Education welfare officer - ask me anything

[sheepplayhideandseek]

Ask me anything.

Oh, I just saw your AMA - are you still available for questions?

Do you visit homeschooling parents? What is your view on homeschooling? Have you encountered families that are literally not educating their children at all?

My question is do you think covid will increase your caseload and how are you being advised to deal with it?

What do you see as the biggest concern in eduction currently.
And so you work alongside primary and secondary?

Hi yes I can still answer :)

do you 'raid' arcades and shopping centres for awol teens?

@bluecherries2020 we do yes. The law is pretty loose around home education but some parents do a wonderful job. If it's something you do because you choose to and you are really motivated and interested then it can be great. But sadly many people do it for the wrong reasons like because they are avoiding prosecution etc and yes some literally don't do much at all. Some parents make use of home
Educating networks for social opportunities and I think that's probably really beneficial for the children in terms of their wellbeing and other development . Personally tho I would never do it!!

@labyrinthloafer I think it will make us extremely busy in September. So many people are anxious about schools reopening and we already deal with a lot of anxiety and emotional based school refusal. We won't be dishing out fines all over the place like the media would have you believe though. We are actually quite nice people and will always try to help and support first.

@footprintsintheslow same as always really. Parenting, anxiety, refusal, the school system being quite rigid and not really suiting some children. Although it is getting better.

@bluefoxmug

do you 'raid' arcades and shopping centres for awol teens?

I used to be an EWO and we did this once, central London Borough. No awol teens, one kid on his way home from a dentist appointment. Hugely disappointing Was pre-austerity though so probably unusual these days!

@bluefoxmug hahaha. We used to.... we don't anymore, for lots of reasons. We do ask police community support officers to look out for particular children though and often supply them with the photo held on the school system. They will approach children and have taken them home or into school on many occasions.

Say a child has EHCP and it had been agreed a new placement is required. Child not excluded an on roll at a school.

But the EHCP is in appeal situation as there is dispute over contents and where placement will be

If the parents do not send child back to the currently named school, what will happen?

Does it matter LA are blaming parents for the need to have a new school? (Parents strongly dispute and have evidence against claims made)

@GingerAndTheBiscuits haha brilliant. To be honest we find that usually most kids who aren't at school are usually at home, which is one of the reasons we stopped.

@GingerAndTheBiscuits we make a LOT of
Surprise home visits instead!

Thank you for your answer!

@CalledYouLastNightFromWaitrose I don't really have anything to do with sen or ehcp but if the child has identified needs which can't be met at current school and that has been acknowledged then it would make it virtually certain we wouldn't consider any action. We would try and support all
The various processes to get the child to where they were supposed to be instead

This job would appeal to me but I rarely see them advertised. Does this mean EWOs are blissfully happy in their roles and never resign?

@Finfintytint can only speak for myself but I'm happy, I've done it a very long time, I think it's a very niche role tho so maybe people
Do stay longer

@sheepplayhideandseeksheepplayhideandseek
Thanks that's not quite the situation though. Basically breakdown between school and parents so severe LA agree needs a new school but it's being dealt with via tribunal hearing which won't be until October time.

Parents feel can't send back to school when there's no longer any communication at all and there's been no transition plan to return in new academic year. Child is too frightened to return.

Can a parent choose to keep their child at home (12 year old) and say that child is being bullied in school? The issue is with parents mental health and not with the child.
Thoughts welcome, thanks OP.

What have you been doing since schools closed? I assume checking on vulnerable children?

How much does it pay? Is it term time only or are there other functions to complete during holidays?

I live in a country where school is mandatory - no exceptions.
what are your thoughts on that?

@CalledYouLastNightFromWaitrose it does leave you in limbo I agree. We could not do anything to speed up those statutory processes... where I work you may get some alternative provision in the meantime but that varies by area.

@Horseshoe5 how do you mean? Withdraw for home education or just not send them into school? If they aren't sending them claiming bullying and have issues with MH then that's the sort of thing we would pick up. It would be about looking at how we could support in first instance and possible signposting to other services. But also if no actual reason for child not to be at school then we would need to address with parents that they weren't meeting legal
Obligation.

@killerofmen varies hugely by area. From £20k ish in more northern areas to £35k in south east and London.

I work all year round, plenty of us do, but equally a lot of ewos work term time only yes.

In lockdown we have had to keep meticulous records of vulnerable children and exactly when they attended school. Doorstep home visits to children not attending school despite having a vulnerable place. phone calls home to parents. I have contacted parents who are anxious about schools returning, who couldn't get their children to do any work, I've helped schools work through their plans to reopen, ensure schools are aware of all the guidance and are complying.