Pgce-Designing Your Own Curriculum
Janis Werrett
PGCE
Curriculum Planning in the PCET Sector
This group project was the outcome of a joint effort by myself, Natalie Thorne, Chris Stone and Grace Glendon.
Rhondda Cynon Taff is recognised as one of the most socially and economically deprived areas in the UK. The past 30 years as seen a marked decline in the employment prospects of all age groups along with a parallel deterioration of the social fabric. Our curriculum development project was an attempt to address such issues through delivering family type learning in relevant topics.
Results of the study showed that is a need for services of this kind and we were even offered the opportunity to put the project in place.
Feasibility
A commonly held perception of Rhondda Cynon Taff is that it is characterised by high rates of unemployment, illicit drug use, prescription of psychotherapeutic drugs, crime and educational under attainment. Of the 165,000 residents in RCT aged 16-74, 67,000 have no qualifications and of the 400,000 unemployed, 60,000 have never worked. 40,000 of those people live within Rhondda Cynon Taff.
A significant proportion of young offenders suffer from some sort of psychological/emotional disorder and a recent study by Chitsabesan et al, 2006 indicated that 1 in 5 have a learning disability. Even more worrying was the suggestion that young offenders within the community have far more issues than those in secure care and are far less likely to get their needs met.
There is a growing consensus amongst mental health professionals that a potent relationship exists between mental health needs and criminality and mental health diversion programmes have been shown to be effective in reducing recidivism (Cuellar, McReynolds & Wasserman, 2006). The pattern of need for children taken into care is even more stark with physical, developmental and mental health needs being as high as 87% and with more than half of these children suffering from wo or more problems.
Most
PGCE
Curriculum Planning in the PCET Sector
This group project was the outcome of a joint effort by myself, Natalie Thorne, Chris Stone and Grace Glendon.
Rhondda Cynon Taff is recognised as one of the most socially and economically deprived areas in the UK. The past 30 years as seen a marked decline in the employment prospects of all age groups along with a parallel deterioration of the social fabric. Our curriculum development project was an attempt to address such issues through delivering family type learning in relevant topics.
Results of the study showed that is a need for services of this kind and we were even offered the opportunity to put the project in place.
Feasibility
A commonly held perception of Rhondda Cynon Taff is that it is characterised by high rates of unemployment, illicit drug use, prescription of psychotherapeutic drugs, crime and educational under attainment. Of the 165,000 residents in RCT aged 16-74, 67,000 have no qualifications and of the 400,000 unemployed, 60,000 have never worked. 40,000 of those people live within Rhondda Cynon Taff.
A significant proportion of young offenders suffer from some sort of psychological/emotional disorder and a recent study by Chitsabesan et al, 2006 indicated that 1 in 5 have a learning disability. Even more worrying was the suggestion that young offenders within the community have far more issues than those in secure care and are far less likely to get their needs met.
There is a growing consensus amongst mental health professionals that a potent relationship exists between mental health needs and criminality and mental health diversion programmes have been shown to be effective in reducing recidivism (Cuellar, McReynolds & Wasserman, 2006). The pattern of need for children taken into care is even more stark with physical, developmental and mental health needs being as high as 87% and with more than half of these children suffering from wo or more problems.
Most
References: Chitsabesan, P. et al (2006). Mental Health Needs of Young Offenders in Custody and in the Community. British Journal of Psychiatry, 188, 534-540. Cuellar, A.E. et al (2006). A Cure for Crime: Can Mental Health Treatment Diversion Reduce Crime Amongst Youth? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management,25, 197-214. Sarkola, T. et al (2007). Risk Factors for Out of Home Custody Child Care Among Families with Alcohol and Substance Misuse Problems. Acta Pediatrica, 96, 1571-1576.