Experiences of paraprofessionals working with children with challenging behaviours

Abstract

Inclusive schools support a diverse group of students, each of whom has different needs. Accordingly, all staff must have the skills needed for the school to meet its responsibilities. Paraprofessionals play an important role in inclusive education, given that they often attend to children with more intensive support needs. Although they are often responsible for supporting children with social, emotional, and behavioural challenges, previous studies indicate that paraprofessionals lack professional guidance and training. Research indicates that behavioural concerns are common in Icelandic schools, as teachers and paraprofessionals report encountering challenging student behaviours daily. Furthermore, teachers in Iceland have also expressed having limited self-efficacy about preventing and addressing student behavioural concerns, and a majority of teachers and school administrators have needed more training related to inclusive school practices.

This qualitative study aimed to examine paraprofessional experiences working with children with challenging behaviours and their work-related well-being from a phenomenological perspective. The paraprofessionals’ roles, responsibilities, experiences, and feelings in these situations were investigated. We asked them how much training they received and whether and how it helped them prevent or address behavioural challenges. Additionally, we examined the paraprofessionals’ responses to challenging behaviour and their relationships with students and school staff.

Six paraprofessionals participated in the study, all of whom had experience working with students with challenging behaviours. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants, and data were analysed using thematic analysis. The themes we developed were: 1) children’s distress causes challenging behaviour, 2) calm and positive communication works best to meet children’s needs, 3) paraprofessionals are made responsible for classroom and behaviour management while lacking support, and 4) the importance of preparation and professional training.

Results of the current study revealed that all participants had experienced challenging student behaviours. Most participants dealt with daily challenging behaviour and reported disobedience, disruption, and aggression as the most common. They were often given greater responsibility for preventing or addressing student misbehaviour than teachers or social educators. Yet, they also reported experiencing inequality and disrespect from coworkers with more education, which negatively affected their well-being.

Participants all reported believing that a children’s challenging behaviour was a manifestation of distress, caused by environmental demands or aversive approaches by other school staff. The participants found it important to respond calmly and reported doing their best to maintain positive relationships and good communication with children to build their trust. Previous experiences, role models from work, and their own upbringing shaped their approach to children exhibiting challenging behaviours. Participants also mentioned that using an authoritarian approach, scolding, and staff emotional agitation negatively affected children, who, in turn, became more upset.

Moreover, participants noted how effective in-service training for all school staff about children’s behaviours, their needs, and useful support strategies was mostly lacking. Although some participants reported high work-related well-being, they agreed that the job was demanding and, at times, stressful. In difficult situations, they experienced discomfort, and sometimes difficult emotions emerged afterwards, even at home, including fatigue, helplessness, anxiety, and fear. The participants reported that their job environments, such as the availability of professional guidance, communication and collaboration with co-workers, and a dearth of in-service training opportunities, affected their work-related well-being.

The present findings illustrate the immense responsibility paraprofessionals in Icelandic schools shoulder, often without access to critical resources. This is unacceptable. We contend that relying extensively on paraprofessionals to support children with the greatest social, emotional, and behavioural needs, especially without adequate guidance and supervision, goes against best practice recommendations for child and youth development and is ethically questionable. Hence, the findings highlight the importance of ensuring all school staff, including but not limited to, paraprofessionals, receive sufficient pre-service and ongoing in-service training to meet children’s needs effectively. As part of school service reform measures underway in Iceland, school authorities are urged to prioritise resolving these issues to protect the interests and future prospects of children and youth.