Do you really know me? Providing effective support for young people: The impact of labels, intersectionality and belonging

Abstract

Schools work with large numbers of young people, some of whom appear to have more noticeable needs than others. In a busy environment, it can be easy to notice and respond to those needs, while others may be missed or assumed to be less relevant. This can create situations where there are some young people that schools should be very concerned about and are not, or alternatively, schools may not always be concerned about the ‘real issues’ for particular students. It can also lead to excellent initiatives not working for some students, causing them to struggle because these are not matched to their real needs and are compounding feelings of failure. This article explores the importance of understanding students' individual circumstances and what can happen when some young people choose to not disclose very relevant parts of their lives, despite these impacting on their learning and social behaviour in school. Examples of students' situations within schools demonstrate how teacher investigations led to the design of more successful support strategies and increased inclusive practice.