SUPPORT IN SCHOOL - THE VIEWS OF HARDER TO REACH GROUPS
Associated quotes
3.1 associated quotes
"The teachers weren't like teachers. They were there to teach but not to be better than you. They didn't force you to be in the class so everyone wanted to be there. They were streetwise. I was happy there, even though I got kicked out." (girl, 17 int.28)
"It's the only thing that's helping. The teachers aren't cheeky, not like normal teachers, they're chilled. It's a place to calm down and not get suspended." (boy 15 int.49)
"You can ask them for key time and they'll spend time with you. You get it every month but you can ask for extra. You talk about getting into trouble and you get a game of pool toward the end. If you're good you still get your key time. At High School I would have talked to the Head teacher and he would have set me a detention." (boy, 15 int.43)
"Every day we have an activity after lunch, it's not a reward, it's about how we learn, we need help to stop and think." (boy 16, int.45)
"The staff try to help you, they reward good behaviour. Learning support and behaviour support teachers do fine." (boy, 15 int.5)
3.2 associated quotes
"They treat you like a person, they focus on you, they don't make you feel stupid" (girl, 16, int.39)
"I started school just four weeks after arriving in Scotland. The first time you're in school you don't understand anything. I was in the bi-lingual base to start with. I didn't have any English before I arrived, they helped us, most Scottish people are good but some aren't. At first people told us to go away but now it's okay. The teachers have tried to help their best. Teachers haven't made any mistakes." (boy, 15 int.80)
3.4 associated quotes
"In certain schools in Glasgow the support packages for children with special educational needs is very good. It has also been my experience that most of the schools that I have clients in are happy to work in partnership with workers like myself and are sold on the benefits." (on-line agency respondent)
"At the centre of support is the child and all parties work to ensure that inclusion means inclusion and not just integration. Continuous staff development is also very important to keep staff up to date on policy and methodology." (on-line agency respondent)
3.8 associated quotes
"We do like games and we send round a teddy bear and who has it can talk. We sing and talk about the things we're sad with. The group decided on the questions we use at circle time like what have I enjoyed this week and what hasn't gone so well." (boy, 7 int.51)
"I get a time out card. I just need to show it to a class teacher when I feel like I need to get out of the class and I can go". (girl, 13 int.55)
"My head teacher really helped. I owe him so much, like practical help, help with transport to school after I got attacked. He was the reason I kept going to school." (girl, 17 int.28)
"At primary school the teacher used to call in to see me at home when I was off school for three months. She was really nice to me." (girl, 15 int.27)
"I got help when I lost my Mum. It would have been helpful if it hadn't been so up front, teachers kept asking if I was okay. I was grateful to my music teacher though. We got on really well, informal. If I needed to got to her I could just turn up." (girl 15 int.73)
"On one occasion a guidance teacher gave me a couple of hours to walk around and really talk things through" (girl, 18 int.31)
"Sometimes there's a teacher who you know better. You don't know your Guidance teacher. The teacher you know better will say quietly 'do you want to talk, nobody else needs to know'" (girl, 15 int.35)
"A teacher told me he was gay. It really helped me to know I could make it." (boy, 17 int.86)
"When I got pregnant I got support from my biology teacher _ you'd have thought that would have been a Guidance teacher's role" (girl, 17, int.21)
"Mrs. C. is nice. She helps me with numbers. When I go back to school if we've been travelling she always asks where I've been and if it's been good. Going back to school is fine." (girl, 9 int.23)
"I'd have attempted suicide if she hadn't been here. I can't think of anyone else at school who would have helped me. She made me feel I could talk to her. Sometimes I worry about coming here but then lots of people come here for lots of reasons so they don't all have problems. When she sees me in the doorway she just says 'come in here'. She's so nice, she really cares about your feelings. You can tell her anything. She's a good spokesperson to talk to teachers if you're having a problem." (girl, 17, int.6)
4.1 associated quotes
"If you're in bother you get a detention at lunchtime. Sometimes you don't get lunch. They leave you in a room and forget about you. If you don't learn from detention you get it again next week." (boy, 15 int.65)
"I got excluded 4 times in 1st year. I never got through a whole term once. I only had between 40 and 50% attendance." (boy, 16 int.45)
"When they suspended me it just made it worse. I just sat in the house, grounded." (boy 15 int.43)
"You get an exclusion for 2 weeks, go for a meeting with your parents, get asked to fill in a form saying you'll not be bad again. Sometimes you mean it. I just don't like schools." (boy, 14 int.47)
"I didn't have a school to go to for six months. I just sat in the house. I didn't get a teacher visiting or anything. Then they're trying to get you to school, then suspend you. What sense is there in that? I don't want to go anyway." (boy 14 int.48)
"I was branded the bad boy as soon as I came here" (boy 15 int.66)
"I used to get pulled up for things my sister did. I think that whole families are picked on by teachers." (girl, 15 int.32)
"If one teacher gives you a row it shouldn't be followed by another teacher giving you a row, like the Head or whoever. In this school one row isn't enough, and then they tell your Mum and then its another row. If you do one thing it seems everyone knows." (boy, 14 int.68)
"We need regular (weekly) reporting on progress to ensure that the home/school partnership is as effective as it can be" (parent 1F)
"...more specific support for parents dealing with conditions such as ADHD and Autism... more information for both parents and teachers on dealing with such conditions." (parent 5F)
"Schools tend to be reactive in their responses to behavioural issues" (parent 5F)
"... lack of activities for young people, particularly in rural communities can result in over policing of young people with for example 14 year olds being brought home in handcuffs" (parent 13F).
"... school had exhausted all the avenues for punishment... perhaps more creative approaches were required" (parent 12F)
4.2 associated quotes
"More support is needed in class, one teacher can't get round to everyone that's struggling" (girl, 16 int.17)
"Some classroom assistants help the whole class, some do nothing. Sometimes they just give you the answers, tell you stuff" (boy, 13 int.16)
"You got slagged off if you had a learning support teacher. They draw attention by calling you out of class by tannoying. They shout at you in front of other people. Class teachers are too busy to help with learning, you just have to wait." (girl, 15 int.36)
"I would have preferred to stay in the mainstream. You get more out of it, higher up in the work. I want to do mechanics but I need qualifications" (boy, 15 int.43)
"All young people should have work at their level" (parent 1F)
"There can be stigma attached to attending learning support which can sometimes lead to taunting and bullying... other subjects are missed while attending learning support sometimes resulting in getting behind there too" (parent 1F).
"... there is no empathy- it is like taking an Eskimo to mid Australia and expecting them to get on with it" (parent 8F)
"There can often be additional support for children and young people in exams, for example more time or additional technology, but there is an absence of strategies for effectively using such support" (parent 10F)
4.3 associated quotes
"The guidance system does not go out to meet parents and enable them to participate in their children's education. It is seen as part of the 'system'. When children are really struggling and in danger of exclusion, the guidance system has begun to be punitive and it looses parents support. A teacher's perspective is not sufficient to obtain parent support; the additional skills of social workers can assist in supporting parents and in obtaining their co-operation to work with the school for their children's benefit." (on-line agency respondent)
"I would have stayed longer if we had talked more and they had given me a chance to explain my situation and problems." (girl, 18 int.30)
"Teachers don't take the time to understand the situation at home." (girl, 13 int.82)
"They didn't understand my low attendance or when I was up all night looking after my Mum and fell asleep in class. They didn't try to understand. They said I would be sent to the Children's Panel." (boy, 18 int.83)
"Some parents have had bad experiences of school themselves" (Agency 1A)
"In other groups of particularly young parents, there can be a high incidence of mental health problems and people on Prozac- there is an absence of counselling or other therapies to address issues" (Agency 7A)
4.4 associated quotes
"My record of needs says teachers should avoid confrontation but they give me books or materials to read. All I'm trying to do is ask questions and this means they don't answer them." (boy, 14 int.68)
"Our experience of working with young people post-school suggests that many of the problems are contextual i.e. inappropriate curriculum or approaches to learning. Vocational programmes need to be much more fully developed, timetabled and accorded equal status...this needs to be reflected in more sophisticated systems of measuring school performance." (on-line agency respondent)
4.5 associated quotes
"It didn't feel like much of a choice. I was in learning support, why didn't I get to choose?" (girl, 15 int.18)
"It felt like the brainy people got their science subject choices, and the rest didn't get a chance." (boy, 15 int.74)
"There is no choice because there's a shortage of staff. You just go to the class where there's a teacher." (girl, 15 int.96)
"You need more information about what the courses will be like later. You choose stuff without a real insight about what it's going to be like. Bringing older pupils into to tell us what its like would be more helpful than choosing it and then wanting to change." (girl, 14 int.72)
"How can you choose at 13 what you want to do, you're just thinking what you're doing at the weekend." (girl, 16 int.20)
"I was never made aware of what options there were for me, I still don't know if I have any. I don't remember ever talking to anyone about it. I didn't want to leave school at 16 but I didn't feel I could stay." (boy, 18 int.83)
"...they think we'll corrupt them... we're like zoo animals. The only reason we're on this programme is so the school can get rid of us. We've always been seen as a group here that mucks about." (boy, 15 int.62)
"...don't think what I can learn at school will help much. I know what I want to do, I want to be a fisherman or work on the pier. I already do some work after school." (boy, 12 int.71)
"I know you can't go through life with no school, but say, could there be more chances to work. I've always had part time work. I'm just not a school type person." (girl, 15 int.73)
4.6 associated quotes
"We've touched on drugs and alcohol. It doesn't benefit me personally. It shouldn't be called guidance 'cos its not guidance." (girl, 16 int.7)
"Classes are so big you can't talk anyway." (girl, 17 int.6)
"I haven't been in social ed. So I don't know what they've been doing. I haven't done what the other S4s have done." (girl, 16 int.17)
"I went to a Catholic school first. We got sex education in our religious education class so it was set in a Catholic frame. It felt like it was censored and not about real life." (boy, 14 int.84)
"The teacher covered pregnancy and one girl mentioned abortion as an option but the teacher wouldn't agree and picked on the girl." (girl, 17 int.21)
"It's irrelevant. Totally pointless. Make it relevant, what about gays? Where are we in PSE?" (girl, 17 int.87)
4.7 associated quotes
"I preferred primary to secondary because secondary is more stressful and there's new teachers. The first couple of years are the hardest, finding out where everything is, who people are and what you're expected to do. 4th years difficult too though, there's pressure for exams." (girl, 15 int.35)
"I got a merit award every year at primary, never at secondary. I just didn't feel welcome." (girl, 16 int.39)
"Some subjects are getting harder and the homework is building up. Some nights some subjects, well they demand homework back the next day and teachers don't check out the balance of stuff over the week." (girl, 14 int.72)
"The step into 5th year is hard. I didn't study before. It was hard, like work was moderate to extremely hard. They tell you, 'you have a study period' but you didn't know how to use it." (girl, 19 int.19)
"Because information isn't passed from one school to the next they make you do the same work over and over again. I've got so many files in different places, they don't pass information on or portfolios of work you've already done." (girl, 15 int.96)
"They said I needed counselling for behaviour management and anger management but I don't see the problem. Anyway, I'm still waiting. If they say they're going to do something they never do it." (boy, 14 int.67)
"I got into trouble disrupting the class. Got sent out, detentions, letters home. For fighting too. They suggested I go to an Educational Psychologist but it never happened." (girl, 15 int.73)
"It started as a unit for pregnant young women but they introduced young people with behavioural problems and all the young women left. You just couldn't mix people together. It was dangerous, they were threatening violence. It felt like the purpose of the unit was undermined and what was the point of having a nursery there? While it was a specialist unit you could do what you needed to do." (girl, 19 int.19)
"I feel like giving up, so much else is going on. Your head is pickled. Everybody has a view. It all seems to make sense but it feels like you don't have any options. Nobody is helping... they expect my parents to pay, to support me until I'm 25, so I can't go and study, I have to work." (girl, 19 int.19)
4.8 associated quotes
"Bullying should be sorted without saying the bullied person had reported it. You want to tell the teachers just one thing, they keep asking questions. It turns into a big thing. They punish them and it's just a mess then". (boy, 14 int.68)
"Bullying was worse in early secondary. As we grew up it got better but not for everyone. In 1st year we got the school rules. They were on the wall and got vandalised. There wasn't any discussion about bullying. Teachers weren't interested. Maybe they were frightened. A few teachers had bad experiences, breakdowns. Sometimes though teachers can bully pupils.... I did have a good Guidance teacher but telling made you a grass. Even when I wasn't being bullied it was verbal harassment. It hurts you when you go home, changes your mood. I'd be angry and frustrated. People commit suicide you know... They didn't know what to do so my Mum sent me to self defence classes for years. But when it came to being bullied I'd just still stand there and take a punch in the face. I didn't see why I had to fight back. Why was it up to me to punch back?" (boy, 16 int.37)
"... the system of bringing the bully in front of the headmaster only works for a short time resulting in children who are victims of bullying being moved school in some cases a number of times". (parent 1F)
"...schools can be aware of the bullying, but not able to address it leaving the victim vulnerable and often with low self esteem" (parent 10F)
4.10 associated quotes
"I have to deal with them every day. Some are alright but the rest think they're better than you and talk to you like you're worth nothing." (girl, 15 int.50)
"Teachers should treat us better. Don't shout in our faces, that just gets you pure angry and you blow your head and end up suspended." (boy, 14 int.48)
"Even when someone is in tears they keep shouting." (girl, 15 int.32)
"You would say you can't do something but they don't help you. You can tell they hate you. They keep you waiting." (boy, 16 int.45)
"I was having a problem with one of my teachers. I got sent to the Head of House. He wanted me to face the teacher and I kept telling him I couldn't face it but he forced me to see him. The same teacher told me to talk with a girl I'd had a row with about religion. I started crying but he forced me to do it. My parents phoned the school but they didn't get anything back. He asked me what church I went to and told me to go to the Bible for answers. He prayed over me... I feel like he's the elephant and I'm the mouse, he has so much power over me. He really won't leave me alone. If he sees me he always takes the opportunity to talk to me. I avoid eye contact. I'm scared of the power he has. I'm sacred of being humiliated." (girl, 17 int.6)
"Teachers make a remark in front of the whole class or ask you questions they know you can't answer in front of other people because it's too complicated or personal. It makes you feel they really don't want to know the answer." (girl, 18 int.24)
4.11 associated quotes
"They need to be more personal, somebody you can talk to instead of someone that gives you behaviour slips. Half the time they're in meetings. They go 'right, that's all I've got time for, now make another appointment'. Nine times out of ten they're away at a meeting or blabbing to other teachers. They're just not there when you need them." (girl, 16 int.17)
"Guidance teachers are too busy. They don't ask you how you feel. They try to make you make decisions quickly. There's only 5 minutes for an interview. They only want to see you if you're in trouble." (girl, 15 int.32)
"Although we've got guidance teachers you can't talk to them. They're subject teachers too. You need relationships that are equal, not ordering us about or telling us what to do. They can't put their finger on what will help you, teachers think there's one way to deal with things" (girl, 17 int.6)
"You can't get a hold of a Guidance teacher who has responsibility for 100 people." (girl, 19 int.19)
"Children and young people who are the most vulnerable report that they are opting out of school, and in some cases being denied an education because of the lack of support available to them. The service is under immense pressure, which also means that those with occasional or less severe support needs are being denied a quality service.... Most guidance teachers are extremely busy people with a large caseload of pupils whilst also carrying out other responsibilities in the school and so many are not available when they are needed by pupils." (on-line agency respondent)
"Schools are deficit orientated and that achieving a balance can be difficult" (Agency 1A)
5.5 Associated quotes
"They have meetings about my future where it feels like they decide. I get tests. They have meetings about my prospects and there'll be stuff I have to do in a year. They ask me what I want but it's really kind of boring, I like having the spotlight but they're a bit over the top with their questions." (boy, 14 int.68)
"They talk about you like you're not even there. I'd never speak my mind. Just agree, it's easier. If I was to speak my mind I'd need to hide behind Mike Tyson... They ask you awkward questions, like what's your problem at school, questions that are hard to answer, too big." (boy, 14 int.4)
"They have meetings with me in school. My auntie and uncle come as well as the Guidance teacher but I don't know if I'll ever go back there. And there's the Psychiatrist and my teacher and the head teacher from the special school. They talk about what I've been doing, sometimes it's positive, sometimes it's hard. They set targets like no swearing or get along with others but there's no help to do these things." (boy, 15, int.74)
6.1 associated quotes
"Smaller classes would be easier" (girl, 14 int.8)
"You need less people to make a smaller community, like a village rather than a city. In a village people know each other. In a city they just buzz past and don't care." (girl, 12, int.85)
"In 1st and 2nd year there should be a choice of subjects. You have your own ideas of life and what you want to do. I would have been happier." (girl, 16 int.42)
"If young people aren't interested in academic subjects they should get to do practical subjects earlier than 4th year. People get fed up of school but in 3rd year going to college makes a difference. There was new things to do, it helps you in the future thinking about jobs. It was really helpful hands on stuff." (boy, 14 int.8)
"Schools should recognise pupils talents. There should be things like drama and concerts to be part of, to build your confidence. There should be creative activities, they help learning and happiness." (girl, 18 int.24)
"Adults should listen and advise, I'm not involved in decisions" (boy, 15 int.98)
"It's a huge thing going from an island to live in a city. Here everyone helps out,. They don't tell us about how it might feel emotionally when you go away." (girl, 16 int.7)
"You need work that's going to get you somewhere in life. Real work so that you're not falling behind, missing all year. I was constantly behind." (girl, 16 int.42)
"We have to help out at home, we have jobs and responsibilities there. Less homework if you don't mind and if we forget it don't get us into trouble." (boy, 14 int.68)
"If you have problems at home you should have access to a psychologist, just to talk privately and confidentially." (girl, 17 int.70)
"If a teacher has been brought up like us they understand more and we get on with them. Our backgrounds were rough and you take that into school. If there's heavy stuff at home you take that into school. Our parents swore, hassled us. You can't go back and change any of that, if I could I would, I'd stick in." (boy, 18 int.46)
"Surely there should be some choice in your Guidance teacher, some way to pick or change them, especially if you have a difficult relationship with one." (girl, 12 int.21)
"You need to be able to complain about staff that are humiliating you, but you need to be sure you're not just complaining to their friend." (girl, 17 int.21)
"Everyone should have a panel where you can go and say what you want to about what's not right. Give your views, and if you've got an issue with a teacher you need somewhere to go to resolve it." (boy, 16 int.45)
"Young people should feel confident about going to school, especially moving from primary to secondary school. But you have fears about bullying and violence. Schools should have a strong approach to bullying. They should make an effort to get people to know each other, to get along. They should have common rooms for everyone that they design and manage or more activity days and things where pupils have to work together." (girl, 16 int.38)
"Teachers should stop to find out why you are doing what you are doing" (girl, 18 int.30)
"Make sure that everyone has a slot to speak to someone on a regular basis, whether they use it or not. You should always know someone is there for you." (girl, 18 int.24)
"Schools should give people one to one that definitely need it. They should surely use your record of needs to assess who needs it, not just the bad folk." (girl, 16 int.17)
"If I'd have got what needed I'd have got better grades, maybe even a job. I'd be a better person." (boy, 17 int.44)
"I had a lot of detention even in primary school. I was kept in at lunch and breaks. It didn't help. Time out would have helped. Time to go through work so that they'd know what you were struggling with." (girl 16 int.42)
"You need a place where someone is available to talk to and always from the start of school to the end of the day. Everyone should have their own teacher to talk to. Just now if you really want to talk to them just be bad and get a detention." (girl, 14 int.18)
"You need trust - so you can say things confidentially. Trustability, so they would only keep things quiet, would help you." (girl, 16 int.17)
"Confidentiality is not telling anyone else in school anything but if someone is in real danger, like suicide or in danger then the counsellor person could refer the on to someone else." (girl, 19 int.19)
"My school has no toilet paper in the toilets in case someone blocks them." (girl, 16 int.88)
"...should use art and colour to make school feel less industrial." (girl, 14 int.72)
"You need support, not bitching. They need to sit beside you and talk to you, make you feel better. As you get older you see things better. You don't have to shout to get a row, no raised voices." (boy, 17 int.44)
"...it would have helped if the school wanted to help me" (boy, 15 int.43)
"I feel like I'd like more help but it's hard to ask if you don't know the teacher well. Feel like I'm struggling a bit but its not noticed in class. I'm left behind. People aren't always noticed." (boy, 14 int.84)
"Comfortable is when teachers and pupils are friendly, no hassle. A place where you feel safe from anything. Teachers don't know that through time if they keep shouting at you, you just go mad." (boy, 18 int.46)
6.2 associated quotes
"Parents should be listened to more" (parent 1F)
"There should be more information on effective strategies parents could use and the services available to support them" (parent 8F).
"...an independent broker to work on behalf of the child or young person; such a person should have a detailed knowledge of finding their way through the system" (parent 6F).
"Support in school should be viewed from the point of view of social investment in young people rather than guidance which tends to focus on negatives" (parent 13F)
"...there should be a strengthening of home school links with the provision of more information on the curriculum and education system from before a child starts school through to on-going communication once they have started" (parent online).
"If we were more involved in the methods used in school then we could reinforce them at home" (parent online)
"Perhaps a monthly session when parents could drop in" (parent 5F)
"Make school more welcoming to parents, perhaps with a parent's room" (parent 5F)
"Consider the format for parents/ carers sessions as large halls with queues of people can be very intimidating and lack privacy" (parent 15F)
"Encourage more parents to help in school" (parent 5F)
"Have more home books to mark progress" (parent 5F)
"More two way communication without causing alarm" (parent 5F)
"...what about the chance to speak to inspectors on reports" (parent 8F)
"...an occasional opportunity to meet the Director of Education once in a while" (parent 7F)
"...teachers are not aware of their behaviour which could be regarded as bullying" (parent online)
"...teachers should speak to pupils rather than shout at them.... more of a culture of respect within some schools where pupils weren't referred to as "YOU" and were listened to "(parent 7F).
"... would like to see better mechanisms for getting agencies together" (parent 5F).
"It is voluntary sector agencies which have been most effective in engaging with families" (parent 12F)
"Social work is quite often absent" (parent 11F)
"Sometimes assumptions can be made that because pupil is from a middle class and intellectually capable family that there is less need for guidance/support" (parent online)
6.3 associated quotes
"Individual children's needs should be met. An individual package available in every school, allowing children to not feel different for receiving support. Also to involve and co-ordinate all the services working with the child and his/her family." (on-line agency respondent)
"The young people should be at the centre and empowered to guide the services into providing services that meet their needs. Schools need to become a needs led service that puts the individual pupil at the centre of any support service provided." (on-line agency respondent)
"Need some kind of special person for the child to co-ordinate services to make sure the child's needs are being fully met" (on-line agency respondent)
"Someone in school to get to know the child, get a handle on what goes on for them, and then work out how to help them from there." (on-line agency respondent)
"Different agencies have different views of child protection procedures... the embedding of certain practices in joint working arrangements is helpful" (Agency 8A)
"Communication could still be improved as there is so much information to keep up with. Different agencies see things from their own points of view. Trust and continuity of aims together with mutual respect are top of the wish list" (Agency 6A)
"Community development workers should be employed in schools, especially special schools. They could encourage schools to think about connecting pupils within their community. I believe this is just as important as learning reading, writing and arithmetic. Schools are for learning, what better subject to learn about than people?" (on-line agency respondent)
"Children leaving school early to attend college, often because they can't cope at school or are bad attendees, are presently unable to access any funds for college course equipment... therefore a vulnerable person can attend college but is not entitled to money from either institution... Presently money has to be sourced from wherever possible, taking unnecessary time and resources when it should be clear which institution is responsible." (on-line agency respondent)
7.1 associated quotes
"You need someone who notices if you are struggling so you don't always have to ask for help first." (girl, 12 int.85)
"You need somebody who can do something about what they are told. Class teachers are limited to their class, sometimes things are bigger." (boy 12 int.57)
"Somebody impartial, not your subject teacher or guidance teacher. Like someone you can make an appointment to see or someone that wants to check in with you so you don't feel like you're bothering them." (girl, 17 int.21)
"You need a person specifically for kids in care, someone who understands what life is really like, streetwise and has made mistakes themselves." (girl, 17 int.28)
"You need a helpful person, like a brother or sister to you, somebody that'll listen. You expect confidentiality." (girl, 14 int.18)
"They would take time to find out who you are and not make assumptions" (girl, 15 int.34)
"A supportive person would be like the bilingual base teachers. They care more, they support us. Someone who cares, looks after you, protects you." (boy, 15 int.80)
"An adult you can talk to about anything that worries you. They should be nice and not grumpy. They shouldn't give children rows unless they really deserve it. They shouldn't take points off, that feels awful." (girl, 9 int.23)
"People should be kind." (boy, 8 int.75)
"You need to talk to someone when you need to. Someone who you can talk to about feelings. People need to be friendly and open otherwise people stay closed. I don't think I would go to a teacher, it would feel weird, they're okay for school work but it feels like teachers should be teachers. If it was someone who was separate from school it would help, it would still feel like school though but not as bad." (girl, 14 int.72)
"Someone where it's their only job, not second to teaching." (girl, 15 int.27)
"Like a teacher without the hassle. Like if everyone was to vote for someone who you could go to and could go to teachers on your behalf, but they don't teach. Someone you can see whenever you need to, like they're not teaching too...someone that doesn't just say cheer up and get on with your work." (boy, 14 int.68)
"Guidance people aren't the kind of people we'd want to go to. She'd take the schools side. She's not interested. She doesn't care." (boy, 15 int. 63)