The aim of this research is to explore the social experiences of children in education in the UK, some of who have Behavioural, Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD). International policies (UN 1989; UNESCO 1994) emphasise the rights of all children to be valued equally, treated with respect and provided with equal opportunities. In the UK this has given rise to policy (DfEE 1997) which promotes the rights of children with Special Educational Needs (SEN) to attend their mainstream school wherever possible. Booth and Ainscow (2002) suggest that this is about more than the physical integration of the child into their mainstream class, but about an ethos in which every child is welcomed, valued and supported, fostering positive peer relations and belonging. 

The social dimension of education is of importance to young people themselves (Ainscow et al. 1999), and a key factor in parents’ wishes to send their child to a mainstream school (Koster et al. 2009). Maslow (1954) suggests that positive social interaction is also essential for healthy development and wellbeing, creating young people who are tolerant and accepting of difference (Thomas 1997).However, French and Swain (2009) found when talking to young disabled people about their experiences of mainstream education, many felt embarrassment about being different, having a negative effect on their relationships with other children.These difficulties are further emphasised byWarnock (2005) who expressed concerns about inclusion due to the high levels of bullying and victimisation reported by pupils with SEN compared to their typically developing peers.

Objectives

The purpose of this study is to examine the social relations, friendship and belonging of children, some of who have BESD. This involves examining how participants are treated by peers (and their attitudes towards this), their sense of belonging, and also why this is the case, investigating the teaching practices and wider school policies which may have been helpful or detrimental in supporting these social experiences. Research in this area is very limited, especially studies which foreground the views of children themselves (Ash et al. 1997), demonstrating the usefulness of this research.

My research questions are:

1. What are participants’ social experiences and sense of belonging during both formal (lesson time) and informal (breaks and lunchtime) parts of the school day?

2. What teaching strategies and wider school practices support or inhibit the positive social experiences and sense of belonging of participants?

This study also has a strong methodological focus, in which I investigated the affordances of various methods (such as participatory social mapping and video stimulated recall) in providing insights into participants’ social interactions and belonging. The final research question is:

3. How can the visual be used to illuminate the social experiences and belonging of participants?

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