“They’re everybody’s, you know. They’re a big part of our school.” Exploring the impact of the presence of animals on children and young people in special schools.

Brooks, Elizabeth 2022. “They’re everybody’s, you know. They’re a big part of our school.” Exploring the impact of the presence of animals on children and young people in special schools. DEdPsy Thesis, Cardiff University. Item availability restricted.

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Abstract

Paper A provides a detailed literature review, the main focus of which explores the presence of animals in educational settings but also refers to animals in therapeutic and other environments. An in-depth account of the impact animals can have on Children and Young People (CYP) (particularly those with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities) with a focus on social, emotional and behavioural impacts is explored. It also provides information on the theoretical frameworks and the psychology underpinning the rationale behind the presence of animals in school settings. Paper A concludes with an outline of the current research including aims and the research question. Paper B comprises the empirical study. The aim was to explore the views of school staff and parents/carers from two special schools in Wales in relation to the impact of the presence of animals on CYP in the schools. Questionnaires were used to explore the views of school staff and parents/carers and semi-structured interviews were used to further explore the views of school staff. Descriptive statistics, content analysis and reflexive Thematic Analysis (TA) were used to analyse the results. A detailed account of the results is provided and implications for future Educational Psychologist (EP) practice are discussed. Paper C provides a critical appraisal of the researcher’s experience of conducting this research. The review critically explores how the literature informed the current research, provides a clear overview of the research process and how it contributes to knowledge and learning. It also provides information relating to the limitations of the research. Reflecting on the findings, the researcher discusses the implications for future research.

Item Type:	Thesis (DEdPsy)
Date Type:	Completion
Status:	Unpublished
Schools:	Psychology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	30 August 2022
Last Modified:	05 Jan 2024 07:28
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/152222

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