Teacher semi-structured
interview
Parent

Child Behavior Checklist
(CBCL; Achenbach, 1991)
 Social Skills Rating
System (SSRS; Gresham
& Elliott, 1990)
 Self-Perception Profile
for Children (Parent Form;
Harter, 1985)
 Parent semi-structured
interview
Child

Child Depression Inventory
(Kovacs, 1992)
 Social Skills Rating System
(SSRS;Gresham & Elliott,
1990)
 Self-Perception Profile for
Children (SPPC; Harter, 1985)
 Wide Range Achievement
Test (WRAT-3)
 Direct Observation Form
(DOF; Achenbach, 1991)
 Youth Self-Report (YSR;
Achenbach, 1991)
 Child Semi-structured
interview
Self-reported Changes in Depression
Marginally significant improvement between conditions (p=.08)
FSSTT: 49.3 -> 45.2; Non-FSSTT: 49.5 -> 47.5
Child self-report of problem behaviours
FSSTT: 56.0 -> 51.8
Non-FSSTT: 60.0 ->55.8 (p=.05)
Condition by YSR TOT
62
Mean YSRTOT Scores
60
58
56
Team Schools
Non-Team Schools
54
52
50
48
46
1
2
Time
Parent report of behaviour problems
FSSTT: 59.5 -> 56.0
Non-team: 65.5 -> 62.11
Condition by CBCL TOT
68
Mean CBCLTOT Scores
66
64
62
60
Team Schools
Non-Team Schools
58
56
54
52
50
1
2
Time
Teacher report of Internalizing Behaviour
FSSTT: 61.09 -> 60.08
Non-FSSTT: 60.81 -> 55.95
Co nd itio n b y T R F INT
62
M e a n TR FI N T S c or e s
61
60
59
58
Team S chools
Non-Team S chools
57
56
55
54
53
1
2
T im e
Conclusions
 Behaviors change over time - Increase
in observed depression with the
decrease in personal experience of
depression
 Behaviors improved over the year
 70% of students had significant
academic problems
 Relationships are key
Comparative Study # 2 (FQRSC)

Further evaluate FSSTT
– Compare FSSTT and non-team schools (6
schools)
– Explored BD/LD comorbidity issue
– Social support & problem solving
– Relationship with Behaviour Resource

Followed a group of students with behaviour
problems (N = 57 students: 27 FSSTT, 30
non-FSSTT)

Measured over two time periods (Fall, Winter)
Overall results

Strong Appreciation for Team Services
– Teachers feel better equipped to deal with
problems

Team plays important support role
– Lack of services leads to burn out

Parents do not fully understand what schools
are doing; feel blamed by school

Challenges working with troubled families
Phase 3: Smaller studies
 Impact of FSSTT on Community School
over time
 Impact of Intensifying Services in
FSSTT school (TIES project)
– Added academic resource support, art
therapy, family support
How research informs practice
 Sharing of Results to Community
 Discussions with FSSTT members
 Dissemination/publication of results to
academic community
Why the need for research?
 To better serve our students, teachers
and families
 To enhance opportunities for SUCCESS
Questions/Discussion
In Relationship
Relationships
 We work to create trusting, nonthreatening, Quality Relationships with:
children, parents, teachers,
professionals, para-professionals
and all outside professionals and
agencies
 “Together is Better”
FSSTT
School
and Outside
Agencies
FSSTT and
Outside
Agencies
Home and
Outside
Agencies
Developing Trust
Look at:
Developing Relationships
• School needs
Developing Understanding
• Family needs
Developing Collaborative
Spirit / Partnership
• Student needs
TRANSFORMATION OF AN
ORGANIZATION AROUND THE
NEEDS OF AN INDIVIDUAL
Support Networks
 Facilitate the creation of support
Networks for all because none of us can
do it “well” alone
 “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child”, a
Family, a School System, a Community
of Quality
How Do We Do It??
 Model a Learning Organization
 There is always a better way
 Think outside the box
 Continuous improvement
“Be the change you
are trying to create.”
– Ghandi
The Starfish
There was a young man walking down a deserted beach just before
dawn. In the distance he saw a frail old man. As he approached the old
man, he saw him picking up stranded starfish and throwing them back
into the sea. The young man gazed in wonder as the old man again and
again threw the small starfish from the sand to the water. He asked,
“Old man, why do you spend so much energy doing what seems to be a
waste of time?”
The old man explained that the stranded starfish would die if left in the
morning sun.
“But there must be thousands of beaches and millions of starfish!”
exclaimed the young man. “How can you make a difference?”
The old man looked down at the small starfish in his hand, and as he
threw it to the safety of the sea, he said, “I make a difference to this
one.”
Anonymous
Questions/Discussion