Parental support with children's learning is considered to be one pathway through which socio‐economic factors influence child competencies. Utilising a national longitudinal sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, this study examined the relationship between home learning and parents’ socio‐economic status and their impact on young children's language/literacy and socio‐emotional competence. The findings consistently showed that, irrespective of socio‐economic status, parents engaged with various learning activities (except reading) roughly equally. The socio‐economic factors examined in this study, i.e., family income and maternal educational qualifications, were found to have a stronger effect on children's language/literacy than on social‐emotional competence. Socio‐economic disadvantage, lack of maternal educational qualifications in particular, remained powerful in influencing competencies in children aged three and at the start of primary school. For children in the first decade of this century in England, these findings have equity implications, especially as the socio‐economic gap in our society widens.

Collaboration is a key aspect in developing effective educational provision for pupils with special educational needs. In this study, collaboration is conceptualized as a dynamic system for educational efforts which endorses collegial, interdependent and co-equal styles of interaction between teachers and speech and language therapists (SLTs). Twenty-ve teachers and seventeen SLTs were asked to complete a questionnaire and participate in group discussions to provide information about their perception of collaboration with their colleagues at a school that caters for children with language and communication dif culties. Across qualitative and quantitative analyses, results consistently suggested that most teachers and SLTs see time commitment = constraints and rigid organizational structures as being the hindering factors in their collaborative workings with others. On the other hand, willingness to make professional changes and learn from each other, individual contribution and shared beliefs and values are seen as supportive factors. Teachers and SLTs see collaboration as a distinct, formal activity that can only occur within a prespeci ed time and space allocated to it, encouraging individuals to engage in prescribed activities while they remain within their own professional boundaries. Implications for policy and practice are discussed and issues for future research are raised.

Internationally, the number of students with disabilities entering higher education institutions is on the rise. Research estimates that 8% to 10% of students attending higher education are registered with disability, with learning difficulties being the most commonly reported disability. Widening participation in higher education has been supported by legislative changes, inclusive education practices, the use of ICT and accessible facilities and programs and, ultimately, an increasing belief among students with disabilities that higher education maximizes their opportunities for employment and independent living. Within the Cypriot context, research on disability, access and provision in higher education is limited. This study was a part of a large-scale study (PERSEAS) funded by the EU. From the original sample, fifteen students attending private higher education institutions in Cyprus reported disability (i.e., sensory impairment, dyslexia, physical disabilities) and were selected for focus group discussions. Also, interviews and focus groups were conducted with the Headmasters and teachers respectively in ten private higher education institutions. This study yielded interesting results regarding the current state of provision (e.g., concessions for exams and assignments, infrastructure, teaching modification, counseling services) as well as issues of social inclusion, equality of opportunity and entitlement to education.

Using a UK representative sample from the Millennium Cohort Study, the present study examined the unique and cumulative contribution of children's characteristics and attitudes to school, home learning environment and family's socio‐economic background to children's language and literacy at the end of Key Stage 1 (age seven‐years‐old). Consistently with previous studies, the findings showed that family's socio‐economic background made a substantive contribution to teacher‐rated language and literacy. Moreover, children's characteristics and attitudes to school as well as certain aspects of the home learning environment explained a significant amount of variance in language and literacy. Homework support and book reading, however, were not found to associate with children's language and literacy outcomes, despite a high percentage of parents being involved with home learning support routinely. These findings are likely to contribute to debates regarding the role of home learning in reducing underachievement, drawing important implications for family policy.

The ability of young children to manage their emotions and behaviours is an important prerequisite for social adjustment and school readiness. With an increase in early-onset behavioural difficulties in children, understanding changes in child behaviour during the preschool years and the factors that influence it is a priority for policy and practice. Despite much evidence on the association between language and behavioural difficulties in children, few studies have examined longitudinally language and problem / prosocial behaviour in early years.Using a UK community-based sample, this study examined the association between language, gender and behavioural, social and emotional difficulties and prosocial behaviour during the toddler years and at school entry. The findings showed a moderate decline in behavioural and social difficulties during preschool, and stability in emotional difficulties. Moderate associations were found between vocabulary and problem behaviour but not prosocial behaviour, with literacy-based language emerging as a substantive predictor of teacher-rated behaviour. These findings have important implications for early years provision.Keywords: prosocial behaviour, language, behavioural difficulties, early years 2 Children's language and behavioural, social and emotional difficulties and prosocial behaviour during the toddler years and at school entry

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This study examined young people"s decision making on issues that affect their life, i.e., bullying, across different contexts (eg, family, peer, school) and involvement in evaluating the availability and effectiveness of services for young carers, young people with disabilities and their families. Key aims of this study were to offer young people a platform to evaluate existing services and make recommendations towards their improvement and to discuss ways of tackling bullying at school. Focus groups were formed with 54 young people who had experienced challenges due to bullying, learning difficulties / disabilities, and caring responsibilities for family members with disabling conditions, and discussions about services and decision making on issues that affect their life were facilitated. The findings point to a sense of agency in young people"s life with regard to evaluating and negotiating services and offering suggestions for their improvement within their family and peers. However, in their view, their decisions regarding bullying exerted limited influence within the school context. These results raised interesting issues about young people"s capacity to evaluate services and the contextual influences on their involvement in decision making.

The nature of parental participation in children's education changes rapidly. Growing research points to the large positive effect that parental involvement has on the outcomes of schooling and children's well-being. Based on the results from a case study, this paper examined practices of parental participation in terms of parents working together with a range of professionals, exchanging knowledge and information regarding their child's special educational needs, challenging practices and negotiating Special Educational Needs (SEN) provision. The parents in this study exercised agency, i.e., showing resilience and taking initiative, within a context of shared responsibility and accountability and advocated for their child's right to educational provision. This paper argues for a strengths-based approach towards enabling active parental participation and advocacy.