These results support a functional approach to disability instead of the traditional medical model approach, underlining the role of engagement and environment in determining functioning.

Her research interests focus on understanding the functions of school climate, social-emotional learning, school and classroom management techniques, and cultural factors in promoting and prohibiting the development of resilience among children and adolescents, particularly in programs targeting bullying and school engagement. SCHOOL BELONGING, United States, CHINA, United Kingdom. AbstractThe Psychological Sense of School Membership (PSSM) scale has been used for more than 20 years to measure students' sense of school belonging, yet its psychometric properties have had limited examination with pre-adolescent children. This study investigated the utility and psychometrics of the PSSM in three primary school samples from the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. Exploratory factor analysis revealed good fit for a unidimensional factor structure in the U.S. sample, which was subsequently confirmed in all three samples. Partial invariance across all three samples and full invariance across pairwise samples (United States and United Kingdom; United Kingdom and China) was found. Path analyses revealed significant positive relations of the PSSM total belonging score with gratitude and prosocial behavior, and significant negative relations with symptoms of distress. Future directions and implications are discussed.

This study explores the views and experiences of 12 young people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in transition to post-16 education and employment, in light of the changes introduced by the new special educational needs and disability (SEND) legislation in England. The extension of provision until the age of 25, and the introduction of person-centred education, health and care (EHC) plans, have given a significant place to the views of young people with SEND and their families. The views, wishes and aspirations of young people must be captured in the newly developed plans, reflecting the statutory requirement for local authorities to systematically record these in a biopsychosocial way, focusing on participation and well-being. Twelve semi-structured interviews were conducted with young people with ASD attending specialist settings or receiving specialist support under the new EHC plans. These were analysed inductively, through thematic analysis. The findings suggest that at the time of transition, young people with ASD want to become increasingly more independent, present ambivalent feelings about their future and acknowledge the relevance of support systems in their lives. Implications for practice and future research are discussed, in light of the new English policy context. The voices of young people with ASD in the new SEND framework in EnglandAll young people have the right to express their views and make informed decisions on matters affecting their lives (UN, 1989). Full and effective participationThe voices of young people with ASD 341

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Professionals are in the forefront of implementing the new special educational needs and disability (SEND) framework that was introduced in England in 2014. These reforms are expected to raise challenges and opportunities for the professionals responsible for catering for the needs of children with SEND. However, to date, little systematic evidence exists concerning how different groups of professionals perceive these changes. To address this knowledge gap, the views of 349 professionals were ascertained using a semi-structured online survey. The results revealed that although many professionals agreed in principle with some of the key changes introduced, several constrains were reported including tight timelines, budget cuts, difficulties in the collaboration between education, health and care, which suggest a rather fragmented implementation of the new policy. No significant differences were found between groups of professionals for most questions, except for between educational psychologists and special needs co-ordinators on the extension of the provision age range; how well the children's needs are described in the education, health and care plans, and the professional requirements of this process. The findings are discussed in the light of the implications they have for meeting the needs of children with SEND in the face of the fragmented implementation.