Education welfare and social work

The REACH Team - Raising the Educational Achievement of Children and Young People in Public Care The REACH Team is a multi- agency, multi -disciplinary team, based within the Education Welfare Service. The team aims to raise the educational achievement of children and young people in public care. The REACH Team provides training, advice and guidance and support to schools, Children Services, young people, foster carers and other professionals to improve the educational outcomes of looked after children.

The REACH Team will:

  • promote continuity and stability of education, even when care placements are disrupted;
  • facilitate the Personal Education Plan (PEP) and ensure its effectiveness;
  • track the educational progress of children in care to Islington children's services;
  • monitor the attendance of children in care to Islington children's services;
  • coordinate and deliver multi-agency training to corporate parents;
  • support the work of designated teachers;
  • provide support, advice and guidance to teachers, carers, social workers and parents;
  • work in active partnership with other agencies and services;
  • provide direct educational support and interim alternative education arrangements where deemed appropriate to individual need; and
  • celebrate the achievements of looked after children.

All Islington schools have a named REACH Team teacher contact and receive regular information and news through "REACH OUT" the newsletter for looked after
children and education in Islington.

Hermione Michaud
REACH Team Manager
Tel: 020 7527 5972
Email: hermione.michaud.cea@islington.gov.uk

Raising Pupil Attendance

The Education Welfare Service (EWS) provides a statutory attendance service, enforcing through the courts, parents responsibility to ensure attendance at school as well as supporting individual children and their families through casework. In addition the EWS works with schools to improve pupil attendance across the institution through auditing current systems and developing school attendance policies.

The EWS is able to offer additional specific advice to schools identified as requiring priority support. The support and advice on offer is:

  • joint assessment and audit of action required to reduce absence;
  • developing school procedures and policies;
  • attendance target setting;
  • specific attendance projects;
  • attendance literature;
  • reward systems;
  • community support; and
  • training for school staff.

The EWS is very happy to respond to requests from individual schools for training on attendance related issues.

The EWS also recognises Governors increased role regarding pupil attendance and will offer specific sessions as part the Governor's training programme.

For further information please contact the Education Welfare Service on 020 7527 5833 or email sue.greenwell.cea@islington.gov.uk

For general information visit the Education Welfare and Social Work Service area of this website

Safeguarding Children In Education: Child Protection

Visit the child protection area of this website for more information.

The programme of twilight seminars is designed to facilitate the attendance of Headteachers, Designated and Deputy Designated Teachers for Child Protection, staff with pastoral responsibility and non teaching staff and provides the following:

  • Managing allegations against professionals - for headteachers and designated teachers in primary and secondary schools;
  • Children abused through sexual exploitation - for headteachers, designated teachers for child protection and staff with pastoral responsibility in secondary schools (date to be confirmed);
  • Domestic violence and child protection - for headteachers, designated teachers for child protection and staff with pastoral responsibility in primary and secondary schools;
  • Working in partnership with social services - for headteachers and designated teachers for child protection in primary and secondary schools;
  • The role of the Police Child Abuse Investigation Team - for headteachers and designated teachers for child protection in primary and secondary schools;
  • Child protection for designated teachers in primary schools - for designated teachers who are new to the role or for those who wish to refresh and up-date their knowledge;
  • Child protection training for designated teachers in secondary schools - for those new to the role or wishing to refresh and up-date their knowledge;
  • Child protection training for non-teaching staff in primary schools - for all staff who work in primary schools in a non-teaching capacity such as admin staff, librarians, meals supervisors and premises managers;
  • Child protection training for non-teaching staff in secondary schools - as above.

Individual training for schools can be delivered at staff meetings, during Inset days or to individuals at their convenience.

For more information or to arrange training please contact Ann Henry, Team Manager, Education Welfare Service on 020 7527 5845
Email: ann.henry.cea@islington.gov.uk