Improved wellbeing through PESS

As noted in Chapter 2, the claimed benefits of taking part in sport and physical activity are well-documented within the related literature (see Collins and Kay, 2003; Bailey, 2005; Schroeder, 2005; Holt, 2008; Sandford et al., 2008a, b; Bailey et al., 2009). For young people within the youth justice system, many of whom have also spent time in care, the provision of sport has long been recognised as having positive effects in increasing children and young people’s self-esteem, reducing anxiety and improving their health (Ministry of Justice (MoJ), 2016). Despite there being counter arguments to suggest that sport should not be considered a panacea for complex social problems (Meek, 2014), the survey responses from this study from the local authority professionals suggested that PESS may indeed be seen in this way by some. More than 90% of the respondents stated that PESS was beneficial for LACYP, with many referring to physical, social and emotional wellbeing, such as encouraging a healthy lifestyle, developing social skills, building confidence and improving self-esteem. This has been previously documented by the SEU (2003) who asserted that educational outcomes are strongly influenced by a child's emotional, mental and physical health and suggested that schooling can increase a child's health by raising self-confidence and self-esteem, and enabling participation in sports and access to health education. However, an interesting concept within the survey and interview responses from local authority professionals was that often the individual factors that were described as possible barriers to LACYP participation and experiences of PESS, were also the same factors that they believed could be gained from PESS, as Heather Roberts, a VSH from Whippinghamshire local authority, explains:

The biggest [development for LACYP] for me is self- esteem and confidence. Whether you’re doing a solo or a team sport, if you feel you’re able to do something and you get enjoyment and pleasure; and it’s also got the heath side kick as well, then you know it’s doing you well. It’s doing a lot of good isn’t it really.

In addition, given the well-documented literature on the perceived benefits of PESS, the local authority professionals were asked if they thought it was important for LACYP to participate in extra-curricular activities, including school sport. All respondents (n=10) agreed that this was important, as exemplified in the interview extract below from a VSH:

John Davis: Yeah absolutely. Our view has always been that a happy child is a progressive child, and in terms of participating in other activities, we also feel that we have seen a direct relation between increase levels of motivation, confidence, self-esteem leading to greater participation in school-based activities … whether it’s schools or other activities. For example, from youth services as well, where they’ve been involved in extra-curricular activities, we have seen a remarked improvement in the level of contribution, participation for those young people as well.

The issues described here (i.e., confidence, self-esteem, participation) are inherent within the individual level of McLeroy et al.’s (1988) social ecological model and are strongly linked to the concept of resilience, as noted previously both within this chapter and in Chapter 2. Attempting to define resilience proves difficult since it is not a straightforward concept (Lambert, 2001; Daniel and Wassell, 2002a) but rather an outcome phenomenon (Goldstein and Brooks, 2013). People may be highly resilient in one aspect of their lives but require much more support in others (Brom et al., 2009; Ginsburg, 2011). The ability to rise above difficulties however, is frequently referred to within literature (Masten et al., 1990; Gilligan, 1997; Masten, 2007; Davies 2011; Ginsburg, 2011). The concept of resilience in relation to disadvantaged children was pioneered by Rutter (1985) and is used to highlight how some young people can succeed in areas such as education despite being initially faced with disadvantage. Daniel (2008) emphasises that a good education and experiences in school, combined with support for friendships and development of skills and interests, is one of the requirements necessary for resilience. It is also well established within the positive youth development literature as one of a number of outcomes that can be achieved through participation in sport (Holt, 2008) and related activities (e.g. Daniel and Wassell, 2002a). The notion of resilience and the importance of extra-curricular involvement was further implicit within the views of other local authority professionals, as a VSH from North East England articulated:

CW: Do you think it’s important then for looked-after children to participate in these activities?

Debbie Howell: Oh definitely. This is why we did the audit34 _all

those years ago and then really pushed it, because we felt that they were missing out on opportunities that could really make a difference to their resilience and sense of self, and friendships and, so, yeah, it’s something we’re always promoting.

This stance has also been reflected in previous policy documentation (see section 3.4.11) whereby factors such as friendships and engagement in positive leisure activities are seen as having the potential to promote health and wider wellbeing (DfES, 2006). However, with regard to PESS, the most recent statutory guidance on promoting the health and wellbeing of LACYP does not mention physical education or indeed physical activity as promoters of wellbeing and physical health (see DfE and DoH, 2015). The importance of LACYP being able to access PESS on account of the perceived associated benefits is reiterated further in the extract below, taken from an interview with Liam McKay, an Education Development Officer for LACYP in the English Midlands:

I think it’s very important because the social interaction is one, but also it’s about development, personal development for children. Because it’s good and well the government rhetoric highlighting that they’re not up to speed with their peers or like on par with their peers [in terms of academic attainment], but these children I think sometimes people do kind of need to minimize the impact of trauma, bereavement, loss. And how they get around this, it’s not always engagement in education, it’s about getting the holistic bond of activities, but to teach those skills and also areas of weakness.

Liam noted that it is not necessarily about pursuing academic engagement per se, when looking to support LACYP to achieve personal developments. Rather Liam suggested that engagement in wider activities should be considered central in addressing the social and emotional difficulties associated with being looked-after. This has previously been

34 _{Debbie spoke of gathering information on LACYP’s participation in activities, in the form of}

recognised in a report by APPG (2012, p.10) where it was suggested that “to improve educational outcomes you have to also tackle the principle causes holding each child back, including instability, poor mental health and a lack of wider support”. In addition, The National Institute for Health Care Excellence (NICE) and Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) (2010) recommend that social workers and independent reviewing officers ensure access to creative arts, physical activities, and other hobbies and interests to support and encourage the overall wellbeing and self-esteem of LACYP (see section 3.4.18). This relates to research that has recognised participation in extra-curricular activities supports a general sense of psychological wellbeing (Darling, 2005) and connections between ongoing involvement in extracurricular activities and pro-social behaviours (Zaff et al., 2003). There was further evidence in this study of developing pro- social behaviours within the data from PE teachers, as the extract from Mark Jones’ interview demonstrates:

CW: What do you think looked-after children and young people can gain from taking part in PESS?

Mark: Well just looking at this group we have, it’s increasing confidence, social skills and made to feel part of a group and a team. And success, they’ve been successful and overcome some challenges and things, just the whole kind of spiel that you get from being involved in sport really … If we can try and make them understand that taking part actively, being successful, trying their hardest are all good qualities to have in life really.

Due to their role in teaching the subject of PE, evidence of such benefits were in abundance within the PE teacher data, with all survey respondents (n=16) stating the advantages of LACYP’s participation in PESS. Examples included: health benefits; social and emotional benefits; confidence; communication skills; social skills; team work experience; a way to express themselves; develop confidence; increase self-esteem; escape from issues they may have within their home life; and a sense of belonging. However, the consensus was that these benefits were the same for all children and not any more beneficial for LACYP, with PE teachers using phrases in their responses, such as “just like

any other child, “as with all children”, and “all children receive the same benefits from taking part in sport”. An interview with Head of PE, David Andrews, illustrated this point in more detail:

CW: So what do feel that LACYP can gain from taking part in PE?

David: Confidence, self-efficacy massively. Leadership qualities. The ability to challenge themselves, massive amount of challenge, the need to achieve is there. It can remove the fear of failure, a release, a stress release. It’s endless, and again I know we’re talking specifically about looked-after children, but it’s not specific to them, it’s to all children and this is why I feel PE must become higher on the Ofsted agenda … I can think of looked-after children that excel in extra-curricular and physical activity, in motivation, in confidence, much better in PE than other students. But then I can think of, well as I said some don’t even come to PE, so it really depends on the individual.

The notion that the associated benefits of participating in PESS are not limited to LACYP is an interesting finding from the PE teacher respondents, since it implies that whilst PESS may improve social and emotional aspects of LACYP’s wellbeing, such improvements are not perceived to be any more beneficial than for children or young people who are not looked-after. This is despite findings noted above (section 6.1) highlighting a significant lack of social and emotional development for many LACYP. Within the previous extract from David’s interview, he noted the variations of LACYP’s engagement with PE. Absconding and disengaging from PE is a finding that is explored later. Within his comments, however, David also argues that although PESS is important for those disengaged from education, physical activity and sport outside of the school environment can be just as beneficial for improving LACYP wellbeing:

[PE is] as important as any maths or English exam, a priority … [because] it’s the only subject in school that

keeps kids living longer. It keeps kids living into adult life, it’s the only subject in school that provides lifelong learners that encourages healthy, happy lifestyles, a good wellbeing … The more [extra-curricular] activities these students can do, the greater their wellbeing. I’m not saying that it has to be in school, but school’s one of the easiest areas for them to access extra-curricular. They say, “Oh I hate my school, I hate my teachers, I hate everything about it”, that’s fair enough, as long as they’re going down to their local football club, if they’re happy there that’s not a problem. It’s about levels of activity, and the more we can get children doing the healthier, the better the level of their wellbeing.

During this interview, David highlighted that alongside disengagement from PE, LACYP may fail to engage with schooling more generally which has the potential to impact their engagement with PESS, a finding that will be explored in the subsequent chapter. David also raises further questions concerning participation in physical activities away from school, deeming them harder to access but just as important for wellbeing. He argues that LACYP may gain a greater measure of improved wellbeing in sport and physical activity outside of the school context, since they do not associate it with negative experiences at school. Similar findings were demonstrated by Hollingworth (2012) who noted that sport/physical activity can be integral to enhancing emotional, mental and physical health for LACYP. In addition, Bailey et al., (2009) argue that participating in extra-curricular physical activities within and beyond the educational context can positively affect cognitive, affective and social developments. Being given opportunities to participate in community activities has also previously been recognised by LACYP themselves as an important way of developing social skills, confidence and self-esteem (Selwyn, 2015a).

To summarise, the adult respondents within this study considered PESS to be a platform via which LACYP may positively develop self-esteem, confidence and other wellbeing traits. The data highlighted, however, that this is unlikely without an engagement with PESS in the first place. Significantly, this finding was inconsistent with almost all the LACYP respondents, who did not indicate any improvements regarding their wellbeing from PESS, due perhaps to the evident lack of participation and negligible value given to the role of PESS within their lives (explored further in the next chapter). A significant

finding in this respect, was the behaviour, attitude and mind set of LACYP respondents toward PESS and their education more generally, a topic to which we now turn.