Learning the fine art of relationship-building is important for any adult who works with children, but when those children have Complex Additional Support Needs (CASN), those skills need to be honed even more sharply.
One innovative project at Strathclyde, led by Dr Maggie Macaskill from the University’s Institute of Education, aims to help prepare first-year students undertaking a Placement and Curriculum module to build genuine two-way partnerships with young people with complex additional support needs (CASN). Called 'Being Together', the project also has ambitions to build an equal sense of belonging for those children and young people, providing space for their voices to be amplified.
For Maggie, developing a deeper understanding of children and young people presenting with CASN is essential for those who aim to work with Scotland’s children and young people. These exceptional young people are amongst the most marginalised in society because of the complexities of their presentations, and there are few people who have the pleasure of spending time getting to know them.
Developing the understanding process
In her previous long-term career as an additional support needs teacher, Maggie was always very struck by the fear or pity that featured in many conversations and across research with CASN children. While feeling fear of the unknown is understandable, it prevents good quality interaction with young people, and that in turn leads to inequalities and a lack of social justice. With Being Together, Maggie has set up a process which is beneficial for both students and the young people they work with and really develops that all-important deep understanding process.
Being Together is a first year placement experience and includes 30 hours of preparatory learning and a 40- hour work placement in an ASN school. Themes covered in the module include inclusion, communication, marginalisation, pedagogy and diversity of experience. The whole process develops critical thinking about language, for example avoiding the use of words like 'can’t', 'lack' and 'unable' - and challenges feelings of fear.
Students explore 'listening differently' to the voices of children and young people, who communicate in a variety of ways. A great example of practical learning is made via the concept of waiting - a communication partner may need to wait much longer for a response from a child who has CASN presentation but wait they must.
Continuous reflection
An important element of the module is continuous reflection, and the students apply that reflective practice during their 40-hour work experience. The placement focuses on exploration of different ways to get to know the young person, building communications skills and nurturing an equal relationship. Once that relationship has developed, the young person and the student work together to develop an activity - it’s a real co-production approach.
Maggie is delighted to report that participation in Being Together is truly transformative for the students who go through it - it nurtures a real commitment to inclusive pedagogy. The learning, and the experience they have with the young people in school, makes a huge difference to their understanding of agency and inclusion.
The comments students have made after completing their module have been so heartwarming that they have brought her to tears more than once!
Developing 'Being Together'
The scope to develop 'Being Together' is huge, indeed in an ideal world Maggie would like all students who hope to work with young people to learn about inclusive pedagogy as part of their university education.
Not only would that help overcome marginalisation, but through listening differently, and spending time with these wonderful young people a truly inclusive education system could be realised, one where all children are equal.