Overarching theme 4: How do we manage the role?

This theme encompasses the TA’s attempts to manage the role effectively despite a clearly identified lack of formal training opportunities. TAs rely upon their personal strengths and skills, and take a pragmatic approach, “having a go” and learning from their experiences.

Figure 5: Themes and subthemes within overarching theme 4

4.2.4.1. Theme 4.1: We have particular personal skills

The TA supporting a child with complex needs appeared to require, or benefit from, particular personal skills.

4.2.4.1.1. Subtheme 4.1(a): We are flexible and adaptable

TAs have a wide-ranging role within a challenging context. It is important that they are able to engage in “Thinking outside the box” (TA6). TA2 asserts that: “being flexible” is crucial. This is further exemplified by TA6: “she read it - and went ‘I’m not doing that’ and put it away so I thought ‘okay’… I thought ‘oh, we’ll go down that path some other time’.”

4.2.4.1.2. Subtheme 4.1(b): We are patient

A specific personal quality identified on a number of occasions was patience. With TA5 indicating this as a key quality “You need patience”, with

agreement from TA1: “Yes patience”.

4.2.4.1.3. Subtheme 4.1(c): We listen

“Being a good listener” (TA5) was identified as central, in relation to both the child, and the adults, including parents and teachers. It was seen as key to gaining a clear understanding of the issues that might be impacting upon the child’s ability to manage within the school context.

4.2.4.2. Theme 4.2: We pick it up as we go, using a trial and error approach

TA2 explained that she had not: “had any reading or training or anything so it was being thrown in the deep end actually”, and this sentiment was very much echoed by others. Because of this, TAs seemed to pick up the skills as they went along, as exemplified by TA1: I suppose everything, everything essentially that we know about these children has been picked up by observing them and working with them”. TAs were in agreement with TA4 who summarised; “I needed a lot more support and training than probably I did have.”

TAs described the way in which they came to solutions taking a trial and error approach: TA7: “I bought the book that they recommended so now we can have a look at that book and see what might work, … and it if doesn't work you can just move on to the next thing”. TA6 concurred, although it did not feel like a comfortable approach: “all that we did was …always very much based on trial and error - that sounds awful.”

Using one’s initiative in order to find solutions was clearly important. Within the context of getting tasks done, TA1 and 2 explained:

TA2: “And all of a sudden you've got to find a solution” .TA1: “And more often than not you figure it out because it’s …” TA2: “Yes”. TA1: “Whether it’s

something to solve the problem, you don't ignore the problem, but you side- step the problem”.

TA3 provided an example which focused upon the way in which she had considered the impact of sensory issues upon literacy development:

“We worked out that one little boy couldn't write with his shoes on, so we had to take his shoes off, because … if you think about it now, you can feel your shoes, yes?” TA7: “We had a boy who was distracted by his eyebrows, having said that…”.All: laughter, TA3: “You can’t shave his eyebrows off!” As can be seen, a robust sense of humour went hand in hand with the role. 4.2.4.3. Theme 4.3: There are some training opportunities

TAs are clearly concerned to carry out their roles effectively, and yet the knowledge and skills base this relies upon is often ad hoc and unsustained. A range of opportunities for developing skills were discussed.

4.2.4.5.1. Subtheme 4.3(a) Advice from outside agencies

Some TAs had been able to access specialist advice from outside

professionals such as EPs or outreach staff from the ASD specialist school. This could variously be seen as helpful: “They’ve got specialist knowledge … that can feed into your plan,” (TA2), or as being at odds with pre-existing advice: “You can use people from outside as well - and they tell you a different thing” (TA3).

In addition to receiving explicit advice, TAs had found that watching others, including both TAs and teachers, could be a helpful way to develop their repertoire of skills exemplified by the exchange: TA3: “A lot of it is actually watching them.” TA2: “Observing” ?: “Yes.” ?: “Observing them.” TA6:

“Watching them so, not just actually working with them but watching them so that you are seeing what they are doing.” In this way TAs were able to

assess the needs of the pupil across a range of situations and gain a helpful holistic picture, one which was perhaps missing for the teacher who did not have such regular opportunities. Despite this, TA7 noted: “Our class teacher though…she picks up on a lot of things and we bounce a lot of ideas off each other”, demonstrating joint problem-solving which seemed helpful in guiding the TA in her work with the pupil.

4.2.4.5.3. Subtheme 4.3(c): We have training

For some staff, any sort of guidance would have been a bonus, with TA1 expressing: “Just anything…what I didn't, still haven't had is any training working with children like her before, so … I mean just anything at the time that could have…whether that be books, courses, anything”. TA4 had received books to read over the summer prior to supporting a child,

commenting: “it wasn't ideal but at least it was awareness, something to help me get into his head, into the way he was thinking and seeing things.”

TA7 and TA5 had been able to attend specific training courses which were clearly found to be beneficial, with TA7 noting: “I went to XX (specialist ASD school) …. on a sensory course which was really really helpful actually and you can spot all the things that they’ve spoken about”, and TA5 expressing: “ I’ve been lucky enough to go on the trainings that I’ve wanted to go on … When I have been on a course they've been very beneficial”.

A clear and substantial thread running throughout the focus group interview was the high emotional demand placed upon the TAs. TA2 shared her sentiments with the group: “We weren't really being fully honest in how the job was making us feel, and I remember really clearly that we both reached a sort of crisis point with it” , leading to discussion of the ways in which these could be managed. TA2 suggested: “Don’t take it too personally”, with TA5 agreeing: “They don't mean it - it’s just how they're feeling at the time”. TA6 noted that you “Feel conflicted”, with TA5, in agreement with TA3,

maintaining: “You need a break sometimes”. TA5 continued: “They need to learn to listen to the other adults”, which reinforced the view that the TA often felt alone with the responsibility of working with the pupil with ASD.