Education Welfare Service

Our Education Welfare Service works closely with other agencies and professionals. We provide support to primary and secondary schools to ensure the attendance of pupils, and give advice on a range of issues including:

• Exclusion from school
• Child protection
• Juvenile justice
• Child employment

Referrals to the Service are made by a professional.

Home-School Liaison Service

Our Home School Liaison (HSL) Service is an early intervention service. A Home School Liaison Officer works with parents and carers at home, children in school, and the whole family, to identify and overcome barriers to a child’s education. Their work lasts for 2 school terms, with a possibility of a third term in order to signpost to other agencies. It involves initial weekly visits to the parents and the child, reducing to fortnightly visits as deemed appropriate. Referrals to the service are made by a professional.

Educational Psychology Service

Our Educational Psychology Service helps children with Special Educational Needs, and those with emotional and behavioural difficulties. It also provides specialist advice to the Local Education Authority. An Educational Psychologist will assess and help schools and families to support children from pre-school age to 19 years-old. Using psychological principles, they employ a wide variety of techniques and strategies including:

• Providing advice on improving literacy skills
• Role-playing to help social skills
• Advising responses to problems such as bullying

When children are undergoing a Statutory Assessment for Special Educational Need, an Educational Psychologist gives advice to ensure that each child's needs are met. Referrals to the service are made through another professional such as a school teacher, Special Educational Needs Coordinator, or through a Social Care assessment. Find out more about our Educational Psychology Service.