Comparison between the behaviour of junior aged children attending a unit for pupils with emotional and behavioural difficulties and similar children in mainstream classes

Abstract

This case study examines some of the children with the greatest frequency of behavioural problems on the playground of a particular junior school serving a socially deprived area. It looks at the historical factors which led to its present situation of having a special needs unit for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and summarises the definition, assessment and provision for maladjusted/EBD children. It seeks to compare the unit children with their mainstream peers in order to ascertain whether the children are correctly placed within the unit, and whether others might not be equally deserving of places. It concludes that there may be considerable overlap between statemented unit children and mainstream children, with uncertainty as to which children should be referred, and what might be expected from the referral process. In the process the research examines the current situation with regard to providing consistent and workable criteria for assessing EBD children, concluding that the search for this is not yet over.