When a pupil with attendance difficulties is referred to an EWO he or she will engage in individual casework. EWO casework is undertaken with pupils and their parents in order to bring about a to regular attendance. The pupil’s return EWO will recognise and take account of individual circumstances and will respond accordingly. The speedy return of the pupil to regular attendance will, however, always be the prime concern. The EWO will employ a range of practices and strategies in his or her casework and will, when necessary, combine assistance with insistence. All EWO casework will involve the setting of targets for improvement and will be time-limited and subject to regular review. In some instances EWO intervention may be limited to a single EWO home visit in order to remind parents of their legal responsibilities or to help resolve a particular and identified difficulty. In other instances there may be complex and deep-seated reasons why the pupil is not attending. In such situations the EWO may negotiate a plan of support; this might involve referral on to, or the involvement of, other agencies, convening a multi-agency meeting and so on. All EWO casework will involve close and continuous liaison with the pupil’s school. EWOs will ensure that schools receive regular, written feedback on pupils with whom work is being undertaken. In cases where the main causes of the non-attendance may be school-related e.g. alleged bullying or racism, peer pressure, difficulties with a particular lesson or teacher, the EWO will discuss these with the school in order to develop strategies to overcome these difficulties. EWO Referrals Referrals to EWOs are usually made by schools. There are, however, occasions when other agencies/services or parents may make a referral. Before accepting a referral from a school an EWO will expect the school to have first undertaken a number of steps to address the non-attendance. These pupil’s would include:- action by the class teacher/form teacher; action by the Head of Year (secondary)/ Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher (primary); contact with parents; including the use of letters of concern to the parents before formally involving the EWO.
When a pupil with attendance difficulties is referred to an EWO he or she will engage in individual casework. EWO casework is undertaken with pupils and their parents in order to bring about a pupil’s return to regular attendance. The EWO will recognise and take account of individual circumstances and will respond accordingly. The speedy return of the pupil to regular attendance will, however, always be the prime concern. The EWO will employ a range of practices and strategies in his or her casework and will, when necessary, combine assistance with insistence. All EWO casework will involve the setting of targets for improvement and will be time-limited and subject to regular review. In some instances EWO intervention may be limited to a single EWO home visit in order to remind parents of their legal responsibilities or to help resolve a particular and identified difficulty. In other instances there may be complex and deep-seated reasons why the pupil is not attending. In such situations the EWO may negotiate a plan of support; this might involve referral on to, or the involvement of, other agencies, convening a multi-agency meeting and so on. All EWO casework will involve close and continuous liaison with the pupil’s school. EWOs will ensure that schools receive regular, written feedback on pupils with whom work is being undertaken. In cases where the main causes of the non-attendance may be school-related e.g. alleged bullying or racism, peer pressure, difficulties with a particular lesson or teacher, the EWO will discuss these with the school in order to develop strategies to overcome these difficulties. EWO Referrals Referrals to EWOs are usually made by schools. There are, however, occasions when other agencies/services or parents may make a referral. Before accepting a referral from a school an EWO will expect the school to have first undertaken a number of steps to address the pupil’s non-attendance. These would include:- action by the class teacher/form teacher; action by the Head of Year (secondary)/ Headteacher or Deputy Headteacher (primary); contact with parents; including the use of letters of concern to the parents before formally involving the EWO.
promoting-school-attendance.docx