Developing behaviour improvement programmes

Summary

This case study outlines the development, implementation and outcomes of the Behaviour Improvement programme to improve attendance, reduce exclusions and reduce youth offending of young people.

The local area

Wolverhampton has high social deprivation (it is the 15th most deprived city in the country), and high unemployment. Its school population is 41,000 of whom 1/3 are ethnic minorities. There are 18 Secondary Schools, 80 Primary Phase schools, 7 Special Schools and 4 Pupil Referral Units (PRU's). 25% of children are on the SEN Register and 3.25% are statemented, and there were 7 permanent exclusions in 20032004.

Multidisciplinary Area teams

During 1998-'99 Children's Services had been reconstructed into multidisciplinary Area Teams consisting of Educational Psychologists, Behaviour Support, Education Social Workers, and Learning Support Teachers. Each team was allocated a geographical patch typically covering 2 Secondary schools and their feeder primaries. SEN Audit data determined the size of each patch and number of staff in each team. Area SEN Panels were also developed, each holding a budget. The purpose was to discuss ways of supporting statemented and non-statemented pupils through projects and individual means.

Behaviour Improvement Programme (BIP) and Behaviour and Education Support Teams (BEST)

The key targets of the Behaviour Improvement Programme (May 2002) were to improve attendance, reduce exclusions and reduce youth offending. Three areas of Wolverhampton were identified to be involved in BIP, with target schools within each area, and three Behaviour and Education Support Teams were developed, building on the existing Area Team model. Agencies represented were Education Psychology, Behaviour Support, Education Social Workers, Learning Support Teachers, CAMHS, Youth Workers, Police, School Nurses, and the underlying principle was to build upon what was already being done and not create new, separate teams.

Although BESTs were not to be managed by schools, school-based accommodation was identified to house the BEST centres, and the necessary building work/refurbishment was planned. Centre facilities include an office, interview rooms, meeting room, therapy/observation room, and training room.

A BIP Steering Group was established, and a BIP Manager (who is also the Head of Social Inclusion) appointed, together with three BIP Area Coordinators. (Since BIP became part of EiC, Wolverhampton has used the EiC Steering Group as a second advisory group.)

To develop BESTs, it has proved important to get commitment from agencies at a strategic level and have:

• A BEST Operational Managers Group to agree on practical developmental issues (e.g. information sharing and referral systems
• A Coordinator with a clear and agreed role
• A BEST Centre
• A shared referral system/database
• An information sharing protocol
• A BEST handbook
• Regular Team Development days

The BEST model is now being rolled-out across the whole of Wolverhampton, and the Common Assessment Framework and the Children in Need Assessment Stages are being developed with the success of BESTs in mind. There is support for maintenance from local Councillors, a majority of schools and Operational Managers across agencies. Possible challenges include geographical boundaries, funding and other multi-agency models e.g. children centres.

The outcomes

BEST results include

• Permanent exclusions remaining low
• A reduction in fixed-term exclusions
• Improved attendance in nearly all target schools
• Street crime going down
• Positive feedback from HMI, DfES colleagues and the Institute of Education
• Local authority OFSTED May 2004 recognition of good practice within BESTs.

Other local authorities have visited Wolverhampton to learn lessons from the progress made, and there have been positive outcomes with young people and families.

Author

Rachel Murphy is the coordinator for one of the 3 BESTs in Wolverhampton.