A Model for Building School-Family-Community Partnerships: Principles and Process

Reframing family-school partnerships to disrupt disenfranchisement of Black families and promote reciprocity in collaboration

Research has long demonstrated the benefits of family-school partnerships. However, these benefits often fail to generalize to all families, especially Black families. A present and historical pattern of discrimination and exclusion has contributed to the lack of benefits yielded from Black family-school partnerships. A major contributing factor is the narrow way in which schools define family engagement. Such narrow definitions often marginalize families from non-dominant backgrounds, particularly Black families, and reinforce harmful narratives that Black parents and families are uninvolved in their children's education. The combination of continued discrimination and exclusion as well as harmful narratives has impacted Black family-school partnering. However, schools can work to repair harm and rebuild partnerships with Black families. In this article, we advance a framework for such work. After grounding the need for this framework in a historical context, we emphasize three essential components to forming equitable Black family-school partnerships: (a) grounding relationship building in social justice, (b) integrating reciprocity in family-school relationships, and (c) usage of multiple and non-dominant methods and modalities to build relationships.

Factors Mediating the Link Between Socioeconomic Status and Academic Outcomes of Children With Intellectual Disability

The study explores the influence of socioeconomic status (SES) on the academic outcomes of children with intellectual disability (ID), and the role of parental participation and parental attitudes toward educational communicators in this process. A total of 305 children with ID from special needs schools and their parents and teachers in China completed the survey. A structural equation model was built to explore the relation between the factors. Results indicated SES not only positively predicts the academic outcomes, but also predicts academic outcomes through the chain mediation of parental participation and parental attitudes towards educational communicators. Findings show the robustness of the Family Investment Model in Chinese contexts. Moreover, the role of parental participation and parental attitudes towards educational communicators cannot be ignored.

A Transcendental Phenomenology of School Counselors' Lived Experiences Transforming Remote Counseling Services During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this study is to explore school counselors' experiences migrating counseling services online during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a transcendental phenomenological approach, we conducted in-depth interviews with 14 school counselors with a focus on the use of technology and transformative practices. Findings of the study included five composite themes: (a) changes in school counseling services using technology; (b) reaching families for equity; (c) changes in relationship with stakeholders; (d) school counselors' adjustment to grief, loss, and role confusion; and (e) positive outcomes for the future. We discuss the essence of the lived experience and implications for school counselors.

A Narrative Review on Prevention and Early Intervention of Challenging Behaviors in Children with a Special Emphasis on COVID-19 Times

Background

COVID-19 and the measures stemming from efforts to control it have affected the psychosocial wellbeing of children and adolescents. The increasing trend of challenging behavior has exerted further pressure on parents and schools. Understanding socioemotional development and interrelating triggers is the key to management. Early interventions prevent the future threat of mental illness and risky acts. Effective strategies are ones that primarily focus on strengthening parent-child interactions.

Aim

The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the (i) psychosocial and behavioral impacts of COVID-19 on children/adolescents and (ii) approaches to identify determinants of challenging behaviors as a principal guide to effective interventional strategies for children and their families.

Methodology

Electronic database searches of PubMed, ScienceDirect, Medline, and Scopus were conducted to identify studies meeting the inclusion criteria that address the impact of COVID-19 on behaviors, contributing factors, and management in the context of families/schools. The content of the selected articles was themed under five categories, namely the developmental milestones, the Pyramid Model, the Positive Behavioral Support, the management strategies, and the impact of COVID-19 on children/adolescents' behavior.

Results

The present review demonstrates considerable influence of COVID-19 on children and adolescents' behavior and mental wellbeing. It stresses the importance of early family-based interventions focusing on the triggers of challenging behavior. Functional Behavioral Assessment and Behavioral Intervention Plan provide a systematic analysis with a strategic plan that support children's self-regulation and socioemotional intelligence. Regular behavioral screening is vital to promote prevention and early management.

Conclusion

Managing behavioral difficulties remains an area of deficit for parents, teachers, and health care providers. With a quality support, parents and schools will be able to clearly characterize the challenging behavior, understand the causes, reinforce parent-child interactions, and consequently, gain the strategic skills required to apply it within natural settings. Timely interventions will limit the risk of future misconduct and mental disorders.

The roles of school in supporting LGBTQ+ youth: A systematic review and ecological framework for understanding risk for suicide-related thoughts and behaviors

The extant literature on suicide-related thoughts and behaviors (STB) has highlighted increased patterns of risk among specific minoritized populations, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, two spirit, and queer (LGBTQ+) youth. Compared to their heterosexual and cisgender peers, LGBTQ+ youth are at increased risk for having STB. Identity-specific stressors such as homonegativity and anti-queerness are among the unique factors posited to contribute to this risk and inhibit factors that protect against suicide. The school setting has been a focal point for suicide prevention and intervention and may also play a key role in linking students to care; however, schools also hold the potential to provide supports and experiences that may buffer against risk factors for STB in LGBTQ+ students. This systematic literature review presents findings from 44 studies examining school-related correlates of STB in LGBTQ+ students, informing an ecological approach to suicide prevention for school settings. Findings underscore the importance of school context for preventing STB in LGBTQ+ youth. Approaches that prioritize safety and acceptance of LGBTQ+ youth should span multiple layers of a student's ecology, including district and state level policies and school programs and interventions, such as Gender and Sexuality Alliances and universal bullying prevention programs. Beyond their role as a primary access point for behavioral health services, schools offer a unique opportunity to support suicide prevention by combating minority stressors through promoting positive social relationships and a safe community for LGBTQ+ students.

School Risk and Protective Factors of Suicide: A Cultural Model of Suicide Risk and Protective Factors in Schools

There are known cultural variations in correlates of and symptoms related to suicide-related thoughts and behaviors; however, the majority of research that informs suicide prevention in school systems has focused on research based on Euro-American/White students. By exploring school-related risk and protective factors in ethnic-racial minoritized students, we expand existing multicultural models of suicide prevention for school settings. Specifically, this systematic literature review identified 33 studies conducted with American Indian and Alaskan Native, Hispanic and Latinx, Black and African American, and Asian American and Pacific Islander students. Findings underscore the importance of building relationships with the school community and fostering a sense of safety for students, the need to approach school-based suicide prevention and intervention with cultural considerations, and the importance of connecting students and families with providers in culturally sensitive and informed ways. Taken together, schools need to build school-family-community partnerships that promote culturally sensitive approaches to suicide prevention.

Transformative school-community collaboration as a positive school climate to prevent school absenteeism

School absenteeism has become a prevalent problem that affects student development and future societies across the world. We examined whether and how the framework for transformative school-community collaboration (TSCC) can be utilized to effectively reduce school absenteeism. To achieve this goal, we analyzed clustered data involving 3428 students within 14 schools that collaborated with communities in providing out-of-school time programs. A generalized ordered logit analysis with clustered standard errors showed that overall TSCC significantly decreased the likelihood of students' school absenteeism. Democratic and empowering structures in the collaboration were particularly significant for reducing the higher level of school absenteeism. We conclude our article with practice implications to translate the core dimensions of TSCC into effective practice.

Key aspects for the sustainable coordination of a process to facilitate holistic well-being in South African schools

A holistic well-being approach, understood as an approach that pays attention to the promotion of individual, relational and collective well-being in a particular context, is proposed as a way to address the fragmented nature in which mental health and well-being programmes are implemented in school communities in South Africa. The goal of this paper is to indicate key aspects for sustainable coordination of a process to facilitate holistic well-being in South African schools. Research was conducted in six South African schools with the aim of developing an integrated, multilevel process to facilitate holistic well-being in these contexts. A participatory action learning and action research approach was applied. As part of this research, key aspects that could contribute to the sustainable coordination of holistic well-being were identified. The research comprised a cross-case analysis of the data gathered, as well as a focus group that was held with the coordinators who facilitated the development of the process in each school. In addition, the school principals completed a semi-structured questionnaire, and Skype interviews were conducted with four international experts. The five aspects identified as key to the sustainable coordination of well-being are: that ownership and responsibility should reside in the school context; that there should be a clear vision for the promotion of holistic well-being; that the connections between all involved should be deepened; that all efforts to promote holistic well-being should be integrated, and that the complexity of the process should be acknowledged.

Parental perspectives on inclusive education for children with intellectual disabilities in Greece

The current study explores the parental perspectives of children with intellectual disabilities (ID) on the effectiveness of inclusive education in Greek mainstream schools. The participants were 83 parents, whose children had different degrees of ID and all of them were attending mainstream schools at the time of the study. They completed a questionnaire examining their perspectives with regard to (a) the most effective educational placement in mainstream schools (special class, mainstream class or co-teaching), (b) their satisfaction with the inclusive mainstream education, (c) their cooperation with the teachers, (d) the perceived benefits of their children's educational placement and (e) their suggestions regarding the improvement of the inclusive educational model. Results indicated that most parents of children with ID would like their child to attend a mainstream class with a co-teaching arrangement. The perceived benefits are mostly related to the development of their children's social skills. Significant considerations regarding cooperation with the teachers, lack of individualized information and guidance, administrative and organizational issues were expressed.

Exploring the challenges of meeting child mental health needs through community engagement in Kenya

BACKGROUND

Despite growing evidence on the extent of child mental health problems in low-middle-income countries, the gap between need and provision remains high. Previous research in high income countries has demonstrated that evidence-based interventions can be scaled-up through community consultation, particularly by engaging key stakeholders.

AIMS

This study aimed to explore community stakeholders' views on children's mental health needs and culturally acceptable interventions in Kenya, to ascertain how to integrate global service standards with culturally-specific expectations.

METHODS

Focus groups were conducted with community stakeholders (seven young people 14-17 years, seven parents, nine teachers and 11 other professionals). These participants were recruited from an urban community of internally displaced and disadvantaged families in Nakuru.

RESULTS

Results indicated that Kenya faced similar challenges in meeting mental health needs as in other countries, including economic constraints, limited knowledge, stigma and systemic issues, but that these were manifested in culturally specific ways that were linked to societal and professional's attitudes and local context.

CONCLUSIONS

Stakeholders' views are important in informing the planning, delivery and evaluation of interventions. However, for such interventions to be sustained, a clear therapeutic framework, evidence-base and sociocultural adaptation are likely to be important factors.

Development and Preliminary Technical Adequacy of the Schoolwide Integrated Framework for Transformation Fidelity of Implementation Tool

U.S. public education systems are required to provide free appropriate public education to students with disabilities in least restrictive environments that are appropriate to meet their individual needs. The practice of educating students with disabilities in neighborhood schools in age-appropriate general education classrooms and other school settings to meet this requirement has come to be known as “inclusive education.” The long-standing interest in keeping students with disabilities in the same classrooms with their neighbors and peers has created a need for reform to establish equity in America’s schools. Schoolwide Integrated Framework for Transformation (SWIFT) is a whole-system school reform model provided through a national technical assistance center that addresses core features of inclusive education support for elementary and middle schools, particularly those that are chronically low performing and those serving students with the most extensive needs. We describe the development and preliminary technical adequacy of SWIFT Fidelity of Implementation Tool (SWIFT-FIT) as a means to document the extent to which schools are implementing inclusive education. Findings provide preliminary support for trained assessors using SWIFT-FIT as a valid and reliable instrument to produce evidence that describes the extent to which schools install, implement, and sustain these evidence-based practices. Researchers and other school personnel can use these data to evaluate the impact of implementation on progress as well as important student and other outcomes.

Toward positive and systemic mental health practices in schools: Fostering social-emotional learning through service

Mental health services in schools in the 21st century will be prevention-oriented with a grounding in positive psychology and strong school-family-community partnerships that emphasize proactive and systemic practices to build social-emotional competencies for all children. This article makes the case for youth development through service learning to promote social and emotional wellness.