ABSTRACT
The deployment of teaching assistants to support children who find it difficult to conform to the behavioural expectations of schools has a long history. The rationale for this is that if close personalised support is provided to such children they are less likely (and have less opportunity) to misbehave. This chapter, by Joan Stead and colleagues, investigate the nature of the help provided by additional staff in three Scottish local authorities – two primary, one special and two secondary schools from each. Interviews were carried out with additional staff, teachers, parents/carers, education officers and children themselves. Although some additional staff were given low status in some schools, the study highlighted their important mediating role, particularly the value of their informal communications with parents and children. Additional staff can therefore be seen as offering a distinctive contribution of their own which, the researchers suggest, needs to be officially recognised.
