Home-school collaboration to support children and young people with special educational needs, including selective mutism

Abstract

Background: There is a significant lack of research that captures current support for young people with selective mutism (SM), particularly in relation to their views and secondary school experiences of support. Methods/participants: The first paper describes a systematic literature review of the key characteristics of school-based approaches for facilitating home-school collaboration for parents of children with SEN (special educational needs). This was informed by earlier pilot studies that highlighted the important role of home-school collaboration in relation to effectively supporting children and young people (CYP) with SM and SEN more generally. The second paper describes three case studies of support for CYP with SM within secondary school. CYP views were captured through direct interviews utilising non verbal methods of communication, followed by interviews with key stakeholders working with the CYP who triangulated the gathered data. Analysis/findings: Findings from the systematic literature review revealed key characteristics that facilitate home-school collaboration. These have implications at an individual, group, and systematic level. A model for professionals to support planning and thinking is suggested with these findings considered. Similar findings were reflected within the empirical study, with the experiences of CYP with SM impacted by collaboration and communication between home, school, and external agencies. Findings highlighted the relationship between positive school experience and appropriate and informed support for CYP with SM. Their school experience was impacted by a range of intrinsic, environmental, and wider factors. These wider factors included school staffs knowledge of SM, and the development of trusted relationships within school. It was clear that collaboration between home, school, and external agencies needs to be embedded to ensure that support is informed, appropriate, and consistent over time. Conclusions/implications: Support for CYP with SM needs to be based on a clear understanding of SM and the individual CYP needs. To ensure that support is effective, collaboration between all when supporting CYP with SM and SEN more generally needs to operate via an embedded approach to practice within school. A plan for dissemination activities is described, which aims to further develop educational professional's understanding of SM and encourage schools to use the suggested thinking tool to begin to move towards more consistent and effective collaboration between home and school.

Date of Award	6 Jan 2025
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	The University of Manchester
Supervisor	Kevin Woods (Supervisor) & Caroline Bond (Supervisor)