Home ESN Additional Needs Education Welfare Service for Academies Prices for Academies

Prices for Academies

Service Packages

Non-chargeable Services

The Education Welfare Service offers a free telephone consultation on matters such as Education Law (School Attendance, Child Employment and Entertainment Licences); changes in Regulations and guidance issued by the Department for Education (DfE); advice in relation to children without a school place (WASP). Advice and guidance will be given on the telephone in respect of individual children and families; however for specific casework guidance and progression a formal case review will be required.

The Common Attendance Protocol and the Penalty Notice Code of Conduct are accessible via the Schools' extranet or upon request from the Education Welfare Service.

All legal work undertaken by the Education Welfare Service is non-chargeable. This is a statutory role undertaken by the Local Authority. The final decisions regarding legal action are made by the Education Welfare Service Legal Intervention Officers in line with the Local Authority and EWS Enforcement Policy and the Code for Crown Prosecutors.

Chargeable Services

Case Review

Education Welfare Specialists are available to undertake specific reviews for a variety of attendance queries. These could include surgeries which will focus on cases which have become stuck, how to progress the case and suitability of the case for EWS request for service.

Prosecution Evidence Review

These are pre-requisites for legal action to be considered and are chargeable. At the Evidence Review, individual cases will be considered and facts that need to be determined before the commencement of legal proceedings. Decisions about how to proceed with a case will be negotiated between the Attendance Lead and the Education Welfare Specialist based on a child/young person's attendance and the evidence presented.

Should any cases presented for review be submitted for legal action, the Education Welfare Specialist will take a formal witness statement from the witness(es). This will not be chargeable.

Case reviews and Prosecution Evidence Reviews are charged at £31.35 per hour and may be booked to combine both types of review.

Formal Attendance Panel

Attendance Panels can be arranged where intervention by school staff has not brought about a significant sustained improvement in a pupil’s attendance. The EWS will invite parents/carers into school where a representative from the EWS will chair a formal meeting to encourage improved attendance. The parent/carer will be verbally warned about the consequences of continued unauthorised absence. A parenting contract will be offered and a period of review set.   Should the parent/carer fail to attend, a formal letter will be sent from the EWS to set out the consequences of continued unauthorised absences and the implementation of a parenting contract.

Attendance Panels are charges at £31.35 per hour (a maximum of 3 per hour)

Education Welfare Casework Investigation

You may wish to commission the services of an Education Welfare Officer (EWO) for specific case work. This may apply where there has not been a previous need to employ a School Attendance Officer and/or a home visit needs to be undertaken and/or where cases are varied and complex and school are not able to offer a home visiting service.   The case will be referred to an EWO who will follow the EWS case management and investigation process. A home visit will be undertaken where a formal warning will be issued, a signs of safety assessment will be undertaken and a parent contract offered. A period of 10 school days will be set for a review of attendance with appropriate action taken according to the EWS standard operating procedures.

Education Welfare Officer Casework Investigation will be charged at £33 per case (currently there is no charge for siblings, Priority Family Cases are non-chargeable).

NB Should the case be referred for legal intervention any subsequent casework will not be chargeable.

Strategic Support

Should you wish to review your attendance processes or are experiencing difficulties with managing attendance, the Education Welfare Specialist will offer consultation and provide advice on ways to improve and address matters. An initial meeting can help identify issues and then a bespoke package can be developed to suit your school’s individual need and budget. This may include;

  • register reviews and analysis of data
  • attendance processes and procedures
  • reports
  • attendance policy reviews
  • sharing good practice
  • registration codes
  • revision/amendment of standard letters
  • promotion and reward advice
  • As preparation for or following an OFSTED inspection

Strategic support is chargeable at £31.35 per hour however, half and full day rates are also available to suit your budget.

Training

A variety of training packages for school staff and Governors is available to cover

  • Education Law
  • DfE Guidance
  • Parental Responsibility
  • Home visiting
  • Conflict resolution
  • Lone working
  • Case work, progression and legal action
  • Registration codes
  • Children missing from education
  • School assemblies/workshops
  • Child Employment and Entertainment (Licences and Procedures)
  • Chaperone training

Training may consist of full or half day sessions, staff room briefings, INSET days and which may be accredited. Contact the EWS to discuss your training requirements when, if appropriate a bespoke package can be developed according to need and budget and to ensure flexibility and value for money.

Additional Services

We are happy to tailor bespoke packages for schools with specific requests concerning all areas of our Traded Service offer. Service Level Agreements are available upon request to cover extended periods of support and intervention.