Specialist residential education for children with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties: pupil, parent, and staff perspectives

Abstract

Specialist residential schools have been proposed as a coherent treatment approach for children with severe emotional and behavioural difficulties. This research aimed to explore the perspectives of a range of stakeholders regarding the benefits and disadvantages of attendance at a residential school for children with severe emotional and behavioural problems. Interviews were conducted with pupils (N = 5), parents/carers (N = 6), and staff (N = 12). There was considerable consistency in findings across all stakeholders. Parents/carers, staff, and pupils all perceived there to have been a range of important benefits including: a positive and substantial impact on the children's emotional and behavioural development, improved capacity to deal with difficult feelings, better self‐esteem, and improved relationships with others. Stakeholders also observed educational improvements, although some parents/carers expressed concerns about levels of academic achievement. Further research is needed to assess whether the perceived changes identified by the current study can be substantiated objectively, to identify the therapeutic processes at work, and to assess the cost‐effectiveness of residential treatment compared with other interventions.

Keywords:

• emotional and behavioural difficulties
• children
• treatment
• special residential school
• stakeholder perspectives

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank pupils, parents and carers, teachers and care staff of the school who gave their time to take part in the study, and the trustees of the school for funding this research.

Notes

1. A pseudonym has been used to protect the identity of the school and participating stakeholders.