March 2006

Q: We are looking to develop after-school therapeutic programming for our K-4th grade children with severe emotional disturbances (SED). What are some guidelines or examples we can use to help develop our program?

In 2001, researchers conducted a study of the service needs of children with severe emotional disturbances (SED) and their families. Their research revealed that 94% of caretakers prioritized recreational/after-school programs as their number one service need, trumping 42 other services. Yet for children with SED, participating in typical after-school programs can be frustrating and, in some cases, impossible. Study authors state, “Parents of prosocial children can leave them under the direction of the recreational staff, but those raising children with SED usually must stay to provide social coaching or to remove the child if necessary. In other words, they are always on duty for their children.” How can we modify programs that have been successful for most children to meet the special needs of children with SED?

Although few studies have looked specifically at programs targeting children with SED, the characteristics identified as the most successful for general after-school programs should offer some useful suggestions for creating your program. Prior research has identified some of the following criteria:

• Safe: children feel physically and psychologically secure
• Structured: the program operates within a clearly organized framework
• Supportive: staff and peers form supportive relationships
• Inclusive: children are offered opportunities to belong
• Positive: children’s abilities and value are reinforced by staff and peers
• Enriching: children build skills and knowledge
• Integrated: family, school, and community partners are involved in activities and curricula

How can you make sure that these characteristics are embedded in your after-school program and that you can provide these opportunities and environments for children with SED? Studies and examples of some successful after-school programs provide some specific strategies for structuring the content and logistics of your program.

Program Content:

1. Host “Expectations” sessions. Consider hosting a meeting for staff, participating children without SED and their caregivers, and participating children with SED and their caregivers before beginning the program. It’s important to discuss expectations with all participants, particularly for families not familiar with SED so that they understand how SED manifests and that children with SED are not just “bad kids.” All participants and caregivers should also be assured that staff is trained and prepared to control disruptive behaviors.

 2. Provide variety. Successful programs offer a variety of activities, helping to ensure that daily programs engage a variety of personalities and learning styles. Think about how to incorporate a mix of active and quiet, group and individual tasks. Some activities you might want to include are:

• Academic support (tutoring, reading/math skills development)
• Arts and crafts
• Athletics (outdoor games, sports)
• Computers (games, skills-building)
• Games (board games, puzzles)
• Health/fitness
• Service learning/Community service
• Storytelling/reading

3. Link to a theme. In order to build diversity into your programming, you may want to think about changing your weekly or monthly schedule based on a particular theme or topic. Try to organize activities, guest-speakers, or field trips around this theme. This approach also helps to accommodate a variety of learning styles by addressing a particular concept or subject from multiple perspectives. Carousel After-School Programs, which offer specialized services to promote social/emotional development, provide this example schedule based on the theme “Making New Friends” on their Web site: http://www.carouselschool.com /after-school.htm.

4. Create a schedule. Create daily, weekly, or monthly schedules and let students know what the schedule is. Establishing and fulfilling expectations about what will take place when helps ease transitions from activities, and between school, after-school programs, and home.

Program Logistics:

1. Target Population. If possible, consider creating a program that includes both children with SED and children without SED. Researchers suggest that an integrated program may help promote positive socialization.

 2. Availability. Many successful programs are operated at least five daysa week, with three or more hours of activity each day. This allows opportunity for increased skill-building and relationship creation among staff and children. For many parents of children with SED, this may also be one of the few opportunities they have to access caregiver support.

3. Location. Your space will, to some extent, restrict the after-school activities your program will be able to host. When choosing a location for your program, keep in mind the following questions:

• Can you conduct a variety of activities in this location?
• Do you have outside access for outdoor games and activities?
• Do you have access to library or art rooms?
• Is it conveniently located near other frequently-accessed areas such as schools, shops, or community centers?

Some common locations for after-school programs includeclassrooms, playgrounds, gyms, libraries, cafeterias, computer labs, art rooms, music rooms, science labs, and kitchens.

4. Staff. Supportivestaff/child interactions may be the most important element of success your after-school program. Research indicates that“positive caregiving from program staff predicts children's emotional adjustment and cognitive performance.”When hiring staff, consider the following elements:

• Background: What kind of educational work has your prospective staff member done previously? What has been their involvement with youth with SED or special education needs in the past?
• Training: Does your prospective staff member have specialized training in working with youth with SED? How about with youth with special education needs? If a child’s behavior is unacceptable, will your staff know how to remove the child and/or effectively address the disturbance? Do you have a mental health professional that can work with specific children on building interpersonal and coping skills?
• Professional Development:What kind of formal or informal professional development can your program offer? Researchers recommend that program staff receive continuous training that will enable them to better resolve conflicts and encourage social development among participating children.
• Child/Staff Ratios: Having a low child-to-staff ratio is important in any educational or after-school program. However, children with SED typically require more individualized attention to meet their specialized needs. Make sure that you have enough staff to provide support to specific students while continuing to lead the activity for the rest of the group.

5. Partners: As with all system of care endeavors,it is important to involve multiple stakeholders in your after-school program. Partnering with schools, businesses, social services, mental health will not only help community members learn about and develop relationships with children with SED, and visa versa, but these partners can help provide key services such as curricula, volunteers, materials, space, guest speakers, and mentors.

Partnering with parents is also important. Although after-school programs can provide a much-needed break for caregivers of children with SED, it is crucial that caregivers are involved in activities and programming. In their 2002 “Evaluation of an After-School Program for Children With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders,” study authors wrote, “Higher parental participation increased the likelihood that a client would successfully graduate from the program.”

For information on engaging caregivers in after-school programs, take a look at this resource for parents, developed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education: http://www.gse.harvard.edu/~hfrp/content/projects/after-school/resources/#focus

6. Support Services. Planning for additional services such as transportation will help reduce the caregiver burden. You may also want to consider offering educational activities specifically targeting caregivers, such as classes on child rearing, health care, employment skills, and English language learning.

7. Funding. These fact sheets, developed by the After-school Alliance, list Federal funding resources for after-school programs. The list includes three categories of funding resources: entitlement programs that serve every individual that meets the eligibility criteria with no competition for the funds; block or formula grant programs that provide a fixed amount of Federal funds to States based on a formula that may be based on census data, poverty rates, or other demographic information; and discretionary programs that offer Federal funds for a targeted type of program on a competitive basis and can be administered by a variety of State agencies or directly from the Federal government. To view these funding resources, visit: http://www.after-schoolalliance.org/funding_main.cfm.

You might also want to take a look at other After-school Alliance resources at: http://www.after-schoolalliance.org/

Citations:

American Psychological Association. Clinician's Research Digest. Dec 1999, Vol 17(12), p 5-5.

Keller, Thomas E.; Bost, Noel S.; Lock, Eric D.; Marcenko, Maureen O. Factors Associated With Participation of Children With Mental Health Problems in Structured Youth Development Programs. Journal of Emotional & Behavioral Disorders, Fall 2005, Vol. 13 Issue 3, p 141-151.

Marcenko, Maureen O.; Keller, Thomas E.; Delaney, Mary Anne. Children with SED and Their Families in an Urban Public Mental Health System: Characteristics, Needs, and Expectations. Journal of Child & Family Studies, Jun 2001, Vol. 10 Issue 2, p 213-226.

Vandell, D. L. (2003, September). The study of promising after-school programs: Brief Descriptive report.

Vandell, D. L, Reisner, E. R., Brown, B. B., Pierce, K., Dadisman, K, & Pechman, E. M. (2004, February). The study of promising after-school programs: Descriptive report of the promising programs. Report to the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

Wyatt, Jennifer M. Evaluation of an After-School Program for Children With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders. Washington, District of Columbia, US, American Psychological Association, 2003. pp. 1. [Conference Paper]