Professor Judy Hutchings, School of Psychology, Bangor University

Professor Judy Hutchings, School of Psychology, Bangor University

Title: The Lottery Funded Incredible Years Small Group Dina Trial

Abstract: This presentation describes a three-year funded randomised controlled trial. Primary schools in Gwynedd, Powys and Anglesey are participating in the trial in which teachers and classroom support staff deliver the IY Therapeutic Dina programme to small groups of targeted Key Stage One children. We have completed Phase 1 with nine schools and collected baseline data from fourteen schools in Phase 2. Measures include teacher and parent report of child behaviour and the coding of observations of child behaviours in the classroom and in peer interactions.

The research builds on the Gwynedd Education service project, started in 2002, in which teachers are trained in the IY Teacher Classroom Management principles and the Classroom Dina curriculum. Over a period of seven years the TCM and linked Classroom Dina School social and emotional curriculum were introduced to all schools across Gwynedd.

The presentation describes the current situation regarding this research project and lessons learned from this wide-scale dissemination trial are discussed.

The presentation also reports briefly on future plans and our early steps in exploring other evidence based programmes, including the Finnish KiVa Anti-bullying programme for which training is being provided in Bangor and Cardiff in May. We have plans to research KiVa in Wales and also have funding to develop and evaluate web-based support for parents of preschool children to enable them to promote their children’s school readiness.

Professor Judy Hutchings has worked in North Wales since 1973, for many years as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist, working with children with significant behavioural difficulties. Since her retirement from the NHS in 2010 she retains an honorary NHS contract. She is Co-Director of the Centre for Evidence Based Early Intervention (CEBEI) research team at Bangor University where she has worked part time since 1988. CEBEI was launched by the then Deputy Minister for Children, Huw Lewis of the Welsh Assembly Government at our 2011 conference, building on the earlier work of the Incredible Years Wales Centre. Judy undertakes research with referred children and their families and early preventive work with parents, children and teachers. She has held grants totalling over £1.5 million, has published extensively and, since 2006, has worked with the Welsh Government providing training and consultation to services across Wales. She has provided evidence on effective early intervention to government departments in England and Wales and been an expert witness to the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in their determination on conduct disorder. She has lectured and taught internationally including in Finland, Denmark, Ireland, Australia, Poland and Portugal. In 1999 she was awarded Fellowship of the BPS, in 2004 she was Welsh Woman Educator of the year and in 2010 received the Institute for Welsh Affairs

Inspire Wales Educator Award. In June 2011 she was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours list for services to children and families.