Helping children with emotional and behavioural difficulties (EBD)
This term is used when a child's ongoing behavioural difficulties appear to have their root cause in emotional or possibly social problems
It is important to remember that some children have such deep-rooted emotional difficulties that these may manifest themselves in unusual quietness, rather than disruptive behaviour.
Some emotional and behavioural problems may be temporary and can be dealt with using standard pastoral strategies. But others are so complex that outside professionals need to be involved to help the child cope with daily living and learning.
A variety of praise and reward strategies are often useful and it is important to raise self-esteem at every opportunity. It may also be helpful to consider making a home visit or to arrange to see the parents in school and involve them in agreeing a home-school programme of action.
It is advisable to consider the wellbeing of all the other children in the class, as well as any adults who work with a child with emotional and behavioural difficulties.
Key characteristics
Children with emotional and behavioural difficulties may:
- find it difficult to form friendships
- often appear preoccupied and therefore find it difficult to get involved in activities
- have difficulty keeping on task
- have difficulty taking part in group activities and discussion
- often become tearful or throw tantrums for no apparent reason
- have psychosomatic illnesses
- have low self-esteem and often become victims of bullies
- become bullies themselves
- be aggressive and disruptive
- find it difficult to conform to classroom rules and routines
- be excessively attention-seeking through either negative behaviour or clinginess
- sometimes have school phobia
- underachieve in many areas of the school curriculum.
Support strategies
You may need to:
- ensure a consistent approach to the child’s behavioural difficulties by all members of staff by developing positive behaviour-management strategies
- encourage the provision of a positive classroom environment
- have group and class discussions (circletime) to focus on problems and give all childen opportunities to air their views in a controlled environment
- set up small social skills groups for children who have difficulties in particular areas such as relating to other children or anger management
- develop social interaction through games and paired problem-solving activities
- give short, clearly-defined tasks
- encourage the development of ICT skills to increase motivation
- provide activities that encourage the building of self-esteem
- give the child opportunities to express their feelings through the use of puppets or role-play in pairs or small groups
- develop positive links between older and younger children
- arrange for educational psychologist or behavioural support input such as circle of friends, if appropriate
- arrange for counselling or family support provision usually through either the Educational Welfare Service, the Family Centre or the Child and Adult Mental Health service.
Support agencies
Comments
I am writing in the capacity
I am writing in the capacity of Head of GCSE of a small private college in West London. We have just enrolled two students who have behavioural challenges.
In terms of clinical diagnostics we are supported by an EDPsych however it would be beneficial to us as teaching staff and to the community of the college as a whole to have the support of inddividuals who understand the social implications of behavioural issues.
As I am responsible for the pastoral care of these new students I wondered whether you could offer us the benefit of your experience and perhaps advise us or offer support in any other capacity i.e. visits sign posting etc.
I look forward to your response.
Thanks for any help you can offer us,
Carole Cardoza
Head of GCSE
I too have a son with EBD
I too have a son with EBD and we are getting him help from the CAMHS unit at our local hospital-Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health Service-you can probably get your GP to refer you. Or you can ask for him to be seen by the Educational Psychologist or a Pediatrician.
My seven year old son sees a Consultant Psychotherapist once a week-has done for 2 years now -and we (my partner and I and sometimes our other children) see a Family Counsellor every other week.
While I think this is helping US to deal with our son's behaviour-I'm not sure he is really improving much (certainly he looks at the moment as if he is going to be chucked out of another school) and it takes a lot of time - remember the Family Counsellor wants to see BOTH parents during working hours of course and every time he goes for an hour, we need to take two hours-collect from school, wait while he sees the therapist and take him back.
So, before you do go down this route, IF it is the right route, think how much effort you will have to make, how much time give up and finally-what I have been skirting around-just how tough you will find family therapy.
You will have to come to terms with real impact of your child's problems and in trying to cope, will have to face your own idea of yourself as a parent and compare it to the reality. You will probably need to make major changes in how you parent and these can be very tough.
I wish you luck and hope you find the help you need.
Connecting School and Home problems
Hello I have a child who has EBD and find that while my son is given support at school nothing seems to happen outside of school. He has been statemented(sen) by the local LEA and I am amazed that this does not include anything to support his home life being as the problem stem's from this. I just cannot understand why there is not something place to be either part of the statement(sen) and/or run along side it. It's crazy to think that just sorting out a child's school side of the problem is going to make everything better when clearly it will not. When I approached the LEA and social services they looked at me as if I was mad and said this was not a good idea.
I am now going to attempt to get something done about it because I feel the school should know what other agency's are involved and vice-versa. Without full Disclosure between them and getting his school and his home problems dealt with together, you might as well just bang your head off the wall.
This is a major issue for my family as I have been dealing with this problem for over 5 years, just to get pushed from piller to post with no real solution. I do believe that his school has done a very good job and they are also pushing for some more support outside of school but I feel this will be to no effect. Rant over.
Post new comment