Editorial

Citation

Warner, G. and Little, M. (2016), "Editorial", Journal of Children's Services, Vol. 11 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCS-01-2016-0003

Editorial

Article Type: Editorial From: Journal of Children's Services, Volume 11, Issue 1.

Georgina Warner and Michael Little

Evidence-based fun?

When one thinks of any services for children it’s likely that extra-curricular activities do not come to mind. Perhaps rightly so, high-end systems such as Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services or Children’s Social Services take precedence; however, the role of extra-curricular activities in child development should not be overlooked. These activities, typically organised by schools and youth organisations, are far-reaching and can include sports, music, arts as well as many other pursuits. Commonality is achieved by the fact that the activities are voluntary. In other words, children choose to take part.

The rationale for encouraging participation in extra-curricular activities today relates closely to the messages portrayed by Roy Parker in “Boys” bands in children’s homes: a fragment of history’ in this edition of the journal – the activities provide a platform for recognising undiscovered aptitudes in children and allow for the cultivation of such skills. The article speaks to the pride and confidence that came with being a member of the brass band.

As a whole, the research area of extra-curricular activities is somewhat limited. There appears to be a heavy reliance on samples from the USA, and much of the data relating to children’s outcomes is cross-sectional rather than longitudinal, resulting in rather circumscribed conclusions about intervention effectiveness. Moreover, although some studies allow for outcomes to be linked to participant characteristics, such as socio-economic status and ethnicity, these are in the minority.

Despite these limitations, the existing evidence does suggest positive outcomes across several domains. For instance, a review of ten years of research found that participation in after-school programmes was associated with a range of positive social-emotional, health and wellness and behavioural outcomes (Little et al., 2008). Sport in particular has been shown to improve children’s outcomes, benefiting their health, social development and academic outcomes (Le Menestrel and Perkins, 2007). Of course, it is also important to consider the other benefits to children, such as the enjoyment that comes from taking part in the activities.

Those studies that do allow for the exploration of participant characteristics tend to suggest both a gendered pattern of participation and a socio-economic gradient. Boys tend to become more involved in team sports, and girls more so in arts-related activities. Overall participation is lower for minority ethnic and poorer children. There are at least two possible explanations for the latter. First, many extra-curricular activities have associated costs that might prevent participation by children from poorer families. Second, differences in family values might affect the type of activities children are encouraged to pursue. Both explanations suggest parental influence on the take-up of extra-curricular activities; however, as children grow up and individual agency develops it is likely that parents have less of an impact on extra-curricular choices.

The probable financial barriers to accessing extra-curricular activities seem paradoxical given there is some evidence to suggest that the children who benefit the most from the activities are the more disadvantaged. This begs the question: should we be doing more to encourage the participation of disadvantaged children in extra-curricular activities? This seems more important than ever in this era of austerity given the widespread cuts to children’s services. Civil society is taking an ever-increasing role in supporting child development and youth clubs or after-school classes supported by members of the community could prove invaluable amongst diminishing structured services, especially to the most vulnerable.

Government influence has appeared to encourage an increased number of extra-curricular activities provided by schools; however, this seems to be within the academic arena – with a greater emphasis placed on improved academic attainment rather than general development. Both are important and the latter should not be neglected, particularly since there is evidence that, for example, children who attend after-school programmes designed to enhance personal and social skills demonstrate improved academic performance (Durlak et al., 2010).

The provision of opportunities, development of skills and recognition of such skills that comes from participation in extra-curricular activities, including the brass bands in children’s homes, links directly to the Social Development Model developed by Catalano and Hawkins at The University of Washington (Catalano and Hawkins, 1996). The model describes a pathway to healthy behaviours that is underpinned by nurturing the individual characteristics of a child. As well as focusing on the development of certain skills, the model emphasises the importance of an attached, committed relationship with a caring adult and clear standards (i.e. the children know what is expected from them). Rather than focusing solely on risk factors, the model emphasises the development of protective factors. It is clear to see how the brass bands in children’s homes followed this model. The boys were provided with an opportunity to develop their musical skills and, by attending regular practice sessions, developed a committed relationship with the music teacher and their peers. It is likely that, by virtue of being in care, the boys lacked healthy relationships with others and the context of the band provided a safe environment in which to develop such an important protective factor.

Further research in this area would certainly be welcome, but extra-curricular activities appear to provide a promising setting for the development of skills that can lead to improved outcomes for children. Let us celebrate the role they play for children today, just like the role brass bands played in the social care system many years ago.

References

Catalano, R.F. and Hawkins, J.D. (1996), “The social development model: a theory of antisocial behavior”, in Hawkins, J.D. (Ed.), Delinquency and Crime: Current Theories, Cambridge University Press, New York, NY, pp. 149-97

Durlak, J.A., Weissberg, R.P. and Pacham, M. (2010), “A meta-analysis of after-school programs that seek to promote personal and social skills in children and adolescents”, American Journal of Community Psychology, Vol. 45, pp. 294-309

Le Menestrel, S. and Perkins, D.F. (2007), “An overview of how sports, out-of-school time, and youth well-being can and do intersect”, New Directions for Youth Development, Vol. 115, pp. 13-25

Little, P.M.D., Wimer, C. and Weiss, H.B. (2008), “After school programs in the 21st century: their potential and what it takes to achieve it”, Issues and Opportunities in Out-of-School Time Evaluation, Vol. 10, pp. 1-12