Supporting young people at risk of school exclusion through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and allied models: A new service model and case study example

• Published in: Educational and child psychology Vol. 42; no. 1; pp. 94 - 106
• Main Authors: Cogan, Owen, Gillard, Duncan, Anderson, Ben, Hopkins, Sophie, Hulson-Jones, Amy, Hughes, Carl
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.03.2025
• ISSN: 0267-1611; 2396-8702
• DOI: 10.53841/bpsecp.2025.42.1.94

Recent UK Government figures show that permanent exclusions and suspensions in England are increasing. Children with special educational needs (SEN), especially those with a primary need in the area of Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH), are particularly vulnerable in this regard . Given the clear links between school exclusions and a wide range of negative life-outcomes – such as increased vulnerability to criminality and prison sentences – the need to find creative and innovative ways of reducing exclusions and suspensions is a clear and present priority. This paper presents a new, outcomes-based Educational Psychology (EP) service delivery model for children, families and schools, rooted in Acceptance & Commitment Therapy and related models derived from the world of Contextual Behavioural Science (CBS). The paper also presents a case study example, including intervention outcomes and processes, to illustrate how this new service delivery model takes a whole-child, contextual, person-centred and evidence-informed approach, to help create the conditions for a young person to thrive and be more fully included within mainstream education.