Social, Behavioural and Emotional Wellbeing (SBEW) in Primary Schools- What is the impact of interventions being provided by Local Impact Teams/Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS)?

Summary

Collaborative Doctoral Partnership with Education Authority Northern Ireland (EA)

Local Impact Team staff from Primary Education Otherwise Than At School (EOTAS) offer specialist support for children with social, behavioural and emotional wellbeing (SBEW) needs.  The support provided reflects the continuum of need, therefore the majority of children are supported within their mainstream Primary School setting. For those who require additional support, part-time placement within an EOTAS centre can be provided.

There are currently seven Primary EOTAS centres supporting mainstream primary school-aged children in Northern Ireland. The provision of EOTAS and alternative education has been under-researched to date (Bryson, 2010; Duffy et al, 2024) and there have been no research studies conducted on the provision at primary school level.

This project aims to research and document the model and interventions currently implemented to support the SBEW needs of primary school aged children in Northern Ireland. In particular, the research will consider the impact of the model and interventions on children's holistic wellbeing, the fulfilment of their rights and the improvement in their educational outcomes.

The focus of the research will therefore be to consider the SBEW intervention and EOTAS model ecologically (Bronfenbrenner, 1979; Ungar, 2019) with the impact at the level of child, family, teacher, school and woder community in the context of current government policy and strategy.

While the project will entail a scoping of EOTAS provision and modelling at Northern Ireland regional level, it will also have a particular focus on the North West through detailed in-depth case studies of provision within the Derry City Local Impact Team and Strabane District Council area.

The Education Authority will provide  support for the successful researcher by offering strategic oversight, signposting relevant policies and information sources and  liaising with stakeholders  to assist with interviews and focus groups relevant to the research.

To apply for this opportunity, a detailed research proposal and articulate personal statement are required. Please note that we will only accept one application per applicant. Multiple applications will not be considered.

We particularly welcome applicants with professional Knowledge and experience of Social, Behavioural and Emotional Wellbeing (SBEW) support in an Education context.

Postgraduate Research Applications

The information provided, during the application process, should be complete and accurate, and should not contain false or misleading information.

If information is copied from elsewhere or someone else has written the application, this could be considered fraud. This includes the use of GenAI tools such as ChatGPT.

Applications may be rejected if there is a belief that information is false or misleading, including being generated by AI tools.

AI tools can however be used in ethical and appropriate ways, during the application process, to generate ideas and inspiration or to help with the development of a research proposal or personal statement.  The use of any GenAI tools should be clearly acknowledged.

AccessNI clearance required

Please note, the successful candidate will be required to obtain AccessNI clearance prior to registration due to the nature of the project.

Essential criteria

Applicants should hold, or expect to obtain, a First or Upper Second Class Honours Degree in a subject relevant to the proposed area of study.

We may also consider applications from those who hold equivalent qualifications, for example, a Lower Second Class Honours Degree plus a Master’s Degree with Distinction.

In exceptional circumstances, the University may consider a portfolio of evidence from applicants who have appropriate professional experience which is equivalent to the learning outcomes of an Honours degree in lieu of academic qualifications.

• Applicants should hold, or expect to hold a relevant Masters Degree at a level equivalent to commendation or distinction at Ulster
• Sound understanding of subject area as evidenced by a comprehensive research proposal detailing background, research questions, aims and methodology
• A comprehensive and articulate personal statement demonstrating interest in the subject area
• Research proposal of no more than 2000 words detailing aims, objectives, milestones and methodology of the project

Desirable Criteria

If the University receives a large number of applicants for the project, the following desirable criteria may be applied to shortlist applicants for interview.

• Practice-based research experience and/or dissemination
• Experience or knowledge of research methods or other approaches relevant to the subject domain
• Work experience relevant to the proposed project

Equal Opportunities

The University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants from all sections of the community, particularly from those with disabilities.

Appointment will be made on merit.

Funding and eligibility

This project is funded by:

• Department for the Economy (DfE)
• Vice Chancellor's Research Scholarship (VCRS)

PhD Scholarships are available for this project and will cover:

• Tuition fees.
• A maintenance allowance of approximately £22,000 (exact rate is to be confirmed) per annum for three years, subject to satisfactory academic performance.
• A Research Training Support Grant (RTSG) of approximately £900 per annum.

To be eligible for these scholarships applicants must: be a UK or Irish national; or have pre-settled or settled status; or have indefinite leave to remain or enter.

Applicants should also meet the residency criteria which requires that they have lived in the EEA, Switzerland, the UK or Gibraltar for at least the three years preceding the start date of the research degree programme i.e. September 2027.

Applicants who already hold a doctoral degree or who have been registered on a programme of research leading to the award of a doctoral degree on a full-time basis for more than one year, or part-time equivalent, funded from any source, including self-financing students, are NOT eligible to apply for an award.

Students in full-time employment are not eligible for an award.

Due consideration should be given to financing your studies.

Part-time PhD scholarships may be available at a 0.5 pro rata rate of the full-time scholarship, which would require a six-year registration period.

The University will award a successful candidate one of the following scholarships for the project, depending on the funding available at the time an admissions offer is made:

1. Department for the Economy (DfE) PhD Scholarships
2. Vice Chancellor’s Research Scholarships (VCRS)

Please note that the Terms and Conditions for scholarships are subject to change for 2027/28.