Best Practices for Supporting High-Risk Youth with FASD in a Secondary School Setting

Transcription

1 Best Practices for Supporting High-Risk Youth with FASD in a Secondary School Setting Presenters: Cliff Whitford, Boyle Street Education Centre Neda Mitchell, Boyle Street Education Centre Carmen Rasmussen, Department of Pediatrics, University of Alberta

2 Study Team Scott Meunier, Principal, BSEC Katherine Wyper, PhD Student, U of A Michaela Rebus, Research Assistant, U of A Amber Gear, Registered Psychologist, BSEC Ken Smale, Teacher, BSEC Katelynn Couling, Psychology Intern, BSEC Michael Moore, Teacher, BSEC Brandy Basisty, Youth Worker, BSEC Jacqueline Pei, Associate Professor, U of A Lead of inat

3 Youth with FASD High-risk, inner-city youth experience many adverse outcomes Youth with FASD are at risk for (Streissguth et al., 1996): Dropping out of school Substance abuse Trouble with law Incarceration Maladaptive behaviours Mental health issues

4 Importance of Education Education is associated with better health outcomes (Eide & Showalter, 2011) Schools are ideal settings for interventions: central, convenient location that is comfortable for students There are a number programs/interventions aimed at supporting high-risk youth in educational settings Behavioural interventions Psychoeducational interventions Addictions interventions Family-based interventions

5 Education and FASD However there are very few educational programs for high-risk youth with FASD School staff report (Koren et al., 2010): Little knowledge or familiarity with FASD Lack of strategies for dealing with FASD Little access to information about FASD Stigmatization of FASD in school systems

6 Education and FASD Caregivers report need for (Duquette & Orders, 2010): Need better awareness of FASD in education settings Collaboration among parents, schools, and service providers Research evidence-based practice in FASD Teachers and school professionals report (Job et al., 2013) importance of: School-family collaboration and communication Awareness and knowledge of FASD Access to school and community supports

7 Education and FASD Burgess and Streissguth (1992) recommendations around education of students with FASD: Culturally-relevant education Effective communication Go beyond curriculum--teach how to make decisions Opportunities for practice Community-based instruction Training on FASD for educational professionals

8 Boyle Street Education Centre (BSEC) BSEC is an inner city charter school located in Edmonton, Alberta The school s mandate is to inspire and support educational success and social development in High-risk youth Youth who have previously experienced interruptions in their formal schooling 92% self-report as Aboriginal ( ) Maximum student population of 150

9 BSEC Science Room

10 BSEC Program: Core Subjects Offers all high school core subjects required for an Alberta High School Diploma: Math Science Social English The majority of students are in a modified program

11 BSEC Program: Options Classes Student-driven option classes: Physical Education Audio & Video Production Construction & Fabrication Cosmetology & Aesthetics Digital Media Fine Art Fashion Studies Food & Culinary Arts Word Readiness Work Experience

12 BSEC Program: Wraparound Services Drop-in classes for stress management: art, music, yoga, meditation, improvisational drama Access to Aboriginal cultural ceremonies: sweat lodges, pipe ceremonies, daily smudging, talking circles Weekly visits from health professionals: mobile nurses and health services Onsite youth worker supports: full-time school counsellor, contracted specialized psychologists

13 BSEC Program: Wraparound Services Full-time on-site youth worker Weekly access to on-site additions counselling offered through Alberta Health Services Full-time on-site assessment psychologist Access to legal assistance through Native Counselling Services of Alberta

14 On-site and off-site work experience program Student seminars Free breakfast and lunch Incentives program for transportation (bus tickets) Field trips

15 Connecting Community to University Staff at BSEC connected with researchers at the University of Alberta to develop their research ideas Partnership formed and proposal written Grant obtained from the Alberta Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research (NEAHR) at the University of Alberta

16 Study Aims 1. Study the process for supporting high-risk youth with FASD at BSEC in their transition to adulthood 2. Identify best practices for teaching high-risk youth with FASD 3. Identify strategies employed by BSEC that are linked to student success

17 Method Retrospective review of anonymous student data from years collected by staff at BSEC Variables collected: Demographics Living arrangement Legal issues Student attendance FASD diagnosis Other diagnoses School services accessed

18 Participants n= 48 Mean Age (Range) 16.8 yrs yrs Gender Grade Ethnicity FASD 56% Male 10: 69% All Aboriginal 94% FASD 11: 25% 6% PAE 12: 3%

19 Results: Years at BSEC

20 Results: Living Arrangement 35% reported living on streets or shelter during their time at BSEC

21 Results: Other Diagnoses Percentage Learning Difficulty Substance Abuse ADHD ODD Delayed Cognitive Depression CD Anxiety RAD PTSD Schizophrenia Other

22 Average number of other diagnoses: 6 (range 1-10)

23 Results: Legal Issues Percentage Justice System Involvement Ever Incarcerated On Probation

24 Percent of Sample Referred for and Accessing Student Services Referred Accessed Percentage School Counseling SC Substance Abuse Gov't Student Funding Psychological Counselling Addictions Counselling Psychological Testing Health Services Bus Tickets Work Experience Resume Assistance Cultural Activities YW: Housing YW: Legal Issues YW: Pregnancy Support YW: AISH YW:PDD Yoga Meditation Acupuncture Other

25 Average number of services accessed: 6 (range 0-18)

26 Results Average attendance: 29.7% of classes attended Attendance correlated with total services accessed r =.46** Number of other diagnoses correlated with total services accessed r =.35* No gender differences on services used, attendance, and legal issues

27 Best Practices at BSEC In-depth intake process Year-round continuous registration Individualized Program Plans (IPP) Flexible, self-paced programming schedules 6 blocks (generally 1 hour each) Non-authoritarian approach Relationship-based (all staff on a first name basis) Build upon inherent strengths

28 Best Practices at BSEC Student-centered focus on programming Staff educated on FASD Focus on literacy and numeracy Team work No school fees Smaller classroom sizes Low lighting to address sensory issues Quiet areas in most classrooms

29 Best Practices at BSEC Hands-on learning Sharing circles Hearing out the students and treating them as equals Addressing the behaviour and not the student Phone and Facebook follow up with non-attending students Routine, routine, routine Transitional planning

30 Strategies Linked to Success (Averill, 2013) Building respectful relationships Patience Educator s tone of voice Interactive/experiential learning opportunities Staff ability to respond to unique student needs Flexible schedules (i.e. drop in classes as opposed to dropping out)

31 Strategies Linked to Success (Averill, 2013) Provide a sense of hope Have rules that make sense and are not there to support a power structure which diminishes the empowerment of youth Set up supports for students in need of assistance (counselling, addiction, housing, court issues) Listen to the student

32 Conclusions BSEC offers a unique educational approach to support high-risk youth and youth with FASD Focus goes beyond basic academics Variety of supports and services available for all areas of development: cognitive, social, emotional, physical Very few programs for youth with FASD and BSEC may be a model for other programs and services

33 References Averill, M (2013). SWEET: The learning lives of Students Who have Experienced Extreme Trauma. Burgess, D. M., & Streissguth, A. P. (1992). Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and Fetal Alcohol Effects: Principles for educators. The Phi Delta Kappan, 74, Duquette, C., & Orders, S. (2010). Towards a Provincial Strategy: Advancing Effective Educational Practices in Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Report prepared for the FASD Ontario Network of Expertise. Eide, E. & Showalter, M. (2011) Estimating the relation between health and education. What do we know and what do we need to know? Economics of Education Review, 30(5), Job, J. M., Poth, C. A., Pei, J., Caissie, B., Brandell, D., & Macnab, J. (2013). Toward better collaboration in the education of students with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders: Integrating the voices of teachers, administrators, caregivers, and allied professionals. Qualitative Research in Education, 2, Koren, G., Fantus, E., Nulman, I. (2010). Managing Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder in the public school system: A needs assessment pilot. Canadian Journal of Clinical Pharmacolology, 17, e79-e89. Streissguth, A. P., Barr, H. M., Kogan, J., & Bookstein, F. L. (1996). Understanding the occurrence of secondary disabilities in clients with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol effects (FAE): Final report to the Centers for Disease control and Prevention. Seattle: University of Washington, Fetal Alcohol and Drug Unit.

34 Thank You! Funded by Alberta Network Environments for Aboriginal Health Research (AB NEAHR), University of Alberta

35 Evaluations & Contact Information Please take a minute to complete your evaluations and hand them in at the conference desk as soon as possible, or simply leave them on your table face down. Contact: Boyle Street Education Centre Street NW Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5J 1E6 Phone: Website: -Questions & Answers-