"Ask The Child” – involvement of children in learning practices

This is practice article is written by practice researchers and school psychologists from Scotland and Denmark. The article presents us for the GIRFEC program, developed and implemented in Scotland and now also about to be implemented in an area of Copenhagen. GIRFEC (Getting it right for every child) is a model for interdisciplinary meetings and joint action plans concerning children. They are based on that the child’s voice must be involved. It sounds like a simple conclusion that the professionals must involve the child, but unfortunately the pedagogical psychological services involve the childrens’ voice too little and sometimes not. It is a problem if the child and its parents are not supported to impowerment and resilience. There is great risk that the plans made by others in the best of intentions will not materialize or will have a bad outcome if the protagonist (here the child) is not actively participating and motivated. Involving the child’s voice is also easier said than done, because it requires that the entire system around the child is prepared to look at the child as an actor in his or her own life, and as someone who is not only listened to but also actively participate in and take responsibility vs. the action plan as it may help to organize. PPR / school psychologists play an active role in ensuring that the handling of the case from the professionals (school principals, teachers and others) is going appreciative and properly. In Scotland it is written in the law that you have to work for GIRFEC. It requires training to work on the program, and in Copenhagen the interdisciplinary support (PPR) has a major role here after being trained. Theoretically the program is rooted in Vygotsky’s thinking. The article clearly explain this, including value basis.