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Strengths Approaches to Early Childhood Education
Angela Fenton
School of Education – Research Seminar
5th June 2013
Doctoral Research:
A Strengths Approach to
Child-Protection Education
Direct link via digital thesis ResearchOnline@JCU:
http://eprints.jcu.edu.au/24044/1/01thesis.pdf
Research Opportunity
Doctoral Research:
To explore the ‘Strengths Approach’
(McCashen, 2005) to child protection
with a group of early childhood
pre-service teachers
Present and examine responses for the:
Possibility of enhancing teacher preparation to
protect children
Potential of approach in education (outside of its
social service/psychology origins)
Strengths Approach
• Dependent upon positive attitudes
about people‟s [children's] dignity, capacities,
rights, uniqueness and commonalities
• Emphasises people‟s [children & teachers] ability to be their
own agents of change
• Enables people [children & teachers] to identify, value and
mobilise their strengths as opposed
to compensating for their deficits
(Adapted from McCashen, 2005, p. v)
Social Services
The Strengths
Approach links to
power & knowledge
concepts in major
education theories.
Moving beyond
“child rescue” to
raising resilience
Dr Donald O. Clifton
Founder Strengths
Psychology
What boundaries does the research cross?
Conceptual
boundaries
Inter-disciplinary
boundaries
Education sector
boundaries
• Literature Review
Psychology, Social
Services, Health &
Education literature
informs the research
• Methodology
Participants transition
from Pre-service to
practising teachers
Researcher from
teacher educator
to colleague
• Findings - Rethinking
how we view and
approach child
protection preparation
Literature Review Findings
Child Abuse
Mass of reports
• Abuse global/Australia
• Qld/local stats
• Definitions/history
• Effects of abuse
• Health literature
Few studies
• Informal/ descriptive
• Adjunct programs
• Integrated, critical,
mentoring, & resources
• Social service literature
Teacher Preparation
Child Protection
Contemporary Research
• Therapeutic applications
• Positive Psychology
• Resiliency links
• Potential for
education/critiques
Some research studies
• Teachers overwhelmed
• Fear & anxiety
• Changes to legislation
• Calls for a new model
• Education literature
Strengths Approach
Methodology
Organisation:
Early Childhood pre-service teachers complete an integrated strengths-based child protection module
Dual role teacher/researcher - ethical considerations and boundary considerations – role as teacher educator/colleague
Data collected: 3 Phases - during module (students), post teaching prac, 12mths after module as graduating (practising teachers)
Qualitative study - Strengths principles inform the theoretical framework
Collaborative, power with rather than power over - social justice
Uses existing strengths and resources
Collecting responses
& Analysis Participant narratives from:
Electronic Discussion Board & Email responses (EView)
Interviews (Open View) and Focus Groups (Open Focus)
Analysis:
Thematic (zoom out) group responses to research themes: child
abuse & protection, teacher prep & strengths approach
Contextual (zoom in) individuals & context of first responses to
module, teaching practice experiences & preparation for
graduation
Interpretations link to lit review findings
and strengths approach principles and a
layer of contextual analysis is added
Early Responses: Telling
the story
“While I was on one prac the teacher told me that a
child in the class had recently stated to her mother
that she had been sexually abused by a family
member. As I reflect upon the situation, I realise
that I tried to deny that this child had been abused.
It was not a case of not believing the child, but I just
did not know how to react to this child anymore.
Also, I did not want to think of the horrible
experience and the negative impact it would, and
had already, had on that child's life.” (Participant 7)
Phase 2
„I think that the strengths based approach
offers a way of thinking about how we react
to certain situations and how these
situations make us feel…The thing that I
like the most about what I have learnt so far
is the idea of changing the frame. Through
changing the frame, it gives us a whole
different way of thinking about who we are
and what is possible for us‟ (Participant 19).
Limitations: Scale, contextualised, further work
needed
Overall
Tentatively positive - A Strengths Approach appeared to enhance
preparation to protect children for the teachers in the study –
though adaptations needed
Individualised vignettes show increased confidence to discuss
and explore strategies to address child abuse with children
especially in Phases 2 & 3 - though scaffolded
Findings confirmed literature suggestions of heightened anxiety,
expressed elevated emotions, knowledge of responsibilities &
explored idea of educational neglect
Showed engagement with Strengths Approach as potentially
useful for education contexts as well as therapeutic contexts
11
Doctoral related
Publications Peer reviewed publications:
University of Sydney „Communities and
Change‟ 08 - Caution children crossing
ahead: Child protection education with pre-
service teachers using a strengths approach
http://ses.library.usyd.edu.au/bitstream/2123/
3910/1/Chapter%209.pdf
International Journal of Pedagogies and
Learning (USQ) 2008 - From strength to
strength: An educational research journey
http://pubs.e-
contentmanagement.com/doi/abs/10.5172/ijpl
.4.5.90
Practitioner publications:
„Building Blocks‟ Child protection resource
kit 04.
12
New research/publications – Strands of
research
13
• Methodological Opportunities: A Strengths Approach – AARE 2010 Conference
http://ocs.sfu.ca/aare/index.php/AARE/AARE_2010/paper/view/1832
• Using a strengths approach in early childhood education across the „preservice-
inservice‟ boundary – AARE 2011 Conference Symposium
• Work Integrated Learning – Using a Strengths Approach to Collaborative
Education – Australian Collaborative Education Network Conference 2012. Asia
Pacific Journal of Cooperative Education
http://acen.edu.au/2012conference/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/108_Using-a-
Strengths-Approach-in-Collaborative-Education.pdf
• Accepted: Supporting Early Childhood Pre-Service Teachers in Their Work with
Children, and Families with Complex Needs: A Strengths Approach – coauthored
with Dr Laura Piazza – Journal of Early Childhood Teacher Education
• Under Review: Supporting Early Childhood Services: Strengths Approach Case
Studies coauthored with Kerryann Walsh, Tamara Cummings, Sandie Wong
• In preparation: Spiritual Development and Protection in Early Childhood: A
Strengths Approach – Dr Jane Bone
• Conceptual: Strengths based Eview development: Eresearch – with Dr Penny
Cooke