A longitudinal study of children’s outcomes in a residential special school

ABSTRACT

This study presents findings from a longitudinal study of the Mulberry Bush School (MBS), a therapeutic residential special school in England which provides an integrated approach to education and care for children aged between 5 and 13 years. Four cohorts were followed (23 = boys; 13 = girls), each for a consecutive 3-year period, approximating children’s time at the MBS. Children showed significant improvements in their socio-emotional, behavioural and academic development. The picture is more mixed for children’s attachment representations, which might be expected of the vulnerable and severely traumatised children who make up the MBS population. The importance of these improvements stem from the fact that they were achieved in the face of the exceptional disadvantages and challenges that characterise the lives of all children who attend the MBS. This is testimony to their achievement, and to the potential of the residential special school as a therapeutic learning environment.

KEYWORDS:

• Residential special school
• longitudinal study
• therapeutic learning environment
• children
• trauma

Acknowledgements

We would like to express grateful thanks to the Trustees of the Mulberry Bush School (MBS) for commissioning this research, and to the Kidani Memorial Trust for their generous funding which made it possible. We would also like to thank Jem Thomas, Judith Trowell and Harry Daniels of the MBS Advisory Group, and Dick Wiggins of UCL Institute of Education, for their thoughtful guidance and many helpful suggestions. We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the staff of the MBS - who gave their time to collect data, meet with researchers, and contribute to the final text - and to all the pupils, parents and carers who are represented in this report.

Disclosure statement

In accordance with Taylor & Francis policy and our ethical obligation as researchers, we are reporting that we receive funding from a company that may be affected by the research reported in the enclosed paper. We have disclosed those interests fully to Taylor & Francis, and have in place an approved plan for managing any potential conflicts arising from that involvement.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Kidani Memorial Trust.

Notes on contributors

Leslie Morrison Gutman

Leslie Morrison Gutman is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical, Educational and Health Psychology and Programme Director of the MSc Behaviour Change at University College London. She is also a Senior Associate of the Early Intervention Foundation and Associate Editor of the Journal of Adolescence. She was formerly Research Director of the Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning. Her research focuses on mental health and wellbeing in childhood and adolescence.

John Vorhaus

John Vorhaus is Professor of Moral and Educational Philosophy at UCL Institute of Education, working in the areas of applied ethics and disability. He was formerly a Director of the Centre for Research on the Wider Benefits of Learning and the National Research and Development Centre for Adult Literacy and Numeracy.

Ray Burrows

Ray Burrows is part of the Outreach Team at the Mulberry Bush Organisation and works extensively with other schools and organisations to support professionals working with children and young people. Ray originally trained as a teacher and later as an art therapist and has worked in schools, children’s residential care, and adult mental health services, and has been a foster carer.

Caryn Onions

Caryn Onions is Head of Research at the Mulberry Bush Learning and Research Centre. She originally trained as a social worker, and later as a child and adolescent psychotherapist. Caryn has worked in CAMHS, the Oxford Parent-Infant Project and since 2004 she has been at the Mulberry Bush Organisation. Caryn’s research interests focus on therapeutic residential care in the UK and internationally.