Building Community to Create Equitable, Inclusive and Compassionate Schools through Relational Approaches

This book draws on an extensive international literature and policy context, from a wide range of fields of enquiry, to challenge the orthodoxies and systemic issues that serve to marginalise children and young people and lead the way for schools to become more equitable, inclusive and compassionate in their practice. With a particular focus on children with social, emotional and behavioural/mental health needs, it critiques policy and practice as they pertain to behaviour management and school discipline in the UK and the USA, and offers alternative perspectives based on collaborative and relational approaches to promoting positive behaviour and building community. Each chapter features reflection points to provoke discussion as well as offering additional suggested reading, culminating in a discussion of the role of school leaders in leading for social justice. Ultimately, this book will be of benefit to scholars, researchers and students working in the fields of behaviour management, inclusion and special needs education, and education, policy and politics more broadly. It will also offer substantial appeal to education professionals, school leaders and those with a locus on the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

Dr. Joan G Mowat is a senior lecturer in the School of Education at the University of Strathclyde and author of 'Using Support Groups to Improve Behaviour,' published by SAGE. She leads the 'Into Headship' programme for prospective headteachers. She has extensive experience in the classroom, latterly as Depute Head at Vale of Leven Academy. She undertook a short secondment as a national development officer for 'Better Behaviour-Better Learning.' Her principal research interests are the inclusion of children with social, emotional and behavioural needs, leadership for social justice and the relationship between poverty, attainment and wellbeing. Joan co-led a highly successful Scottish Universities Insight Seminar Series on this topic.

Introduction: Making a Difference to the Lives of Children and Young People Part I: Understanding the Drivers for Change within the System: The Policy Context Chapter 1 Understanding the Policy Context: The Macrosytem Chapter 2 Inclusive Education: Challenges, Tensions and Dilemmas Part II: Exploring and Understanding the Problem Chapter 3 Marginalisation, Social Exclusion and the Impact of Poverty on Children and Young People Chapter 4 Schools as Places of Belonging or Exclusion: School Disaffection Chapter 5 Understanding Social, Emotional and Behavioural Needs (SEBN)/Mental Health Needs (SEMHN) Chapter 6 Looking through the Lens of Developmental Theory to Understand Social, Emotional and Behavioural Needs (SEBN)/Mental Health Needs (SEMHN) Part III: Towards New Understandings: Challenging Orthodoxies and Building Community through Relational Approaches Chapter 7 Challenging the Orthodoxies of Behaviour Management through an Examination of Power, Influence and Authority Chapter 8 Challenging the Orthodoxies of Behaviour Management through a Focus on Policy and Practice Chapter 9 Building Community through Nurture and Trauma-Informed Practice Chapter 10 Building Community through Restorative Justice/Practice Part IV: Empowering the School Community Chapter 11 Working Collaboratively Together to Empower the School Community through Pupil Participation and Parental Engagement Chapter 12 Empowering the School Community through Socially Just and Culturally Responsive Leadership