What makes the difference? Children and teachers talk about resilient outcomes for children 'at risk'

Research has been conducted into childhood resilience, a term which accordi ng to A. Masten, K. Best and N. Garmezy (Resilience and development: contri butions from study of children who overcome adversity, Development and Psyc hopathology, 2, pp. 425-444, 1990) is defined as the process of, capacity f or or outcome of successful adaptation despite challenging or threatening c ircumstances. The study to be presented here asked 9-12 year olds and their teachers from primary schools in disadvantaged areas in South Australia wh at it was they thought made the difference between 'kids with tough lives w ho do O.K.' and 'kids with tough lives who don't do O.K.' Using Bronfenbren ner's ecological theory to frame the analysis, this paper explores how the two groups of respondents discussed how the family, the school and the comm unity might help make the difference. While both children and teachers tend ed to see the role of the family and the community in promoting resilient b ehaviour in fairly similar terms, the two groups saw very different roles f or the school.