Personal Support in Schools Practice Profile
The PINS team recently caught up with Gill Scott from the Personal Support in Schools Implementation Team to hear more about her work.
Firstly, a short introduction to Personal Support in Schools Project:
In 2005 the Scottish Executive published ‘Happy, Safe and Achieving their Potential: the National Review of Guidance’’ which:
- Describes the principles for the development of personal support in schools
- Sets out 10 standards for personal support in schools
- Clarifies the roles of school staff and local authorities in the provision and development of support to pupils
- Recognises the role of partner agencies in supporting pupils and assisting staff in schools to provide support
- Gives examples of different approaches to providing personal support in school
The recommendations of ‘Happy, Safe and Achieving their Potential’: The National Review of Guidance (Scottish Executive, 2005)are being taken forward by The Personal Support in Schools Implementation Team. The project is managed in partnership between the Scottish Government (Support for Learning) and Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Moray Councils. The team is supporting councils and aims to promote nationally:
- the importance of personal support for all school students
- the ten standards described in Happy, Safe and Achieving their Potential
- the value of integrated working as a means of achieving them
And now more from the Interview with Gill
What do we mean when we speak about Personal Support in Schools?
The main purpose of schools is to help children and young people learn. During pupils' time at school they experience a period of constant and sometimes rapid development. At times this is very challenging for children and young people and uses a lot of their physical and emotional energy, which may reduce their capacity to learn.
All pupils at all stages of education should be able to expect a high quality of personal support. Schools should offer to help them with their personal development, and assist them to deal with decisions and concerns throughout their time in the school.
We should also offer help to those with particular needs, which are sometimes best dealt with through partnership working with other agencies. Effective personal support leads to better achievement.
All school staff have a part to play in personal support through getting to know children and young people and responding sensitively to them. Teachers who take the time to do this can have an enormous impact on pupils' development into confident individuals. Schools will also have some staff with a particular or specialist role in Personal Support, such as Guidance staff, Learning and Behaviour Support staff and staff from specialist agencies
Could you briefly outline the work of the Personal Support in Schools Implementation Team?
The Implementation Team has developed a National Network of Local Authority Representatives from all 32 Scottish Authorities; I know you have more information about this on the PINS site. These Representatives will be setting up Local Networks for all sectors (primary, secondary and special) and all staff involved with Personal Support. Meetings of the National Network are held twice a year to provide an update on the work of the Implementation Team and to introduce and raise awareness of other projects and initiatives that will improve the services to support Children and Young People.
What’s important when it comes to providing good quality personal support to school pupils?
As I said earlier, all staff have a role to play in promoting Personal Support in their classes, which is complemented by the work done by Guidance and specialist staff.
However there are barriers to learning and schools need specialist support to help children and young people get over these barriers. Through working in partnership, schools should develop and encourage effective lines of communication, joint training sessions, an understanding of the roles of other agencies, trust and procedures for the sharing of information.
Do you have any examples of good practice in respect of personal support in schools?
A considerable number of schools and Local Authorities have submitted examples of interesting practice. The Project now has 2 writers working part time, who are visiting schools, collecting materials and producing a report on the work that is going on. Once written up the examples, which reflect main points of the 10 Standards, will be available on the Personal Support in schools website. Much of the information that has already been submitted is about Peer Support, Transitions, Antibullying, Pupil Participation, Citizenship and Climate and Relationships. There is a need for more information on effective partnership working and monitoring and tracking progress.
What do you see as the voluntary sectors role in terms of personal support in schools?
Schools need to be more aware of the services they can access through the Voluntary sector. They need to be aware that the Voluntary sector often has excellent resources available and staff with considerable expertise.. There is a need for more understanding of the different ways agencies and schools operate.
The main business of schools is Learning and it may be necessary to look at alternative curricular options for some young people, perhaps this is an area where working together would be useful. We also have to further develop the service offered to certain groups of children and young people whether they are Looked After and Accomodated, have Additional Support needs, do not have English as their first language, are Young Carers, have been affected by Domestic Abuse and other experiences that can hinder their learning.
It is important to involve the young people in this process, help them to identify their needs and plan what support would be of most use to them. They need information, advice and options. They need time and space to talk and they have to be confident that their information will be treated with confidence.
