Inspectors find good pastoral support for Fermanagh pupils

A new report has shown that pupils in the greater Enniskillen area of Fermanagh enjoy a high level of support for their emotional well-being and health issues in schools.

The staff with key pastoral responsibilities in all of the organisations inspected are highly motivated and display a strong commitment to the welfare of the learners in their care. However, many of the staff are considerably over-stretched by the complexity and demands of their pastoral responsibilities.

The report was published by the Education and Training Inspectorate (ETI) following visits by the Inspectorate and Social Services Officers from the DHSSPS to schools and other organisations and agencies in the Fermanagh area.

Chief Inspector of the ETI, Stanley Goudie, said: “During 2006 the Government published a ten year strategy for improving the lives of our children and young people in Northern Ireland. This evaluation provides information and evidence about the progress being made with regard to the six high-level outcomes in the Government’s pledge for children and young people.

“A majority of young people in the schools in Fermanagh achieve well. The organisations visited reported that most young people enjoy their learning, make good progress and contribute positively to the pre-school, school or youth environments.

“When asked to identify the current social issues affecting young people in the area, the organisations identified some recurring themes which were impacting negatively on the young people in the Fermanagh area and which were inhibiting progress in learning for a minority of the learners. These themes include: dealing with family relationships, underage drinking, family dependency cultures, an increase in eating disorders, bullying, pressure to achieve academically, low self esteem, rural isolation and the lack of a forum to express their views.

“Our report shows that staff in both the formal and non-formal educational sectors are committed to their role in supporting the holistic development of learners, including their emotional well-being and health. The majority of schools balance well the wider role of dealing with emotional health and well-being with their main purpose of delivering education. Their commitment is recognised and welcomed by most parents. There is some variation in the extent to which the schools promote and deal with the emotional development and needs of learners. In particular, there needs to be a greater focus on developing further the capacity of staff to deal more effectively with the increase in behavioural difficulties.

“Almost, without exception, schools reported that the counselling services played an increasingly important role in contributing positively to the emotional health and well-being of learners, though the service is considered to be over-stretched.”

Speaking about the areas identified for improvement, Mr Goudie said: “Schools need to build their capacity to deal more effectively with the pastoral and behavioural needs of children and young people to ensure the earliest possible intervention. We also found there is a need for more effective communication and working partnerships between health and education, particularly in supporting vulnerable learners and their families. Schools and social services are under considerable pressure by the multi-faceted demands of working more effectively on behalf of vulnerable learners. They recognise that they are interdependent in providing effective support for these young people. It is important that the voices of the young people themselves are heard and that schools, parents and local communities work together to listen to, and to respond effectively to, the needs of young people.”

Notes to Editors:

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