Susan Armstrong Dr. A Moorhead, Dr. J Simms, Dr. D Hazlett School of Communication

1. Improving Children’s Lives 2014 The teachers’ role and training needs in psychologically and emotionally supporting pupils (11-18 years) Susan Armstrong Dr. A Moorhead, Dr. J Simms, Dr. D Hazlett School of Communication

2. PhD Project To determine and define the teachers’ role in psychologically and emotionally supporting pupils (11-18years), to identify the teachers’ training needs and to provide recommendations for potential training facilitation for teachers’.

3. Background • 1 in 4 Mental Health Issue • 1 in 10 Eating Disorder • 1 in 10 Neglected, 1 in 9 Physical Abuse, 1 in 6 Sexual Abuse • 25% Bullied – 38% Cyber Bullied • 1 in 10 self harm • 14% think about suicide • Protect Life Strategy 2006 • DHSSPS - Bamford Review 2002-2007 • DENI announced in 2009 that school counselling would be available to all post primary pupils (DENI, 2009; Welsh Assembly, 2006; NIMHE/CSIP, 2005; New Life, 2011; Samaritans, 2013; O’Connor, 2010; YLT Survey, 2009;NSPCC, 2013; Sullivan & Patrick, 1995; Burns, 2006, youth@clc 2013)

4. Research Rationale • ‘Whole School’ Approach • Recognise Teachers Role • PEHAW – Pupils Emotional Health and Well-being • Queens University study (2012) • Suggestion of a role for teachers • Need for teacher training • Youth@clc Report • 42% would turn to teachers’ • Mental Health training for teachers’ (Beesley, 2004; Amatea & Clark, 2004; Wilgues & Shelley, 1988; Connolly et al. 2012)

5. Research Questions: • What role do teachers’ have in psychologically and emotionally supporting pupils (11-18 years)? • What are the training needs of teachers’ to psychologically and emotionally support pupils(11-18 years)? • How can the training needs of teachers’ in psychologically and emotionally supporting pupils (11-18 years) be facilitated?

6. Overall PhD Methodology This study is designed with 4 components: Literature Review Interviews Online Survey Provide Recommendations Ethical Approval obtained February 2013 – School of Communication Filter Committee

7. Methodology Interviews: • Database (n=216) • Contacted Principals (n=216) • Response Rate: 16.6%

8. Methodology - Interviews Recruitment Consent Conduct Transcribe Analyse Results

9. Analysis • Interpersonal Phenomenological Analysis • (IPA) • Analysed transcripts • Identified the overarching and sub themes • Interpret unique subjective experience of teachers

10. Results • Total of 15 Interviews (19 Participants)

12. Teachers’ Role “To take any obstacles out of the way of achievement – can be academic, social, personal problems, the whole gambit” (P1) “Not only that there is a role, but if teachers are not doing it then I don’t think they are teaching” (P8) “To do our best for the children and make tomorrow better than yesterday” (P1) “Nobody is taking account of the emotional toll that takes on staff” (P7)

13. Training Needs of Teachers “Focuses on the development of practicing teaching as opposed to pastoral development and the needs of the child non-academically” (P9) “Training hasn’t caught up with what's happening in the world” (P4) “What to do, what not to do, what to say, what not to say” (P9) “There isn't any training for that – it doesn’t exist” (P1)

14. Conclusion • Identified teachers’ role • Identified need: • Awareness • training • supported

15. Further Research • PhD ongoing • Phase 2 • Limitations

16. By meeting the training and support needs of our teachers, we can better address the mental and emotional needs of our pupils, and improve the lives of our children.