The Education Welfare Service

• Introduction
• The Role and Aim of the Education Welfare Service
• How Can the Education Welfare Service Help Parents and Pupils
• Areas With Which the Service is Involved

Introduction

• The Education Welfare Service believes that the interest and the welfare of the child are of primary importance.
• The Education Welfare Service works with parents who may be experiencing difficulty in ensuring that their children attend school regularly.
• The Education Welfare Service works individually with pupils of statutory school age within a statutory and non-statutory framework.
• The Education Welfare Service seeks to promote equal opportunities in education for all children.

The Role and Aim of the Education Welfare Service

The Education Welfare Service is an integral part of the Education Department, and offers a positive and supportive role to all families with children at school.

The aim of the service is to identify and assist children with school related problems, and to help develop closer relationships between parents and the school which their child attends. Parents should seek help from the school or Education Welfare Service if they have a concern.

To enable children to receive the maximum benefit from their time at school, it is necessary for parents and school staff to be aware of any difficulties which their child may be experiencing. The development of a co-operative relationship between the Education Welfare Service, the school and parents is therefore seen as very important.

The Education Welfare Service also assists the Local Education Authority in meeting its statutory requirements with regard to children who do not attend school regularly.

How Can the Education Welfare Service Help Parents and Pupils

Parents have a legal duty to ensure that their children receive a regular full time education. It is recognised that sometimes parents may find it difficult to do this, and may need help in dealing with issues which arise.

The Education Welfare Officer offers help and support to families who are experiencing difficulty. The Service offers a social work service within the education setting to parents, children and schools. Parenting classes are available for parents who have difficulty managing their children's behaviour, and ensuring they attend school regularly.

The Education Welfare Officer is involved with a variety of issues. The main focus of the work is dealing with problems which could prevent a child attending school.

The Education Welfare Officer works with Pastoral Care Staff in schools to identify children who appear to be having some difficulty, which could lead to them being absent from school.

Areas With Which the Service is Involved

• Liaison with schools on behalf of parents.
• Work with parents on behaviour and management issues.
• Work with children who are experiencing difficulty in attending school.
• Work with children with special needs.
• Advice on school transfers.
• Support to children who are excluded from school.
• Work with children from the ethnic minority communities.
• Work with children who are the subject of a statutory order.
• Advice on child employment.
• Advice on education welfare benefits.