children succeed when they return to school. These include school psychologists and counsellors who are on hand to help students with behavioural problems. THE public school system is making a concerted effort to ensure that each child succeeds. And in order to a make that dream a reality, Government employs a task force of teachers and specialists to guide the students.

School psychologists and counsellors are a vital part of the support system which is created for students.

Working along with a wide variety of teachers and Government professionals, school psychologists use their range of skills and knowledge to recommend intervention methods for students in various areas.

"School psychologists assist children with academic, socio-emotional, or behavioural problems,'' Dr. Jackie Outerbridge said.

If after several meetings with parents and teachers there are still problems with the child, a psycho-educational assessment which evaluates a child's abilities is given.

The assessment looks at aspects such as cognitive, achievement, and socio-emotional functioning.

ASED on the evaluation the school psychologist may recommend that a child be monitored, given short term counselling, or maybe even physical therapy.

The school psychologist also holds workshops for teachers informing them about different areas such as learning difficulties, child development, and self-esteem.

They also have a liaison with the Department of Family Services and Child and Adolescent Services for consultation and referrals.

School counsellors work closely with school psychologists to help resolve issues that have an adverse effect on students.

"The counsellor is very important because if a student has a problem, it is the counsellor who is called first to assist them,'' Dr. Outerbridge said.

Depending on the issue, a counsellor may choose to have individual counselling or group counselling. Counsellors also address students in classrooms to help provide students with skills to make good decisions about behaviour and academic issues.

However, although the counsellors are the first line of defence, there are some children who need more assistance.

GOVERNMENT behavioural specialist Judith Bartley said for those children who are having an especially hard time controlling their behaviour there is a programme to help them learn behaviour management.

During the past school year more than 300 students benefited from the programme.

"Children who have problems with their behaviour often have academic problems as the behaviour interferes with the learning process,'' Dr. Bartley said.

"We often have to work on the behaviour before we can emphasise the academic.

But we also try to work on both at the same time if it is possible.'' She explained that students were given intense one-on-one attention until they could function without the support of an educational therapist. "Children who have behaviour disabilities will often have to deal with it their whole lives,'' she explained. "We teach them mechanisms to help them to cope.

Sometimes they may learn to cope so well that the disability seems to have disappeared.'' Dr. Bartley said although every effort is made to keep a child who has difficulty managing his/her behaviour in the classroom, sometimes it is necessary to remove a child from school.

ONE of the schemes set up for such children is CADET (Centre for Adolescent Development, Education and Training), the alternative school at the Warwick Camp.

The programme, which is presently helping six students, has a capacity for 21 pupils.

"Each student stays there for a minimum of 12 weeks during which they move through a four-level system,'' Dr. Bartley explained. "The levels are based on a point system and when they have enough points they move on to the next level.'' Each day students are rated on their behaviour, task force, and their ability to complete assignments. Once they have successfully completed the programme, they are allowed to return to regular schools. But some children are unable to fit in and simple school work or recreation poses a major challenge.

Presently there are seven occupational therapists, three physical therapists, one physical therapist assistant, and two adaptive physical education teachers.

These professionals assist children who are experiencing motor difficulties.

Karen Simons Williams, who heads the motor team, said children were referred to the team by teachers, parents, doctors, and the Child Development Project.

Currently there are about 127 children who are assisted by occupational therapists, 51 children who are assisted by physical therapists, and 48 children who are helped by adaptive physical education teachers.

"These figures will change once the Primary One students are screened as some of those children may need assistance,'' Mrs. Simons Williams said.

Therapy exercises are built into the school day and the therapist even goes into the classroom.

IF the child does need to be taken out of the classroom a time is arranged which will least impact the child's education.

The adaptive physical education teacher works with the physical education teacher to find a way to fit a child with motor difficulties into the lesson.

"The adaptive physical education teacher co-teaches in the regular gym class to allow the child to be integrated into the class,'' Mrs. Simons Williams said. "If the child cannot catch a ball, or cannot kick, then the teacher tries to find another way to help the child fit in.

"All the people on the motor team are there to enhance the education situation of the child and to help them cope with the school environment.'' Mrs. Simons Williams said a lot of progress had been made over the past few years.

"Many children in regular schools who had motor problems were not referred because people did not know the signs,'' she explained. "A child who often tripped and fell may have been labelled clumsy when in fact he or she may have had problems with their nervous system.'' She explained that teachers are now identifying children's problems earlier than had been done in the past.

"Children are now helped to get back on track, as the therapist works on the things that impact the child's educational well-being,'' Mrs. Simons Williams added.