Research - Outcomes, Parental Involvement and Evidence-based practice

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

I need (as do we all actually) quotes, policies, documents, references, guidelines, reports etc. that say the following things:

1. Parental involvement in their child's education is paramount.
   
   
2. Outcomes for children are increased when agencies work together.
   
   
3. Evidence-based practice is the responibility of ALL professionals working with children (particularly with SN)
   
   The documents will guide SALTs, Autism Outreach, LAs in general, Teachers, TAs, SENCos, EPs etc. in their work and approach.
   
   I'll do my own research too and post what I have here already and what I find.

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Breaking the link between special
educational needs and low attainment

CHAPTER 4

1. Breaking the link between special educational needs and low attainment means
making a consistent effort to narrow the gap in standards between children with SEN
and their peers, that the data analysis in Chapter 2 revealed. As Chapter 3 argued,
it also means that identification of SEN should bring additional support to help a
child make good progress relative to their starting point, and never be used as a
justification for low expectations.

2. The best schools and local authorities are driven in their desire to break the cycle
of low aspirations that can prevent children with SEN from making good progress or
reaching national levels of attainment

27. It is important that schools work in partnership with all parents, but this is
especially true for parents of children with SEN who may find it difficult to engage
in their child?s learning.

? according to Harris and
Goodall, parental support of learning within the home environment makes the
maximum difference to achievement.

31. Parents should increasingly feel that they are equal partners with schools
and local authorities, and that their views are heard during regular face-to-face
conversations.

47. While resources to support pupils with SEN are clearly important, it is how this
funding is spent that will largely determine its effectiveness. The most effective schools and local authorities start from a focus on high levels of progress for
individual children with SEN.

They then deploy their resources to achieve this ? drawing in specialist support to meet specific needs, but also relying on wholeschool approaches designed to drive up standards for all pupils below national
expectations.

Effective practice, supported by the resources that allow schools to
tailor provision to pupil needs is key. In a 2006 report on inclusion, Ofsted found
that ?there was a misconception that the provision of additional resources was the
key requirement for individual pupils, whereas the survey findings showed that
key factors for good progress were: the involvement of a specialist teacher; good
assessment; work tailored to challenge pupils sufficiently; and commitment from
school leaders to ensure good progress for all pupils.

48. Chapters 4 and 5 of this document set out the key policies and practices which
tend to deliver cost-effective outcomes.

Most are integral to effective policies of
personalisation for all pupils ? but the evidence suggests that they will be particularly effective for pupils with SEN.

One of the case studies in Chapter 5 highlights a school which used a short burst of one-to-one tuition to help a pupil with SEN get back on trajectory, perhaps more cost-effectively than a much longer period of time with a dedicated teaching or learning support assistant.

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

What's your point Lucinda?

The purpose of putting these here is so that parents can access quickly a tool to encourage the teachers and LA professionals to communicate.

It's all very well saying to a teacher/outreach/SALT 'but but, you should be communicating with parents, pretty please tell me what is going on, oh you still haven't responded to a letter I sent you a month ago.......' but a smart quote here and there will get their attention, not to mention a detailed cross email to their boss.

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Breaking the link between special
educational needs and low attainment

CHAPTER 5 - Best Practice


High expectations for good progress:

There is evidence of attainment levels or progress that is outstanding. There are interventions to raise attainment levels for an individual, or a whole school approach that ensures children with SEN make good progress or attainment in line with their peers.

Assessment, tracking and early intervention:

Data collection is accurate so that targets for good progress can be set. The progress that children make is measured and closely tracked. Early interventions are adopted on an evidenced basis.

Engaging parents of children with SEN:

Parents of children with SEN are more confident and more aware of their child?s learning. Parent-school conversations are more regular. Learning strategies are also used at home

Raising visibility and awareness through
leadership:

School leaders ensure that staff are aware of vulnerable pupils and the interventions required.
They create an inclusive vision and culture. They understand responsibility and accountability, and lead by example. The importance of accurate data usage is well-known.

Targeted support in basics:

Teachers, specialist and support staff with the right skills are deployed in appropriate settings to support children with SEN.
Well established strategies are used when needed. Further assessment is carried out to judge the impact of the support measures.

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Autism Spectrum Disorders
Good Practice Guidance Part 1

What are the strengths of children
with an ASD?


2.5 All children with an ASD are individuals
and their areas of strength will vary.
Those with an ASD are generally able to process visual information better than that given orally.

Which principles are important
in practice?
3.6 Key principles:

• People with an ASD will have a unique learning style and we cannot assume their
  

learning takes place in a linear fashion.
Without at least a background knowledge
of the challenges that having an ASD
can create, a child?s behaviour can be
misinterpreted and their needs will not
be met in the most appropriate way.

• A teacher or early years practitioner
  

will, therefore, need a knowledge of
ASDs and how to structure situations
to promote learning as well as
observational skills and the capacity
to motivate and involve. They will also
need flexibility and resourcefulness as,
although children with ASDs share core
deficits, they do not all think and learn
in exactly the same way

Policy and planning:

Forward planning at all levels is vital
when working with children with an
ASD. At the operational level, children
will benefit from planned and predictable
activities on a day-to-day basis.

Co-operation with other agencies:

• ASDs are complex and will undoubtedly
  

require the input of different agencies.

• There should be multi-agency
  

co-operation and intervention which
recognises the multiple demands ASDs place on providers. Interagency discussion is crucial and is particularly important at the pre-school stage and at the transition to adult services.

• For children with an ASD and their families to receive a co-ordinated flexible and seamless service, statutory, voluntary and independent providers need to link and liaise across organisational boundaries
  

Clear goals:

Clear short and long-term goals for
teaching and learning should be agreed with the children with an ASD,
their parents and professionals. The
goals should include a clear rationale
for practice and challenge children to
realise their potential as learners

[moondog]

Quite lucinda.
The point is, a lot of professionals aren't even aware of what it is they should be doing (a lot of this is due to be fair to the fact they are drowning in paperwork and vast caseloads but that won't change unless people pursue the point that there are formal standards which they are obliged to adhere to.)

Stark, a lot of SALTs won't have read this document in detail (I have) and even now available to all, very very few peopel have the tenacity and patience ot comb through it to put together a coherent argument.

But, it's the only way, tedious as it is.
You have to fioght with their weapons, not yours.

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

I can't believe it is online now. It is like looking into another world.

[moondog]

It's why I urged you all that time ago to get hold of a copy.

That's the gospel.
If CQ3 says it, noone can argue with it.
Forever and ever amen.

What do you think I read it from cover to cover for?

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Yes, I know. I begged for a copy but all I got was if I told them which page number I wanted they would photocopy them . They refused to let me look through their copies to choose the page numbers.

[LucindaCarlisle]

Parents can obtain their own copies of some of these Government Publications from The Stationery Office.

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

ASD Good Practice Guidance Pt 2 - Pointers

An ASD friendly school should:

• Work closely with parents and families,
  

consulting them about Individual Educational Plans and Behaviour Plans and inviting them to join in with ASD training where appropriate

• Develop communication networks between
  

the LEA, Health and Social Services
departments so that there is a three-way
flow of information regarding individual
children with an ASD, and a three-way
flow of up-to-date information regarding
ASD policy and practice

• Ensure smooth transition between settings
  

by exchanging accurate and up-to-date
records, profiles and ways of working with
the child with an ASD

Pointer 3. Do the interventions followed by
professionals and families, acknowledge the role of families as carers and educators of their children?

4. Is there good communication between all those involved with the child and the
family?

• There is liaison between the various providers if a child is receiving several different sorts of intervention (for example, home visits, playgroup and mainstream nursery
  

• Early years staff, including early years SENCOs, are aware of and build on the programmes used in the child?s home environment
  

• Professionals consult each other so that there is consistency in the advice to families and support for the child
  

• There is good co-operation and communication between home and school or home and LEA
  

7. Are progress targets and the child?s needs reviewed regularly?

• IEPs are updated frequently
  

• Record sheets of progress are kept to inform the IEP
  

HOME-BASED STRATEGIES

• It makes sense that strategies which encouraged progress at home are continued in school.
  

• Difficulties will arise if school staff do not know about these strategies or if they believe these will not fit easily into the school?s systems and approach.
  

• Discussion before transition between the parents, professionals involved with the child and the receiving school staff is needed to decide how the transition will
  

be managed and how the interventions might
be maintained.

Pointer 1. Is there an officer within the LEA, such as an educational psychologist, who
is familiar with the programmes in question and can give advice to other LEA officers and parents?

• An LEA officer is aware of relevant literature and the operation of approaches in practice. That officer, or case officers, visits the families at home and observes
  

the children on home-based programmes

• The officer with expertise in home-based
  

programmes has close links with other LEA/SEN
officers, to give advice on appropriate provision when the LEA arranges home-based programmes in whatever circumstances

Pointer 2. Does the child?s statement specify the home-based support the LEA will fund and any other support, such as speech
and language therapy, which the LEA will arrange?

• The LEA is willing to consider provision of home-based programmes for children and name them on statements of SEN
  

Pointer 3. Where professional input (for example, speech and language therapy) is required, does it complement the approach of the home-based provision?

• Professionals are familiar with, and work within, the ethos of the home-based provision
  

• Opportunities are provided for professionals to observe the home programme and receive training in the approach being used
  

Pointer 10. Is there a gradual and well-planned transition from home-based to school provision?

• Exit guidance is included in the LEA?s policy on homebased provision and transition plans are drawn up
  

• Meetings are set up between the school and the home programme staff to discuss the programmes and the child?s progress.
  

• Class teachers and other school and LEA staff are familiarised with the home programme?s techniques and principles, including through observation at the child?s home.
  

Behaviour 1. Are individual behaviour plans
developed in consultation with the child with an ASD and their parents with effective practices being shared between home and school?

• There is effective communication between home and school about individuals? behaviour plans.
  

• Parents are always consulted when there is a significant change to the behaviour plan
  

School provision 6. Are support systems in place to ensure the child?s educational,
social and life skill needs are recognised
and responded to?

• There is an ongoing monitoring of children?s access to the curriculum, and social activities, involving the child?s mentor where they have one
  

• Teachers and parents have jointly planned strategies for addressing learning needs in and out of a formal educational setting
  

IEP 1. Are IEP targets developed collaboratively with the child and parents,
relevant school staff and outside professionals?

• Measurable IEP targets are developed through discussion Level S with all involved, including the child and the parents and are written in clear, comprehensible language
  

• The IEP includes targets that address the child?s specific difficulties within the triad of impairments and their changing presentation and associated learning difficulties, where applicable
  

• Learning tasks are presented in a way that match the child's learning style
  

• Teaching is informed by assessment of the child?s progress towards IEP targets
  

Speech and Language Therapy 3. Do the interventions involve family, teachers,
other individuals and professionals involved
with the child?

• There is an emphasis on the interventions adopting the indirect model where the SLT shares their knowledge and findings with staff who work with the child rather than concentrating on individual one-to-one therapy.
  

• There are formal structures through which SLTs provide communication advice to other professionals involved in the care of children with an ASD
  

• Interventions take account of the child?s unique developmental profile, experience, motivation and social contexts
  

• Communication targets are integrated into
  

the child?s curriculum

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Lucinda Please.

[LucindaCarlisle]

Can you please give the Reference of these guidance publications, so that parents can obtain their own personal copy?

[Lougle]

LucindaCarlisle, why don't you give the Reference to these guidance publications? All it would take is google, hey?

Stark has spent a good deal of time sharing resources. Perhaps you forgot to say thank you, or even 'that's great'?


Stark - "Thank you, that's great"

You've been a busy little beaver, haven't you?

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Early Intervention: Securing good outcomes for all children and young people

2.23 Effective early intervention requires professionals to work well with children, young people and, often, their families, almost always on a voluntary basis


The spiralling costs of not intervening early and effectively

3.1 Essentially, the case for early intervention rests on the mounting evidence
demonstrating what happens when children and young people?s emerging difficulties are not spotted and addressed, coupled with promising evidence about the difference that programmes and approaches can make if delivered well, early on after difficulties have first appeared.

It is clear that in some cases, without identification, assessment and help, children?s problems become entrenched and then spiral and multiply, causing significant long term damage for them and for others around them, and creating big financial costs for a wide range of public services far into the future.

3.2 When the high costs of ?non intervention? are compared to the
significantly lower costs of intervening early, it becomes clear that early intervention is often the better approach

3.9 Results such as those set out above are exciting from both child welfare and cost effectiveness perspectives, because they suggest early intervention can offer significantly better outcomes and value for money than the later interventions that absorb the great bulk of service budgets

6.10 Some children, young people and families, for example, require low-level
support to help them get through a difficult patch, for example, support through Assessment for Learning. On the other hand, those with complex and enduring problems will often need high-intensity, evidence based interventions and a range of support over a longer period of time. This means different options need to be available for children, young people and families

Evidence-based Practice

6.20 Amidst the plethora of early intervention programmes that are available,
research suggests that the most successful programmes tend to share some common characteristics:

●● They are intensive. Programmes with strong impacts on child welfare outcomes tend to provide intensive services, meaning a high number of service hours, often coupled with a requirement for a high level of engagement from participants.

●● They focus on behaviour. Effective programmes are likely to take a behavioural approach (as opposed to an instructional approach), such as coaching parents one-on-one during play sessions with their children.

●● They include both parents and children. Many successful programmes take an approach that acknowledges the central role of the parent-child relationship in child outcomes.

●● They stay faithful to the programme. Some successful programmes have demonstrated the importance of maintaining adherence to the
programme model. When looser criteria have been applied the results have not been so good or may even make matters worse.

6.25 For understandable reasons the research is also clear that the availability
of people with the right training and skills to put an evidence-based programme into effect is a crucial factor influencing the outcomes.

6.26 Clearly, the professionals who deliver a programme need to be technically
proficient and equipped with the training to deliver it well. They also require good ?people skills?. Research has consistently found that children, young people and families who are in need of support, value and are more likely to engage with practitioners who are accessible, approachable and responsive. They are also more likely to take up services if they are
culturally sensitive

6.27 Not surprisingly, more generally it has also been found that the willingness
of parents and children to engage with a programme and to consider changing their behaviour makes a big difference to its eventual results

Keeping children and families engaged

6.28 A problem identified with many helpful programmes and approaches is the difficulty first of engaging children and families and second of keeping them on board; ?attrition? is a well known phenomenon, with the children and families who are most vulnerable particularly likely to disengage

Data and evidence

7.28 Systematically collecting and analysing data to produce evidence about what works and what doesn?t is a crucial element of an effective early intervention approach

CONCLUSION:

Government will:

2. Support the development and use of evidence-based early intervention practice by prioritising proven evidence-based
programmes in our improvement support for Children?s Trust partners, including the Family Nurse Partnership and training for the early years workforce to address any problems early through the Every Child a Talker and Social and Emotional Aspects of Development programmes

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Lougle Yes. I hope it is helpful. Not sure if it will be to anyone other than me but still, it mentions the key documents that Lucinda can post links to.

[Lougle]

The wonderful thing about these documents is that they can be totally irrelevant when things are going well, then be absolutely crucial when things are going badly.

The wonderful thing about this thread is that you have put all the things that are relevant to this subject in one thread that we can link to forever more!

Well done, seriously.

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

National Autism Plan for Children (NAPC)


4 Recommendations

4.3.2.2 Pre-school education opportunities
The educational programmes that have tended to prove most effective for young children with autism are those that:

? take account of the characteristic behavioural patterns of children with autism, and an understanding of what may underlie those behaviours,

? employ a structured, approach to teaching

? focus on the development of specific skills, and on increasing social communication and understanding (Marcus et al, 2000)

? foster integration with peers. The optimum length of such programmes is uncertain but there is some evidence that access to
'autism specific' programmes of this kind for around 15 hours a week with specifically trained staff/ workers is likely to result in more enduring gains than much briefer, or non-autism specific forms of intervention (Rogers, 1998).

Recommended

? Functional and positive support for behaviour.

? Ongoing liaison between school, parents/ carers and community based professionals to ensure consistency of approaches in home, school and any other environment for the child.

4.3.2.3 ASD specific therapies and 'other treatment' interventions

? There is a range of therapies promoted for individuals with ASD. However most of these lack experimental evidence of effectiveness (Smith 1999; Howlin and Charman, in press; Diggle, McConachie and Randle, 2002).

? Scientific evidence of efficacy assumes a homogeneous population. Since children with ASD present as a heterogeneous group it remains possible that some treatments that do not have demonstrated effectiveness across the population, may, nevertheless, be highly efficacious in a small sub-set of that population. Thus, if there is some a priori rationale for using a specific
treatment with a particular child, this should be carefully monitored. .

[JoMaman]

amazing thread - thanks v much! sorry I have nothing to contribute!

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

CODE OF CONDUCT AND PRACTICE FOR
REGISTERED TEACHERS

(Who knew there was such a thing eh? This applies to Advisory Teachers, Outreach teachers, SENCOs etc. too)

1 Important documents which articulate expected standards of teacher practice include:

the School Teachers? Pay and Conditions
Document; the National College for School Leadership National Standards for School Leaders; and the Training and Development
Agency?s Professional Standards for Teachers

Registered teachers:

1. Take responsibility for maintaining the quality of their teaching practice
   

1. Strive to establish productive partnerships with parents and carers
   

1. Co-operate with other professional
   

colleagues

1. Demonstrate honesty and integrity and
   

uphold public trust and confidence in the
teaching profession


2 Take responsibility for maintaining the quality of their teaching practice

Registered teachers:

? Make use of assessment techniques, set
appropriate and clear learning objectives, plan activities and employ a range of teaching methodologies and technologies to meet individual and group learning needs

? Reflect on their practice and use feedback from colleagues to help them recognise their own development needs; actively seek out opportunities to develop their knowledge, understanding, skills and practice.


5. Strive to establish productive partnerships with parents and carers

Registered teachers

? Provide parents and carers with accessible and accurate information about their child?s progress

? Involve parents and carers in important decisions about their child?s education

? Consider parents? and carers? views and
perspectives, including those that relate to their children?s development

[willowthecat]

"? There is a range of therapies promoted for individuals with ASD. However most of these lack experimental evidence of effectiveness (Smith 1999; Howlin and Charman, in press; Diggle, McConachie and Randle, 2002).
"

I think this is the crucial bit really - just managed to get full pdf of the article cited too ! will post url on if anyone else wants it too

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Professional standards for teachers -
Teaching Development Agency

All qualified teachers:

Q1 Have high expectations of children and young people including a commitment to ensuring that they can achieve their full educational potential

Q4 Communicate effectively with children, young people, colleagues, parents and carers.

Q5 Recognise and respect the contribution that colleagues, parents and carers can make to the development and well-being of children and young people, and to raising their levels of attainment.

Q6 Have a commitment to collaboration and cooperative working

Q8 Have a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation, being prepared to adapt their practice where benefits and improvements are identified.

Q10 Have a knowledge and understanding of a range of teaching, learning and behaviour management strategies and know how to use and adapt them, including how to personalise learning and provide opportunities for all learners to achieve their potential

Q12 Know a range of approaches to assessment, including the importance of formative assessment.

Q13 Know how to use local and national statistical information to evaluate the effectiveness of their teaching, to monitor the progress of those they teach and to raise levels of attainment

Q19 Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach, including those for whom English is an additional language or who have special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take practical account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching.

Q20 Know and understand the roles of colleagues with specific responsibilities, including those with responsibility for learners with special educational needs and disabilities and other individual learning needs

Q24 Plan homework or other out-of-class work to sustain learners' progress and to extend and consolidate their learning

Q25 Teach lessons and sequences of lessons across the age and ability range for which they are trained in which they:

(a) use a range of teaching strategies and resources, including e-learning, taking practical account of diversity and promoting equality and inclusion

(b) build on prior knowledge, develop concepts and processes, enable learners to apply new knowledge, understanding and skills and meet learning objectives

(c) adapt their language to suit the
learners they teach, introducing new ideas and concepts clearly, and using explanations, questions, discussions and plenaries effectively

(d) demonstrate the ability to manage the learning of individuals, groups and whole classes, modifying their teaching to suit the stage of the lesson

Q26 (a) Make effective use of a range of assessment, monitoring and recording strategies. (b) Assess the learning needs of those they teach in order to set challenging learning objectives.

Q27 Provide timely, accurate and constructive feedback on learners' attainment, progress and areas for development

Q32 Work as a team member and identify opportunities for working with colleagues, sharing the development of effective practice with them.

Q33 Ensure that colleagues working with them are appropriately involved in supporting learning and understand the roles they are expected to fulfil

[StarkAndWitchesWillFindYou]

Core Professional Standards for Teachers

More TDA

C1 Have high expectations of children and young people including a commitment to ensuring that they can achieve their full educational potential

C4 Communicate effectively with parents and carers, conveying timely and relevant information about attainment, objectives, progress and well-being.

Recognise that communication is a two-way process and encourage parents and carers to participate in discussions about the progress, development and well-being of children and young people.

C5 Recognise and respect the contributions that colleagues, parents and carers can make to the development and well-being of children and young people, and to raising their levels of attainment. Read C5 NQT guidance

C6 Have a commitment to collaboration and co-operative working, where appropriate.

C8 Have a creative and constructively critical approach towards innovation; being prepared to adapt their practice where benefits and improvements are identified

C9 Act upon advice and feedback and be open to coaching and mentoring

C10 Have a good, up-to-date working knowledge and understanding of a range of teaching, learning and behaviour management strategies and know how to use and adapt them, including how to personalise learning to provide opportunities for all learners to achieve their potential

C12 Know a range of approaches to assessment, including the importance of formative assessment.

C14 Know how to use reports and other sources of external information related to assessment in order to provide learners with accurate and constructive feedback on their strengths, weaknesses, attainment, progress and areas for development, including action plans for improvement.

C19 Know how to make effective personalised provision for those they teach, including those for whom English is an additional language or who have special educational needs or disabilities, and how to take practical account of diversity and promote equality and inclusion in their teaching

C32 Provide learners, colleagues, parents and carers with timely, accurate and constructive feedback on learners' attainment, progress and areas for development.

C33 Support and guide learners so that they can reflect on their learning, identify the progress they have made, set positive targets for improvement and become successful independent learners.

C34 Use assessment as part of their teaching to diagnose learners' needs, set realistic and challenging targets for improvement and plan future teaching.

C35 Review the effectiveness of their teaching and its impact on learners' progress, attainment and well-being, refining their approaches where necessary

C37 (c) Identify and use opportunities to personalise and extend learning through out-of-school contexts where possible making links between in-school learning and learning in out-of-school contexts.

C38 (b) Use a range of behaviour management techniques and strategies, adapting them as necessary to promote the self-control and independence of learners.

C39 Promote learners' self-control, independence and cooperation through developing their social, emotional and behavioural skills.

[moondog]

'The wonderful thing about these documents is that they can be totally irrelevant when things are going well, then be absolutely crucial when things are going badly.'

That's it in a nutshell, Lougle.

[RGO]

Can I just say 'stark' on line and on record that I think you are amazing...and one day I would like to employ you!!!

[SantasMooningArse]

I was chatting to someone yesterday who is a researcher working on disability and aprenting: Tina Skinner, at Bath Uni

might be worth a call? She is publishing atm and a really approachable lady