Short Abstract:

This work was conducted as part of a PhD study concluding in January 2024. The study explored the experience of young people who were permanently excluded from school in the UK and what made a difference. Interviews, reports and policies were collected and analysed over a two year period. By using the CA and PPCT to analyse the data a combined framework was developed to assess and meet YP needs.

Long Abstract:

The purpose of the research was to examine the factors that impact on young people's development, this included emerging application of neurobiology in YP development. The case study focussed on young people who had been permenanetly excluded, as these were identified as some of the most marginlised, however the findings related to young people's development in the wider context.

Problem

Disadvantage and inequity permeates many parts of society: resources are finite, young people’s needs are complex and many needs are unmet. There is little cohesive policy planning for young people that assesses their needs effectively, many services for young people are in crisis and unable to cope with increasing demands. Young people, especially those who are disadvanteged through their position within society are being left behind and unable to fulfil their capabilities and subsequent functionings. Young people who are permananetly excluded from school are some of those most vulnerable. Many of these young people experience stigmatisation, live in poverty and have undiagnosed mental health and special education needs. The question this study considers is who 'gives a damn' about young people, what impact do they have, and how do we know?

Research design

Underpinned by Pragmatism, a nested qualitative case study was utilised. Evidence was collected to enable a comprehensive understanding of the context and systems that young people exist within. Methods: Interview data was gathered from the field over a three-month period. 14 interviews were conducted, varying in length from 30-120minutes. Particpants included senior leaders, teachers, pastoral staff, a young person and staff that worked with the young person. School behaviour policies and Ofsted reports across a local authority also formed part of the case study. A codebook approach was used for analysis, using NVivo12, all elements of the case study were analysed. The codebook was created using Sen’s capability approach and Bronfenbrenner and Morris’s process-person-context-time models. One example of the particpants is Alex, a young person who was permanently excluded from mainstream school following an incident he describes as 'knife crime'. His interview is re-storied and provides a rich narrative that is a powerful illustration of the use of the combined framework.

Findings

1, Sen’s Capability Approach and Bronfenbrenner and Morris’s Person, Proximal Process, Context and Time model have similarities and differences that when merged create depth and add rigour to better understand young people’s development. 2, The findings indicate that young people’s capability is both an outcome of conversion factors and proximal processes. 3, Forgiveness, curiosity and love are values and behaviours that enhance young people’s development. 4, Justice, moral imperative and ‘giving a damn’ can support powerful reasoning in driving the young people’s agenda forward demonstrating commitment to welfare reform. 4, Assessment of need is critical to establishing a Young Person-Centred Framework.

Conclusions

Practical application of philosophical models can be problematic through misinterpretation and misrepresentation. A fear of getting it wrong can prevent action altogether. As a practitioner, if research highlights something that may provide a solution to how a problem is viewed, and subsequently solved, then courage is required to follow this through. This study is a courageous attempt to utilise two seminal theories and create a tool that can be applied, tested, and explored to support young people’s development in health, social and education settings.