unique, privileged and enormously powerful position. (Dessent, 1992, p. 43) (1994) work on ecological systems of child development Bronfenbrenner’s highlights four interrelating contexts or systems: Microsystem- the settings in which the child directly interacts (e.g. family, school) at a moment in time. Mesosystem- connections between two or more Microsystems at a particular time or point in life (e.g. links between the school and family Microsystems). Exosystem- The connections with contexts that are external which have direct influence on the development (e.g. parents may become child’s stressed due to their job and this can impact on how they interact with their child) Macrosystems- the socio-cultural context (culture, politics, government). According to Bronfenbrenner (1994) this level influences interactions within the above levels of context. One way of thinking of these systems is like a set of ‘Russian Dolls’ nested within each other (Bronfenbrenner, 1994). The principles of (1994) ecological systems theory highlights how the Bronfenbrenner’s development is influenced by interaction with the contexts child’s child’s such as school and home. work supports the notion of Bronfenbrenner’s adopting a rather than a approach to supporting a ‘systems’ ‘within child’ child with SEBD. Souter (2001) offers Systems Theory as an alternative to the medical model for education staff working with children with SEBD, stating that problems are seen as a within the system and how intervention occurs ‘dysfunction’ within the context of the dysfunction. The notion of circular causality assumes that the problems are not located within the individual (the child with SEBD) but as part of the system. In using this theory, Souter (2001) argues:
unique, privileged and enormously powerful position. (Dessent, 1992, p. 43) Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) work on ecological systems of child development highlights four interrelating contexts or systems: Microsystem- the settings in which the child directly interacts (e.g. family, school) at a moment in time. Mesosystem- connections between two or more Microsystems at a particular time or point in life (e.g. links between the school and family Microsystems). Exosystem- The connections with contexts that are external which have direct influence on the child’s development (e.g. parents may become stressed due to their job and this can impact on how they interact with their child) Macrosystems- the socio-cultural context (culture, politics, government). According to Bronfenbrenner (1994) this level influences interactions within the above levels of context. One way of thinking of these systems is like a set of ‘Russian Dolls’ nested within each other (Bronfenbrenner, 1994). The principles of Bronfenbrenner’s (1994) ecological systems theory highlights how the child’s development is influenced by interaction with the child’s contexts such as school and home. Bronfenbrenner’s work supports the notion of adopting a ‘systems’ rather than a ‘within child’ approach to supporting a child with SEBD. Souter (2001) offers Systems Theory as an alternative to the medical model for education staff working with children with SEBD, stating that problems are seen as a ‘dysfunction’ within the system and how intervention occurs within the context of the dysfunction. The notion of circular causality assumes that the problems are not located within the individual (the child with SEBD) but as part of the system. In using this theory, Souter (2001) argues: