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…

This paper examines a rare response by Ofsted to academics' concerns about a prevailing compliance model of Citizenship in secondary schools. Ofsted's defence of a non-compliance model is then tested against a small sample of Ofsted inspection data. The limited evidence suggests that Ofsted's defence is undermined by the adoption of an…

This article considers the implications of a small-scale research project, undertaken by the authors, which used the example of the Massage in Schools Programme (a simple peer massage programme) to ascertain whether the planned use of touch-based activity can support the growth of social and emotional skills in the primary classroom. Such claims…

This project explored the prevalence of self-harm by cutting in a geographically circumscribed area of the North of England, using a school-based survey. Twenty-three per cent of the young people reported they had cut themselves at least once, with no major changes evident at different age groups or with gender. There were clear differences in…

The proposal of Every Child Matters: The Green Paper (2003), to locate the protection and support of children, with an emphasis on those who may be the most vulnerable, in a strengthened universal service, has provided the impetus for a radical and transformational response at both national and local levels. Local education authorities have been…

Pastoral care is the term used in education in the United Kingdom to describe the structures, practices and approaches to support the welfare, well-being and development of children and young people. This article takes a historical perspective and charts the shifts in priorities that pastoral care practice has taken over the past 50 years. The…

The research described in this paper is part of a wider exploration of organisational learning and some of the social-psychological mechanisms which underlie the individual-organisation learning relationship. Adopting a grounded theory approach, qualitative data were obtained during email interviews with 15 foundation degree students concerning…

This literature-based article examines a range of factors directly influencing and shaping perceptions of the role of the teaching assistant within UK classrooms. Drawing directly on research gathered and analysed through three systematic literature reviews into "pupils" support and academic engagement' and other contemporary literature, the…

Recent years have seen a dramatic change in the composition of the workforce of schools in England and Wales. Policy initiatives associated with inclusion, tackling teacher workloads and the reformation of children and young people's services have resulted in a proliferation and diversification of roles in schools with the creation of new…

Over the past 10 years, mentoring of children and young people has become an increasingly important feature of social policy in the United Kingdom. This is evidenced in the rapid growth in the number of mentoring schemes operating in a range of educational settings. In 2006 the Mentoring and Befriending Foundation was contracted by the Department…

The aim of this study was to build an implementation process model for social-emotional interventions. Case studies were conducted at five primary schools in England nominated as "lead practise" by their local authorities. Data collection comprised interviews with school staff, children and parents, observations of intervention sessions and other…

While international literature asserts that research interest in the formal exclusion of students from school is increasing, studies that give voice to parents' views are few. This study explores the experiences of New Zealand families affected by exclusion. Eight individuals or couples, all of whom had had a teenager for whom they were…

In 2002, the UK Government set the target of increasing participation in higher education to 50% of 18-30 year olds by 2010, with a particular focus on young people from "non-traditional backgrounds". In order to increase this participation, a range of initiatives have been introduced in an effort to encourage young people to enter post-16…

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a perplexing and distressing phenomenon that has received considerable publicity in recent years. It takes many forms, some of which are culturally acceptable while others are considered to be anti-social and/or mental health problems. It affects a significant proportion of the population, with previous studies in the…

Human Relationships Education is a very important part of primary school student-teacher education. All primary school children need sound guidance and enhanced knowledge about puberty, growing up successfully, and feeling competent and confident in themselves. An interactive multimedia CD-ROM was designed and developed for some Australian…