Abstract
D.Ed. (Psychology of Education)
Behavioural Emotional and Social Difficulties (BESD) is a significant impediment in
the effective learning in secondary schools in England. Legislation includes BESD.
within the range of Special Education Needs (SEN). In-schooJLearning Support
Units (LSUs) and off-site Pupil Referral Units (PRUs) aim to address BESD through
short-term learning programmes, followed by the mandatory, often failed,
reintegration of learners into mainstream education. The research focused on the
reintegration experiences of these learners in the London Borough of Waltham
Forest. A qualitative research approach in two phases through a generic
phenomenological enquiry within an interpretivist-constructivist paradigm was
pursued. Data collection included participant writing activities; analysis of documents
and records; a qualitative parent questionnaire; participant interviews; teacher
participant feedback and professionals' interviews. A purposive sample of 13
reintegrated learners with BESD (aged 11 - 14 years) from four secondary schools
was used. The findings indicated that learners experienced incongruity between
promotive and risk factors within the themes of emotional experiences, relationships
and the reintegration process. The contribution of this new understanding to existing
knowledge win support practitioners, teachers and education policy makers to adjust
their reintegration practices in order to support the sustained .improvement of
inclusive education provision to learners with BESD. A new perspective theoretical
through the amalgamation of Bioecological Theory and Resilience Theory
contributed to Positive Psychology and supported our understanding of the learners'
reintegration experiences. From this a resilience-based reintegration programme to
provide practitioners and policy makers with a tri-strand programme to develop
emotional competence, facilitate skills in promotive relationships and a reintegration
route, was developed. The RRP has potential on a wider field as it can be adjusted
to be included in the policies that guide practitioners in the way they provide support
to enhance inclusive education in similar situations internationally.