Learning and Development Through Multi-agency Collaboration

Teachers’ Standards (2011) state that teachers should demonstrate an awareness of a child’s physical, social and intellectual development, while learning how to differentiate teaching to provide pupils’ with an education that is adapted to the individual’s stage of development. Likewise, The Department of Education (2015) asserts how children with SEN struggle to achieve their ambitions and possible educational outcomes when the correct support is not provided. Therefore, Cheminais (2015) highlights how teachers need to be responsible for the progress and development of their pupils, ensuring they provide essential multi-agency support to pupils while tracking and monitoring progress, through involving parents in their target setting. As a result, these factors ensure children are provided with a highly engaging and inclusive provision, impacting on the way pupils learn.

Therefore, three key themes which will explore the role of a multi-agency profession will be conducted: identifying the effects an occupational therapist has upon children with special educational needs (SEN) while evaluating their contributions and effectiveness in learning. The literature review will be focusing on a SEN primary school, identifying how children encounter the correct support using multi-agency approaches, while identifying through literature how they ensure and maintain the correct strategies to support pupils’ arousal levels. Koscinski (2013) states how occupational therapists design a specific plan for individuals with physical, emotional and social difficulties to identify a treatment plan. However, it has been identified from recent research that Hutton (2019) indicates that more than 8,151 people were moved on to a waiting list, after their first assessment concluding they needed actual therapy, thus resulting in concerns in correctly managing support that is required.

As an educational provision, the role of the school is to ensure it liaises correctly with other professionals in order to carry out essential recommendations and work constructively as part of a team to ensure strategies are implemented effectively whether or not the therapist is present to provide a collaborate working environment. Therefore, this would suggest that throughout this literature review three key themes will be discussed to explore the contributions and effectiveness of multi-agency working in the classroom. As a result, the first key theme will be discussed is how an occupational therapist identifies a pupil’s sensory processing need. Another significant area that will be explored is how an occupational therapist implements specific strategies in the classroom. And, finally, how an occupational therapist provides sensory integration. Through critically evaluating theorists, to use their knowledge and understanding to draw on key literature and practice, this report will enable a clear demonstration of the understanding of influential theories in learning and development.

How to identify a pupil’s sensory processing disorder

A sensory processing disorder reduces a person’s ability to correctly respond to sensory information. Ensuring pupils maintain an appropriate level of alertness will allow them to respond appropriately across daily activities. According to Jenkinson et al (2008) sensory processing disorder involves the ability to register sensory information. Likewise, Sayorwan et al (2018) highlight how a diagnosis is highly dependent on clinical assessments via a medical observation of the child’s behaviour. Equally, Adamson et al (2006) state how pupils will need to go through an intensive assessment, identifying the needs of the child and their limitations before getting considered for a diagnosis.

In practice it has been identified that the pupils who struggle with sensory processing disorders will require an intensive assessment period with specialists. The multi-agency team will seek to observe the pupils in their own surroundings, focusing on their ability to respond correctly in their environment. In agreement Basford and Hodson (2008) suggest planning a pupil’s unique profile for their ability is vital through observation to develop an understanding while considering current interests, as well as their stage of development and learning. Similarly, Fawcett and Watson (2016) indicate how we need to learn about children through watching and listening in an attentive way that raises awareness and improves understanding. Therefore, by allowing an occupational therapist to carry out observations on pupils will enable a better understanding of their strengths and weakness, allowing the observations to guide and make adjustments to their environment to improve a child’s behaviour and ultimately facilitate learning.

From this, a SEN support plan would be drafted and applied through practice to see a significant amount of change to the child’s ability. This would then be followed up by a multi-professional meeting, where discussions will take place to determine whether the right course of action was applied and show a success. Cheminais (2009) asserts how the benefits of working in a multi-agency collaborative partnership are evident in practice. Additionally, Gralton (2011) discusses the clinical observation of the pupils, while gathering data and the findings from the sensory assessment. The information that is gathered will be used to formulate and diagnose a pupil with sensory processing difficulties. This ensures, through gathering all professionals who work alongside identified pupils who require support that all professionals agree and show an understanding of the action plan, while challenging the plan to ensure that it is robust enough to reduce any identified risks and enhance strengths.

Finally, it allows teachers to focus on their core role while enhancing and improving the outcomes for children through a range of readily available services in the school setting. Knowles (2018) states a key point to remember when working with pupils with SEN is avoiding the deficit model- where the adult only thinks about what the child can do and how to enable that to happen. This will enhance pupil’s self-esteem and provide them with a consistent working approach. Therefore, Kerry (2015) suggests developing enhanced action plans will allow pupils to be encouraged to develop skills that allow them to be lifelong learners. This will also help them adapt to their surroundings through adequate strategies.

Based on this, it has been identified throughout the school setting that interventions are necessary to support sensory processing disorders. A collaborative approach should be addressed throughout all adult led activities to ensure key aspects of sensory difficulties are overcome to help improve the pupil’s ability to attend, to shift focus and stay alert. Each of these theoretical positions makes an important contribution to our understanding of sensory processing disorder. It is suggested that providing pupils with too much stimuli will result in a sensory overload leading the pupils going into a state of distress. From the viewpoint of Horwood (2008) it is highlighted how too much sensory overload leads to a fragmentation (disturbances in the autonomic nervous system) of sensory impressions. In order to avoid reaching this stage of crisis, it is key to encourage pupils to activate their coping strategies as an attempt to restore their regulation. This implies, through working in partnership with the occupational therapist this will maintain and improve the skills set for pupils to complete day- to-day, while identifying strengths and weakness to continuously adapt action plans in their best interest.

In summary, it has been noted how all the theorists are in agreement with how to correctly identify a pupil’s sensory processing difficulty. It appears that despite the struggle of identifying the correct sensory strategy, through observation and consistent interventions from a collaborate work force, pupils are able to continue to make progress alongside peers.

How an occupational therapist implements specific strategies in the classroom

Through providing pupils with varied strategies throughout their learning experience, this will enable pupils to foster and improve certain skills while learning successfully. The Zones of Regulation (2018) outline how the zones are a systematic cognitive behaviour approach. The framework consists of teaching pupils how to categorise the different states of emotions our bodies go through to maximise academic achievements. Likewise, Bembenutty (2011) highlights how self-regulation allows pupils to learn how to exercise psychological and behavioural control in order to remain focused. Similarly, Tiniakou et al (2018) indicate how self-regulation has become a prominent form of learning; correctly regulated pupils are able to tactically plan, monitor, evaluate and modify their learning appropriately.

Furthermore, it has been noted throughout the classroom setting the occupational therapist will spend at least two hours a week implementing strategies to implement learning. The occupational therapist will use The Zones of Regulation framework through adapting each pupil’s SCERTS profile, evidently, providing the correct strategies that appropriately regulate pupils in the classroom. It has been seen how the occupational therapist will teach new sensory strategies, while identifying what does and does not work through measuring the length of time each child stayed regulated. Prizant et al (2007) assert that SCERTS is an innovative educational model. It encourages pupils to become independent and confident social communicators, while preventing problem behaviours that interfere with their learning. Additionally, Ridder and Wit (2006) outline how pupils struggle to deal with a range of challenges when un-regulated; they are encouraged to use specific strategies that best support their regulation to enhance development. Therefore, adapting a current framework allows the occupational therapist to identify accurate teaching strategies, through modelling sensory strategies to facilitate development.

Dix (2010) states modelling while actively encouraging a calm and consistent approach is effective. The teacher will start to develop a tension free environment. Based on this, it has been noticed in the setting that modelling permits pupils to learn by teacher demonstration, ensuring that when teachers are modelling a skill, pupils are able to consider the purpose. It is, however, important to note the limitations of a child struggling with self-regulation as they struggle to: stay focused, retain information to carry out a task and resist bad impulses. However, while considering this, providing a pupil with the correct amount of therapy will improve their ability to adapt to their surroundings using their emotions. Ackerman (2019) highlights how the goal for most therapists is to improve an individual’s ability to self-regulate, aiming to help their clients effectively regulate their own emotions and behaviour, while gaining a sense of control over their lives. In agreement, Howie et al (2013) highlight that successful intervention therapy has revealed to be a huge impact on pupils, allowing the therapist the ability to gain access to a pupil’s brain to show further progress and achievement. This suggests, through continuing a consistent approach to learning when the occupational therapist is not in the room will maximise the skill sets needed to encourage pupils to adapt their regulation when needed. The teacher can still be vigilant about the need to further develop the sensory strategies with the occupational therapist when pupils meet their milestones.

During times of stress, learning how to regulate our emotions can be difficult. However, learning appropriate ways in which to respond correctly when experiencing anxiety can be beneficial to one’s development. Providing a pupil with the opportunity to learn a variety of calming strategies can help them work through strong emotions. Nason (2014) indicates how a child will just not know how to calm down on their own. Over time they will learn how to rely on certain strategies that will best support them; modelling some calming strategies will allow you to guide each pupil through each phase, encouraging pupils to eventually begin to use self-calming strategies themselves. Likewise, Adamson (2006) states that self-regulation difficulties, in the sense of under-stimulation or over-stimulation from sensory stimuli can result in aberrant behaviours requiring calming strategies to support their wellbeing. Therefore, allowing the occupational therapist to identify the correct calming strategies for each pupil will benefit their progression; the occupational therapist will be able to adapt strategies to the child’s developmental level and identify the best time for strategies to be implemented.

Overall, through literature it has been noted how implementing strategies to best support a child’s sensory processing disorder has a huge impact on their learning. It appears that with continuous collaborative work with the occupational therapist, children are able to overcome or adapt to their surroundings to ensure they can self-regulate their behaviour and emotions.

How an occupational therapist provides sensory integration

Sensory integration allows pupils to become aware and understand more about the sensory information and the positive effects it has on their learning and development. It provides the occupational therapist key areas in which children struggle to maintain their arousal levels causing them to become overloaded by the sensory information. Therefore, Occupational Therapy for Children (2016) highlights how sensory integration provides a crucial foundation for learning and behaviour. In some children sensory integration does not develop as efficiently, causing a number of limitations in learning, development and behaviour. Likewise, Brady et al (2011) assert that sensory integration techniques allow pupils to develop an awareness of their emotions and behaviours, while promoting self-regulation to progress further in their learning. Similarly, Macintyre (2017) suggests that a person’s brain does not ‘’see’’, or ‘’feel’’ its surroundings; it only responds to stimuli from senses. Therefore, a child’s sensory input has a vast impact on how they learn.

It can be seen from the above analysis that children with sensory processing difficulties struggle to become aware and provide a crucial foundation for learning. Simple things like the background noise can be magnified, causing a child to react badly as they cannot block it out. Through narrative observation, the occupational therapist will identify to the teacher how the pupil is unable to regulate their emotions, causing a pupil to show signs of distress: not being able to attain, needing a fiddle or chew toy to provide the opportunity to regulate themselves. It has been highlighted in Ellis and Tod (2015) that professionals need to master understanding on how to manage behaviours effectively in order to support pupils correctly in the classroom. Therefore, one of the areas which helps develop pupils’ visual and auditory attention is an attention group. Davies (2013) states how attention autism training consists of pupils learning how to regulate their own emotions, through opportunities to focus, sustain and shift attention when needed to develop an awareness of their own sensory profile.

In addition, it has been identified throughout the classroom setting that the occupational therapist provides opportunities for independent self-regulation through sensory integration, by providing pupils with a therapy-based play session to positively manipulate the brain’s reaction to touch, sound, sight and movement. It has been identified how each child is provided with an occupational therapy chair. Children with sensory integration needs are proactive and need to move, forcing their brain to automatically self-regulate when fears are heightened. Kutscher et al (2014) state a child who struggles with sensory integration may require objects or activities to develop their vestibular integration which may include: therapy seat ball- allowing the child to try and balance on a large therapy ball to increase the child’s success in the classroom. Additionally, Schilling et al (2003) indicate being provided with therapy balls for seating has been noted to make a huge improvement in attention building, sustaining sitting time, and enhancing performance in class, through allowing the child to gently rock on the ball lowering their arousal level to a calming status.

Based on this, Dimatties and Sammons (2005) assert that one of the main roles of the occupational therapist is to work in collaboration to ensure parents and teachers are taught about sensory integration. Interventions allow pupils to develop strategies that help with adaption in their surroundings. An intervention plan would be drafted to address the child’s sensory integration problems. Likewise, Wilkinson (2017) states interventions often involve child-led interactions to model real-life skills, encouraging communication, a stimulating setting and rewarding reasonable attempts to allow them to adapt to their surroundings accordingly. Therefore, children require constant interventions to allow them to minimise the effects from their sensory integration. Sensory processing issues do not disappear, but may become milder. Therefore, a key area that can be addressed to support a pupil’s sensory integration is a sensory diet: Kelly (2019) identifies how a sensory diet is designed to provide physical activities and accommodations tailored to give a sensory input that a child requires. A sensory diet is not related to food; completing a sensory diet routine can ensure pupils regulate into the right state, enhancing a child’s attention span while learning new skills.

Consequently, through literature it has been identified that children benefit from intervention strategies which best support the child’s sensory integration difficulties in and outside of the classroom. Implementing strategies with a consistent approach from collaborative working environment from occupational therapists and teachers has shown to enhance a pupil’s body awareness so they can continue to make progress.

Conclusion

Through identifying and critically evaluating the contributions and effectiveness an occupational therapist has on the learning and development of children with special educational needs suggests how the role of multi-agency working provides an effective intervention for pupils who struggle with sensory processing difficulties. This links back to Koscinski (2013) by identifying how occupational therapy designs specific plans for individuals with physical, emotional and social difficulties to identify a treatment plan. Based on this, through exploring three key themes this literature review has been able to identify areas of effectiveness of multi-agency working in the classroom. It has noted that the children depend on physical interventions to support them through their emotional regulation, allowing the skills learnt to be adapted in and outside of the classroom.

Furthermore, the literature review was split into three parts: how to identify a pupil’s sensory processing disorder; how an occupational therapist implements specific strategies in the classroom; and how an occupational therapist provides sensory integration, therefore, through analysing key literature on the contribution an occupational therapist has on identifying a processing disorder, it has been observed that collaborating together in the classroom has shown to make a huge impact on the child’s progress. The occupational therapist will undergo a variety of different naturalistic observations to correctly identify what support is required and how best to implement them, as previously stated in Sayorwan et al (2018) who recognise how a diagnosis is highly dependent on clinical assessments via a medical observation. Based on this, it was observed that with a SEN sensory profile, activated professionals are able to see a significant amount of change allowing for further progression.

Additionally, through further evaluation on the effectiveness of implementing specific strategies in the classroom, it has been noted that pupils learn through modelling behaviour. Using the occupational therapist to demonstrate how to communicate when their emotions are heightened, it enables pupils to foster and improve certain skills in a safe environment. This is supported by Tiniakou (2018) who indicates how self-regulation has become prominent for learning; correctly regulated pupils are able to learn appropriately. Therefore, with continued and consistent approaches from both occupational therapy and teaching staff, it has been noted that children are able to overcome or adapt to their surroundings to ensure they can self-regulate accordingly.

In addition, through evaluation of an occupational therapist providing children with sensory integration, it has been seen how pupils are able to become more aware of their sensory information and the positive effects it has on their development and ability to learn. This links to Brady et al (2011) who state that sensory integration techniques allow pupils to develop an awareness of their emotions and behaviour. Therefore, it was demonstrated through different strategies involving physical or dietary interventions, how pupils will become more aware of their abilities and adapt their skills to provide a crucial foundation for learning.

Recommendations

Consequently, it would be recommended that schools should provide a positive collaborative working environment for pupils in order to support their development, to deepen understanding of skills and how to adapt them in all settings:

This will help learners to progress independently, by adapting regulation to benefit their own needs. There should also be appropriate training from occupational therapists to teaching staff and parents, while learning the importance of intervention. Finally, learners need to develop an awareness of their own spatial, emotional and body awareness, while adapting appropriate regulation strategies.