This reflective piece was written in response to Best's article, published in Pastoral in Education in September 2014, on Michael Marland's seminal text "Pastoral Care." It uses examples from previously published work carried out by the author, to explore some of the key concepts and ideas explored within the book and their…

The riots in English cities in August 2011 have brought debates on behaviour of young people into sharper focus. Criticism of softly-softly approaches and the lack of power for head teachers to discipline is a reoccurring theme within the debate on behaviour in schools. Regaining adult authority is also reflected in the tenor of the government's…

The development of an ethos of academic care is about creating the structures, both formal and informal, that cater for the developmental learning needs of students. Such an approach celebrates individual difference in the belief that academic care will not only underpin improved academic performance but will also build confidence in the ability…

Reports from schoolchildren across a range of countries indicate that interventions by teachers in cases of bullying are commonly unsuccessful, especially with older students. This article provides a brief description and critical examination of six major intervention strategies employed in schools and points to the need for better training of…

This paper explores the phenomenon of cyberbullying. The argument here is that, although there is a case for sanctions, schools also have a critical role to play in preventing and reducing cyberbullying through a process of awareness-raising, the education of the emotions and active participation of children and young people themselves.

In Northern Ireland, attention is currently focused on youth work in the context of wider changes associated with the integration of services for young people. Policy-makers there have identified youth work as having potential to link formal and informal education. However, youth work has often been understood as predominantly out-of-school…

A "social pedagogy" approach is increasingly being adopted by professional agencies in the United Kingdom involved in dealing with the welfare, care and education of children. This paper argues that, in the context of schools, social pedagogy can be characterised as taking an integrated view of the needs of the whole child in terms of five key…

This paper focuses on the impact of peer mediation as a strategy for promoting social inclusion in primary school settings. Peer mediation constituted one of the interventions in the UK Government-sponsored On Track programme and evaluative data from this project are reported. The paper reports on trends in bullying and anti-social behaviour in…

Mentoring as a means of supporting young people perceived as having difficulties or being at risk of disaffection has become an important feature of pastoral support approaches in and around schools in recent years. The provision of support that is based upon a highly personalised relationship and founded upon principles of unconditional positive…

This discussion aims to consider the value of training educational professionals in mental health competencies. Primary Mental Health Workers working in the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service have traditionally used a consultation model when working with schools. In this article I consider moving the emphasis away from consultancy work,…

Middle school students with insecure attachment histories present a particular challenge for school personnel. These students frequently cause behavioural disruptions and fail to academically engage in course content. This paper draws from attachment theory, as well as literature in the fields of education, neurobiology and psychology, to…

In the last 20 years the health promoting schools movement has gained momentum internationally. Without strong national leadership and direction its development in New Zealand has been ad hoc and sporadic. However, as the evidence supporting the role of health promoting schools in contributing to students' health and academic outcomes becomes more…

This paper proposes an initial model for the care and support of primary school children coping with family situations and family changes. The model is built on existing counselling literature, incorporating the perceptions of teachers, children and parents on their needs for support and a small empirical study by the author on teachers'…

It is a reality of schools today that most teachers are overwhelmed by daily demands on their time and energy. In particular, they find it difficult to allocate enough extra time for purposes of counselling individual pupils with problems. Any arrangement that enables them to fulfil this counselling role quickly and effectively--and with positive…

In some ways, "a culture of the modern consulting room" may be seen as having been initiated by Freud and followers. Here, social hierarchy, unconscious motivation and the authority of analyst may all be seen as manifestations of professional practice. With the contributions of Heidegger, Kierkegaard, May, Adler, Rogers and others of the…