A three year pilot programme which began last October in Dublin's Ringsend, could provide the basis of a national drive to deal with the problem of children who experience behavioural, relationship or learning difficulties at school.

The programme also highlights ways in which institutions and agencies in the community can be successfully brought in to support classroom bound teachers. The pilot, which is funded by the Eastern Health Board is a partnership between the EHB Area 2, two local national schools St Patrick's Girls and St Patrick's Boys and TCD's departments of teacher education and social studies.

According to the project's co-ordinator, John O'Riordan, who is an EHB social worker, there is a growing body of international research which shows that early preventative programmes are the most effective means of ensuring that minor problems experienced by children fail to develop into major crises.

"The aim of the programme," he says, "is to boost the children's ego, strength and self esteem to enable them to survive the stresses and pressures that may be at the root of their problems."

The nine children aged between seven and nine years who participate in the pilot are referred by their schools. They meet at the local community centre for two hours each week after school. They receive the individual attention of nine final year B.Ed students (some of whom would have considerable teaching experience), who are taking a module in urban education at TCD.

The children are encouraged to talk about themselves and any difficulties they may be experiencing and they themselves decide upon their afternoon activities which range from games through mime to story telling.

The location of the programme in the community centre is important, says O'Riordan. "The centre is seen in a positive light holding the programme in school or in a health centre for example, could have a negative impact and stigmatise children."

Although the programme is only in its early stages, the principals of both schools are optimistic about its effectiveness. None of the children has dropped out of the programme, and they look forward to the weekly sessions.

"The children feel empowered and enjoy the fact that they are receiving the undivided attention of their mentors even if it is only once a week and they refer to them as `my friend'," says principal of the girls school, Eimer Campbell.

"In large classes, however good teachers are, they can't give every child individual attention," says Patrick Coyle, principal of the boy's school. "We are looking forward to the expansion of the programme we have a number of parents who would like children to join, but we can't fit them in."