Agenda Item No

The Vale of Glamorgan Council

Scrutiny [Lifelong Learning] 1st December 2008

Director of Learning and Development

Education Welfare Service

Purpose of the Report

1.             The purpose of this report is to outline the current Education Welfare Service arrangements within the Council.

Recommendations

Scrutiny Committee Members are invited to note the contents of the report and to identify any areas where they require further information.

Reasons for the Recommendations

To enable Scrutiny Committee Members to be aware of local arrangements for the Education Welfare Service.

Background

2.             Councillor Elmore has requested a report on the Education Welfare Service for information [Appendix 1 attached].

3.             The Education Welfare Service [EWS] aims to ensure children and young people achieve their full potential both educationally and socially.  It is a statutory service providing specialist advice, support and guidance on matters relating to the attendance, welfare and protection of young people of statutory school age to parents, pupils and schools.  Additionally, it carries out the Authority's statutory responsibility to license Chaperones and Young People in Employment and Entertainment.

4.             Regular attendance is crucial if children and young people are to gain full advantage from the quality education available in schools across the Authority.  Education Welfare Officers [EWO's] have a pivotal role as a link between schools and homes.  As a school based service, it is in a position to be reactive and proactive in addressing issues at an early stage and has developed very good working relationships with schools and other relevant agencies.

5.             The service is based at Provincial House within the Directorate of Learning and Development.  The current establishment consists of a Senior EWO who manages a team of 7.5 EWO's and an Education Liaison Officer seconded to the YOS.  Total: 9.5 [FTE's].  One officer works part-time.

6.             The Education Welfare Officers are deployed as follows:-  One provides a service to St.Cyres and St.Richard Gwyn Schools, one to Cowbridge Compregensive                   and Ysgol Gyfun Bro Morgannwg Schools.  The others cover Barry, Bryn Hafren, Llantwit Major Comprehensive, Stanwell and the Special Schools, including the Key Stage 3 & 4 Pupil Referral Units.

7.             Two Home School Liaison Officers [HSLO's] cover the Barry, Penarth and Rural Vale Primary Schools.  These posts are Cymorth funded and the officers are EWO's.  The Better Schools Fund [BSF] funds a Welsh speaking officer for all the Welsh Medium Schools.

8.             The Education Welfare Service caseload is as follows:-

9.             These figures include the Primary and Secondary Sectors.  [Not all data was available for 2007/2008 due to electronic registration recording system difficulties  in one school].

10.        Attendance figures within the Vale of Glamorgan are as follows:-

11.        These figures are above the national average set by WAG at 92%.  Data for 2007/2008 not yet available.  [Figures from WAG Attendance Data].

12.        When work with pupils and their families does not achieve an improvement in schools attendance, prosecution is considered under Section 444 of the 1996 Education Act.  Prosecution rates in the Authority are low, averaging 15 a year for the past five years.

Relevant Issues and Options

13.        Key issues which impact on the work of the service include:-

·               Electronic Registration and Data Collection - The use of electronic registration has increased incrementally since 2000 to the extent that all our Secondary Schools now use a lesson monitoring system.  This makes the tracking and monitoring of pupils with attendance issues easier and more responsive.  It has also raised the awareness of schools to the issue of non-attendance and increased the good liaison between the EWS, Schools and the SIMS Data Team.  [These systems are grant funded by WAG].  The Primary Sector use a system called "One Registration".  The collection and collation of attendance data is also much easier and will increasingly be used to target intervention where problems are highlighted.

·               Holidays in Term Time - This is not a major problem in the Authority and Schools and the Council discourage the taking of holidays in term time.  However, it is an issue that could increase in light of the current economic climate.  Families may be driven to go for a cheaper option of holidays in term time. 

·               Lone Working [Health and Safety] - The EWS is one of the few services that is legally entitled to visit people's homes and this can put an EWO in a vulnerable position.  Being able to recognise and diffuse a potentially difficult situation is an important element of the role.  The recent implementation of the Corporate Manslaughter Act places an emphasis on all employers and individual managers and employees to ensure personal safety.  This is particularly difficult when "cold calling" is a vital part of the role.  However, methods are in place that reduce the risk to offers e.g. SEWO accompanying EWO's if a risk has been identified.  Lone working training [already undertaken], end of day and/or individual visit recording [via phone] to central office. 

·               Performance Licensing - The Clwych Report has placed an increased responsibility on Authorities to ensure the safety of children, both in and out of schools.  The Vale, as with all other Authorities where the EWS is charged with performance licensing, is not currently able to provide an all-encompassing service because the majority of child performances are outside normal working hours i.e. evenings and week-ends etc:  It is envisaged staff may have to be employed or job descriptions changed to meet a new requirement.  At present, the EWS licenses approximately 300 to 350 young people a year.  This includes children and young people from birth to statutory school leaving age who may be involved in acting in films, shows or the theatre etc, modelling, or performing in any place the public have to pay to see a performance.

Resource Implications (Financial and Employment)

14.        With the exception of the posts detailed above, the Service is core funded by the Council.

Legal Implications (to Include Human Rights Implications)

15.        The Service plays a key role in ensuring that the Council meets its statutory obligations to protect the interests of pupils.

Crime and Disorder Implications

16.        Arrangements which secure school attendance contribute to the potential for anti-social and criminal behaviour.

Equal Opportunities Implications (to include Welsh Language issues)

17.        The Service includes some Welsh Language provision.

Corporate/Service Objectives

18.        The Service contributes to the Council's Corporate priorities for Education and Lifelong Learning.

Policy Framework and Budget

19.        This is a matter for Scrutiny consideration.

Consultation (including Ward Member Consultation)

20.        None.

Relevant Scrutiny Committee

21.        Lifelong Learning.

Background Papers

Welsh Assembly Guidance

Contact Officer

Ian Ernest, Senior Education Welfare Officer

Officers Consulted

Bob Grover, Pupil Support Manager

Responsible Officer:

Bryan Jeffreys

Director of Learning and Development