Education Welfare Service
The Education Welfare Service (EWS)
plays a key role in improving attendance at school, reducing truancy and tackling
persistent absenteeism.
Under
education law, parents are responsible for ensuring that their registered children
of compulsory school age (five to 16-years-old) attend school regularly. The
council has a duty to make sure that parents undertake this responsibility. This
duty is carried out by Education Welfare Officers.
Education
Welfare Officers provide advice and support to parents and carers to help resolve
problems that affect the school attendance of children and young people, and
to carry out their legal responsibilities. They help parents and carers
to take full advantage of their children's educational provision and maximise
their life chances and opportunities.
Although
the Education Welfare Service takes the lead role in supporting attendance,
it is everyone's responsibility. The service works closely with schools
and a number of agencies to promote children's welfare and their education.
Each
school has a named Education Welfare Officer. Referrals are received from schools,
parents, pupils and other agencies.
The
Education Welfare Service will be able to advise on a range of issues including:
- School
attendance
- Registration
and categories of absence
- Holidays
in term time
- Exclusion
from school/educational provision
- Juvenile
employment and entertainment licensing
- Legal
action relating to attendance issues
- Parenting
contracts
- Truancy
sweeps
- Common
Assessment.
The
council has a duty to identify and track children who are missing education. This
duty is undertaken by the Children Missing Education Officer (CME) from the
Education Welfare Service. For children whose parents choose to educate at home
(elective home education), the council has a duty to be satisfied that these
children are being educated appropriately. This duty is jointly undertaken
with the council's Diversity Service.
Education Welfare Service position statement
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Contact
Education Welfare Service
Church Square House
Scunthorpe
Tel: 01724 297502
More information