Social Worker in Schools

1. Social Worker in Schools Julie Moss Head of Service Child Protection and Child in Need

2. Project Initiation • Larkhill, Summerville, Fiddlers Lane Primary Schools • Proactive approach • Wanted to work with families in a different way • Needed to address the difficulties early • Social Work input considered the most appropriate option • Agreed funding for 12 months • Identification of need • High number of children on Child Protection Plans • High number of children on Child in Need Plans • Complexity of presenting need

3. Research The Value of Social Care Professionals Working in Extended Schools (NFER 2008) ‘range of distinct ‘social work’ demands on primary school teachers that the provision of social care professionals could address’ ‘ECM agenda promoted the locating of Social Care professionals in accessible locations – this could enable them to work more proactively to both promote and safeguard the welfare of children’

4. Project Outline • Aim The aim of the project is to secure improved outcomes for those children who are subject to – • Child Protection Plans • Child in Need Plans • Children on the edge of threshold for intervention • Hard to engage • Objectives • Individual sessions with children in schools • Group based sessions for both children and carers • Home visits • Liaison with teaching staff and case holders • Safeguarding training and advice

5. Benefits • Allows schools access to information, better links, sharing information between schools and CSC • provides liaison and communication between Schools CSC and other agencies • has provided training and support to schools - provided advice on how access to SSCB training and which training to attend • has increased schools understanding of safeguarding - providing advice and support has meant schools are managing risk more appropriately and more able to identify what is of concern. • help to support and improve attendance by undertaking direct work with children completing home visits with families. Supporting schools to develop interventions • undertaking direct work with children to support and improve attainment. • undertaking home visits to support schools were issues have been identified that are impact on a child’s ability to learn or attendance. • undertaking home visits with School staff for all new admissions - this has allowed for the early identification of need

6. Challenges • Social Workers and EIP relationships with SWiS is an issue as they do not always understand SWiS role • IT is an issue- access to systems • Fiddlers Lane – position in Sure Start Centre based away from school impacts on SWiS • SWiS split across 3 schools - this does impact on time and limits availability • Starting the groups work due to time/capacity

7. Case Study Case Study • School had concerns about Mum’s ability to care/understand child’s needs the main issues were low level but included - • Alcohol misuse • Relationships issues • Debt • SWiS provided advice and support to School, sign posting to appropriate agencies and maintained at TAC level • SWiS under took direct work with the children and helped school to identify ways that they could support the children - a support plan was developed that met the needs of the children and engaged Mum in the work - this improved her relationship with school • The children’s attendance has improved as has the attainment of the children. • School are now able to support the family so no referral to CSC has been necessary - this previously would have been referred into CSC • If a referral is needed at sometime in the future – it will be more appropriate, detailed and specific. This will enable any future intervention to be at the right level.

8. Next Steps • Evaluation of outcomes • Data • Service User feedback • Teacher/social worker experience • Cascade learning • Headteacher’s forum • Consider roll out of model • Identification of need across the city