The perceptions of Irish school personnel of critical incident training and critical incident response from school psychological services and other services: an appreciative inquiry

Abstract

Background: The National Educational Psychological Service (NEPS) defines a Critical Incident (CI) as: “any incident or sequence of events which overwhelms the normal coping mechanisms of the school” (Department of Educational and Skills (DES), 2016, p.16). Schools are environments which aim to foster students learning, exploration, and self-development (Sokol et al., 2021). However, the unexpected and uncontrollable nature of CIs can disrupt school-based efforts to establish a predictable and consistent routine and can significantly impact pupils’ learning and perceived sense of safety and security (Greenway, 2005). In Ireland, NEPS play a crucial role in helping schools prepare and respond to CIs. Aims: To date, there has been no empirical examination of the perceived impact of school personnel on the CI response provided by NEPS and other services. This study aimed to explore the perceptions of school personnel on the effectiveness of the CI preparation provided by NEPS and the efficacy of the CI response provided by NEPS and other services following a CI. It was hoped that this piece of research would provide helpful information that might be used to inform the development of a CI response that best meets the needs of schools in Ireland. Sample: The sample included school personnel from primary, post-primary and special schools who received a CI response from NEPS before March 2020. A total of 51 participants completed an online questionnaire which included both quantitative and qualitative questions. Method: The research questions in this study were investigated using a mixed methods approach. A triangulation design: validating quantitative data model to address the research questions. Appreciative Inquiry was employed as a theoretical framework to explore what aspects of NEPS CI response are currently being received well and what the ideal CI response might look like. Results: A total of 51 participants completed an online questionnaire which included both quantitative and qualitative questions from primary, post-primary and special schools who received a CI response from the NEPS before March 2020. Descriptive statistics (e.g., frequencies and percentages) were used to summarise quantitative information generated from the questionnaire and thematic analysis was employed to analyse participant responses to open-ended questions. Key findings emerging from the study included suggestions as to what the ideal CI training from NEPS, the ideal CI response, and the ideal coordinated CI response might look like. It was suggested that the provision of whole-school training would equip a wider body of staff with the skills needed to respond to a CI. The format of in-person CI training could be improved by including increasing opportunities for interaction during training. This study found that the format of NEPS response to CIs could be improved by introducing an out-of-hours support service, increasing the follow-up support provided to schools post-CI, providing additional support to staff as well as students and increasing staffing availability to ensure there are enough NEPS psychologists available to respond to a CI if one occurs. This study found that the ideal coordinated CI response would be one in which there is a streamlined organised response with effective communication amongst each of the services involved along with a clear understanding of respective roles and responsibilities. It was also suggested that it would be helpful if there was adequate staffing availability in other services involved in the CI response to ensure that prompt support is available to those affected in the school community.