ABSTRACT
These are just some of the value-laden epithets associated over the last century with children and young people to whom, in many developed countries, that confusing term ‘EBD’ has been attached (Cole 1989, 2005; Kauffman 2001). It is often a harmful label that can shape and distort how pupils view and develop their identities and how professionals and peers see such children (see Thomas 2005; Chapter 3 and Chapter 7, this volume). The long search for a better label continues-but could prove futile (see Chapter 2, this volume). Because the letters EBD (taken here to represent ‘emotional and behavioural difficulties’1) have wide international currency (Clough et al. 2005; Chapter 9, this volume), the term is adopted in the title of this Companion and is the ‘default’ descriptor in the chapters below. EBD is used rather than longer possibilities that might capture more of the complex aetiology of these pupils’ needs, such as ‘social, emotional and behavioural difficulties’ (SEBD-long used in Scotland), or ‘behavioural, emotional and social difficulties’ (BESD-employed in 2012 by the England government). Some contributors to this book hold strong feelings about the choice of letters and their preferences have been respected, resulting in a necessary inconsistent usage.
