Safeguarding – Parent Support through Extended Services (inc.Children’s Centres)

1. Safeguarding – Parent Support through Extended Services (inc.Children’s Centres) Pauline Kellett- Strategy Manager, Extended Schools Christine Oker- Strategy Manager (District Partnership Teams and DCTPs) Kathy Dunnett- School Adviser for Integrated Children’s Services

2. Aims of the seminar • By the end of this seminar, headteachers will be able to; • Consider the role of extended services, including Children’s Centres, the roles of the Parent Support Worker/Children & Young People Support Worker and their responsibilities around safeguarding. • Consider the issues and possible concerns and begin to identify solutions. • Know who to go to for guidance and support.

3. Setting the scene – the role of schools ‘The Laming report emphasises the key role that schools play in early identification, intervention and support for children at risk of significant harm or who have additional needs.’ Ofsted April 2010

4. Where does extended services fit with safeguarding? • Holiday and after school clubs • First Aid and other emergency procedures • Health & Safety, School security • Equal access for pupils, adequately trained staff • Bullying, racism, harassment, discrimination • Substance Misuse

5. Lord Laming ‘…the extent to which pupils feel able to seek support from the school should they feel unsafe…’ ‘…The Lord Laming report emphasises that if safeguarding is ‘everyone’s responsibility, then everyone should know who to contact if they are concerned about a child or young person…’ Ofsted April 2010

6. Ofsted ‘…the effectiveness of the school’s work with services provided, commissioned or brokered by the local authority to promote the safety and health of all learners…’ And ‘Schools are expected to make pupils aware of how they can keep themselves safe and what behaviour towards them is not acceptable. ‘Schools are also expected to teach them to recognise when pressure from others (including people they know) threatens their personal safety and well-being, and to develop effective ways of resisting pressure, including knowing when and where to get help.’ Ofsted April 2010

7. Exclusions and transfer of learners? ‘…How do excluded children access supportive services?’

8. Extended Services Core Offer • Child Care • Swift & Easy Access • Study Support & Varied Menu of activities including a Safe Place to Be • Community Access • Parenting Support including Family Learning

9. Which staff are involved in this work? • Parent Support Workers • Children & Young People Support Workers • Extended Schools Coordinators • Children’s Centre Managers’ • Children’s Centre Outreach Workers

10. Where does parent support fit with safeguarding? ‘…whether child welfare concerns are identified are responded to appropriately by the school…’ Ofsted January 2010 Effectiveness of Partnerships ‘…The extent to which the school discharges its responsibility to work together with key agencies to safeguard and promote the welfare of children…’ Ofsted April 2010

11. Where does parent/family support fit with safeguarding? Often the role entails • Lone working • Building relationships • Home Visits • Family Work which can encompass safeguarding issues • High level of multi-agency working • Keeping appropriate records

12. Links with Integrated Practice • Opportunity for Early Intervention/Prevention • Getting to know their client group and building relationships • Their work is often holistic • Multi-agency working • Information Sharing • Common issues – behaviour, parenting, bullying, alcohol, etc.

14. Possible Issues Heading Sub heading Body text • Out of hours working, including holiday times. • Records and links with schools. • Supervision • Adult welfare issues

15. Recording incidents, issues and concerns over time ‘…There were some good examples of schools keeping a record over time, but the significance of the information had not been recognised. In other cases school records were poor even when a child was subject to a formal monitoring process…’ Ofsted April 2010

16. Data & Records ‘…look closely at the exclusions data, and check with the school whether they routinely notify social workers about every child excluded who is the subject of a child protection plan…’ ‘…evaluate the quality of recording, by reviewing at least one case file of a pupil where there have been child protection concerns.’ ‘Ofsted April 2010

17. Roles & Responsibilities Heading Sub heading Body text Who Head teachers should contact for support and guidance?

18. How does this work impact on achieving and learning? And how will we know? • Good parenting can support achievement • Good family relationships enable better learning • Supporting parents to enable their children • Family Learning and Adult Learning • Transition Information Sessions for parents and transition arrangements • Working in partnership with parents • IP/CAF

19. Parents Interest ‘…Parental interest in their child’s education has four times more influence on attainment at 16 than socio-economic background….’ Feinstein, L. & Symons, J. (1999). Attainment in secondary school. Oxford Economic Papers, 51, 300-321.

20. Links with Ofsted ‘parental engagement’ • Access to information – healthy lifestyles, behaviour, etc. • Is additional support required? • Encourage parents’ involvement/engagement regularly – with learning, behaviour and attendance/Parents Councils will ensure that parents’ voices are heard within the school/Parents are active partners with school improvement • Parents complaints will be managed in a straight forward and open way • Appoints PSA’s/Offer advice with parenting and provide support/Signpost and coordinate services • Progress on children’s development • Schools must show they have broken down any barriers and have tailored information for the Hard to Reach Parents • Schools may have a policy – what is the impact of the policy? • Use parents and extended family’s skills • Practical guidance for parents to support learning

21. Practical guidance for parents to support learning • Information Sessions (TIS) www.familyandparenting.org/startingSchoolProject • Directgovhttp://www.direct.gov.uk/en/parents/index.htm • Health & WellBeing Team, new link on the grid • http://www.thegrid.org.uk/leadership/integrated/children_services.shtml

22. Parents Influence on Children’s Life Chances ‘At-home good parenting’ has a bigger effect on children’s achievement at primary level than differences in quality of schools, evident across all social classes and all ethnic groups… Charles Desforges. The Impact of Parental Involvement, Parental Support and Family Education On Pupil Achievement and Adjustment, DfES Research Report, R433 (2003)

24. thank you