SCHOOLS in the Isle of Man have played a major role in the creation of an updated guide which assesses children with social, emotional and behavioural difficulties.
The Boxall Profile for Young People (BPYP) provides a framework for the assessment of young people who may be struggling with a range of social, emotional and/or behavioural issues.
It provides teachers and others with invaluable insights into what lies behind such difficulties as well as a guide to effective intervention and the means to monitor and measure the outcomes.
The BPYP is launched nationally and internationally this month. It is a complete revision of the 1998 document that schools have been using until now.
The profile is named after Marjorie Boxall - an educational psychologist who founded the principles of nurture groups in response to the difficulties presented by the children she worked with in inner city London in the 1970s.
The original Boxall Profile, published 12 years ago, catered for children aged three to eight – the age range nurture groups were set up for.
Nurture groups are now common in secondary schools and Dave Colley, a school improvement adviser with the Department of Education and Children, has been instrumental in rewriting the BPYP. He shares author credits with Marjorie Boxall and Marian Bennathan – chairman of the Nurture Group Network in the UK.
Speaking at the Isle of Man launch Mr Colley said: "Nurture groups are classrooms in the mainstream school that offer a slow-moving, safe environment with a homely atmosphere.
"Small groups of children are supported by two trained staff for specific periods in the day. The focus for the nurture group is to develop language skills, self-esteem and confidence so that the demands of the mainstream class do not overwhelm the children.
"Children accessing the nurture group have regular contact with their mainstream class and the goal of the nurture group is to return the children to their mainstream class full time as soon as they are ready.
"By completing the Boxall Profile staff can gain a greater understanding of what a child may need to succeed in school and to engage with learning."
Of the 10 secondary schools throughout the British Isles involved in the research four are in the Isle of Man - Ballakermeen High School, Castle Rushen High School, Queen Elizabeth II High School and St Ninian’s High School.
Six of the Island’s primary nurture groups have attained the Marjorie Boxall Quality Mark Award - a benchmark presented by the Nurture Group Network that recognises quality of practice. It is hoped all 11 primary nurture groups will attain the award by 2012.
Picture Caption: From L to R - Eddie Teare MHK, Minister for Education and Children, Andrew Shipley of St Ninian’s High School, Dave Colley, school improvement adviser for special education needs, Stuart Dobson, deputy director of education, Dr Cheryl Smith, educational psychologist with the Department of Education and Children and Gill Vaughan of Castle Rushen High School.
