Setting Up and Running a Peer Listening Scheme

Linda Evans, Educational Consultant

I think this book will be welcomed in schools and other settings (PRU; Pregnant school girl units; exclusion centres etc.) The proposal is down to earth, written by a practitioner for practitioners, straightforward and well considered. Schools are constantly looking for ways to support ‘troubled’ pupils - particularly now that LA resources are very limited and delegated funding only goes so far. Even when schools have access to a trained counsellor, there is always a very long waiting list. What can you do with children who need something NOW? This book offers a very practical, achievable, tried and tested way forward. Validation would be an asset – perhaps the Children’s Society – who part funded the original work, or the NCB. I don’t know of any books that offer a detailed training programme – ‘how to do it’. This would be the book’s USP. The pupil voice is also an important issue – how to give pupils opportunities to discuss their problems and concerns, but also how to involve young people in making a positive contribution. This book contributes to both areas. In my opinion, this is a very strong proposal.

Rita Cheminais, SEN & Inclusion Adviser

Providing the book is very practical, I think there is a need for such a resource. The main audience is all those mentioned, but it needs to be widened to include other members of children’s workforce, outside school who may work directly with peers inside and outside school/children’s centre, e.g. social workers, EWO’s, EP’s, CAMHS workers, school nurse, youth workers. Strengths of the book are that it: empowers pupils to take responsibility for others (citizenship); supports DfES SEN Strategy priorities, e.g. Inclusion, Participation and Personalisation. It is written by an experienced and practical professional who is able to translate theory into practice in a user-friendly way. I am not aware of other competing books of this practical nature on market, other than those identified by the author, in areas of Restorative justice, peer mediation.