Education Welfare

The WELB has a duty to ensure that all children of compulsory school age receive a suitable education, either by regular attendance at school or otherwise. This duty is exercised through the Education Welfare Service and the dominant function of its Education Welfare Officers is to investigate children's absence from school and to promote good attendance. The Education Welfare Service also undertake a number of other important related duties around:

• Child protection
• Child employment
• Safeguarding Children Who Perform - Chaperone Licening & Registration
• Special educational needs
• Child behaviour in schools
• Suspensions and expulsions

Education Welfare Officers work closely with schools and families to resolve attendance issues and difficulties between home and school. The key to success is an effective working relationship between schools and the Education Welfare Service. This includes:

• Shared policies and operational practices between the Education Welfare teams and the schools in their area
• Clearly defined roles of school staff and the Education Welfare Officer
• How much time the Education Welfare Officer will devote to the school
• Expectation of the quality of the Education Welfare Officer's Service
• Arrangements for referral, regular review, monitoring and evaluation
• Procedures for resolving difficulties

It is important that the Education Welfare Officer maintains an appropriate balance in resolving difficulties between schools and families so mediation is more appropriate than advocacy.

For further information about the Education Welfare Service in Northern Ireland see www.education-support.org.uk /parents/ews

Child Protection Support Service for Schools (CPSSS)

In 2005 a systematic review of arrangements for providing child protection support for schools was undertaken and one of the outcomes was the establishment of the Child Protection Support Service for Schools. The support service is based within the Education Welfare Service of the Education and Library Boards and managed by the Chief Education Welfare officer. Within the WELB there are three designated officers for Child Protection and the services they provide include:

• Advice, guidance and support to Designated Teachers and Deputy Designated Teachers on the handling of Child Protection issues.
• Beginning Teachers Child Protection training
• Child Protection training for Designated Teachers, Deputy Designated teachers, Principals, Boards of Governors and other relevant WELB staff.
• UNOCINI training for Designated Teachers
• Cluster group training and support
• Information Bulletins
• Advice and Support to Link Schools
• Collaboration with WELB Human Resources Department
• The operation of a daily telephone helpline.
• Maintenance of a register of schools' designated teachers.

From September 2009 the WELB designated child protection officers will provide support to link schools in the following District Council areas.

Omagh & Strabane - Marion McBride (Deputy Chief Education Welfare Officer)

Derry & Limavady - Martin McQuaid (Deputy Chief Education Welfare Officer)

Fermanagh & South Tyrone - Godfrey Young (Deputy Chief Education Welfare Officer)

It is proposed that this link support will include an annual visit to each school during which the designated officer will meet with the Principal, Designated Teacher (DT), Deputy Designated Teacher (DDT), Chair of Board of Governors and/or lead Governor for Child Protection.

The primary purpose of the annual meeting will be to identify what advice and support each School requires from the CPSSS service. Advice and support may be provided in areas such as:

• Review of Governor, Principal, DT/DDT, whole school child protection training needs
• Annual review of School Child Protection Policy
• The annual Child Protection Report for the Board of Governors
• Implementation of UNOCINI
• Attendance at Child Protection Case Conferences
• Child Protection Records Management
• Sharing of information e.g. best practice research, policies and procedures etc
• Supporting DT/DDT with difficult cases
• Risk Assessment & Risk Management Plans (specific to child protection issues)

Daily Helpline

The daily advice and support helpline which is staffed on a rota basis by the designated child protection officers will continue to be the main contact point for advice in relation to specific child protection concerns. The helpline service can be contacted at 028 411480
All schools should have a copy of the following documents which can be downloaded by double clicking on the link.
DENI 99/10 Guidance "Pastoral Care in Schools - Child Protection
School Governors Handbook for Child Protection
Area Child Protection Committee Regional Policy and Procedures
Cover Letter re: Amendments to Area Child Protection Committee Regional Policy and Procedures (Nov 08)
Amendments to Area Child Protection Committee Regional Policy and Procedures (Effective from 1st Dec 08)
UNOCINI Guidance
UNOCINI - Preliminary Assessment/Referral form
UNOCINI - Thresholds of Need
Safer from Sexual Crime - Protecting children and young people