Education Welfare Services

Education Welfare Services Meeting of the Joint Consultative Forum - 26 February 2014 Alex Barr CEWO SELB/WELB and Pamela Woods CEWO BELB

Education Welfare Service The core activity of the education welfare service is to fulfil the board’s statutory duty of ensuring children and young people of compulsory school age benefit from full-time education through attendance at school or otherwise

Absence from Primary School by Education and Library Board 2011/2012 (all tables and charts are extracted from ‘ATTENDANCE AT GRANT-AIDED PRIMARY, POST-PRIMARY AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS 2011/12: DETAILED STATISTICS’ - Department of Education February 2013)

Attendance at Post-Primary School by Education & Library Board, 2011/2012

Education Welfare Service The EWS discharges the education and library boards statutory duties as set out in 2 key pieces of legislation

Education and Libraries Order The Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1986 Part V Article 45 • 45.—(1) ”The parent of every child of compulsory school age shall cause him to receive efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs he may have, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise” • (2) The provisions of Schedule 13 shall apply to the enforcement of the provisions of paragraph (1) and a parent who contravenes the provisions of that Schedule shall be guilty of an offence and liable to the penalties provided by paragraph (4) of that Schedule.

Schedule 13 Part III (4) • (1) Where a parent on whom a School Attendance Order had been served failed to comply with the requirements of the order or, subject to paragraph (3), where a child of compulsory school age who is a registered pupil at a school failed to attend regularly at that school, the parent shall be guilty of an offence unless he proves that he is causing the child to receive, otherwise at school, efficient full-time education suitable to his age, ability and aptitude and to any special educational needs he may have. • (2) A person guilty of an offence under sub-paragraph (1) shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

The Children( NI ) 0rder 1995 • Article 55 —(1) ”On the application of any education and library board, the court may make an order putting the child with respect to whom the application is made under the supervision of a designated education and library board”

Mission Statement The Education Welfare Service promotes the participation of children and young people in beneficial education through a partnership and inclusive approach.

EWS Organisational Chart Administrative Staff

Education Welfare Officers • Since 1 April 2000 single entrance criteria of professional social work qualification • Every school has a named EWO • Work as part of locality based teams • Intervention on an individual, family, group, class or whole school basis

EWS Operational Services 3 KEY STRANDS • Core Statutory work of EWS • Ear- marked funded activities of specialist support • Child Protection work

Referrals to the EWS • Looked after Children • School Aged Mothers • Newcomer Families • School Placements • Suspensions and Expulsions • Individual Support • Family Support • School support • Non-attendance at school • Medical • Emotional Behavioural Difficulties • Child Protection • Domestic Violence • Special Educational Needs • Child Employment

Pathway through casework • Referral at >85% • Initial assessment – UNOCINI Assessment Framework • Plan of action • Review • Close or further intervention • Review • Education Planning Meeting ( EPM) • Review EPM • Decision regarding legal action • Magistrates Court / Family Proceedings Court

Court Proceedings • School Attendance Orders • Education Supervision order – Family Proceedings Court • Parent Prosecution – Magistrates / Youth Courts

EWS Ear marked / Non-core Funding Programmes

Working with children and families from the Traveller Community Traditionally • Lower levels of attendance • Earlier finishing • Low level of success at public examinations • Little engagement in Third level education

EWS and Traveller Education Support (TESS) working together TESS • School support • Working with parents • Transitions • Assisting with careers advice • E-learning EWS • Referrals from schools • Transition work funded by Neighbourhood Renewal via DSD • Refer to TESS

Aim of the Programme To ensure young people of school age who are pregnant or have children have equal access to educational opportunities enjoyed by all young people and have the support required to enable them to access education.

Research • Getting an education is important to young mothers • High proportions of young mothers leave school around the time they give birth • Young mothers benefit from additional support, including access to childcare • Younger women have a very low take up rate of antenatal services • Young women have difficulty in accessing appropriate and accurate information on a range of issues including contraception, antenatal care and health services.

SAM Programme The programme provides young women with advice and support that will help them to make informed decisions about how they want to continue their education. The service can also assist young women to find out about: • Assistance with childcare to enable them to continue their education • Antenatal care • Healthcare • Benefits Advice • Personal and social development • Careers advice • Parenting skills and childcare • Peer Support - Group work sessions with other young women in the same situation are held regularly. These events include baby massage, parenting, first aid and fun activities.

So why the need for this type of programme? What does research tell us? Teenage mothers are less likely to: • Finish their education and get a job Teenage mothers are more likely to: • Come from deprived areas • Depend on benefits and live in poverty Their children are more likely to: • Experience poor health and poverty • Become the teenage parents of the next generation • Teenage parenthood can be the cause and consequence of cycles of disadvantage

The following are some quotes from people who have been in this situation: “It’s hard enough coping with finding out you are pregnant, rather than worrying about how other people will react towards you”

“You can really loose your confidence after having a child and it’s hard enough to go back to school – it takes time to get back on your feet”

SELB Outcomes • The SAM Programme works with young pregnant women and young parents in mainstream education aged 11 – 19 years old • The Programme worked with 47 young women last year

Young Carers • Invisible Children and Young People • Heavy caring responsibilities • Wellbeing • Impact on attendance • Impact on attainment

Role of EWS • Assessment • Support • Advice to Schools • Referral

Capacity Building in Schools Joint work with Barnardo’s Young Carers Scheme • Capacity Building for Teachers • Raise awareness of Young Carers • Increase knowledge of supports for Young Carers

BELB/SEELB LOOKED AFTER CHILDREN IN EDUCATION SUPPORT SERVICE • “Care Matters in Northern Ireland – a Bridge to a Better Future” • A specific multi agency team set up to support educational opportunities for children who are looked after • Delivers services across the BHSCT/ SEHSCT • EWO’s from BELB/SEELB, social worker from BHSCT, LAC Tutors and LAC youth worker • 10 Residential units ( 6 BHSCT,4 SEHCT, 3 ISU’s)

ROMA SUPPORT • Ministerial Task Force • Education support enhanced • Dedicated service in BELB • One stop shop • Provision of literature re education • Support with school placement • Signposting to other supports • Support to schools

Suspensions and Expulsions • Management different across all boards • BELB Education Options Panel • Monitored on a monthly basis • Advice and Support to schools re compliance • Consultation meetings • Expulsions Committee • School placements • EOTAS ( Education otherwise than at school )

Thank You Questions?

Education Welfare Services