National Educational Welfare Board (NEWB) Presentation April 2013 by Jean Rafter
NEWB • The NEWB is an independent statutory body with responsibility to develop a single strategic approach to school attendance, participation and retention • There are three service strands – Home School Community Liaison (HSCL), School Completion Programme (SCP), & Educational Welfare Service (EWS)
Remit • The NEWB is charged with working in an integrated way with schools and families to ensure children benefit and stay in education • Interventions include universal, preventative and target approaches • The HSCL and SCP work only in DEIS Schools (881) • The Education Welfare Service provide a service to all schools (4,000 approx)
Ethos • Children are at the centre of everything we do • Interventions should be proportionate to the problem • Welfare is at the heart of our work • Work in collaboration with all stakeholders • Sanctions should only be used as a last resort
HSCL • The HSCL Scheme aims to support the education of children through supporting parents to become active participants in their children’s education • The scheme acknowledges parents as the primary educators and partners in education, particularly in numeracy and literacy
Mission -HSCL HSCL aims to enhance the life chances of marginalised children by supporting and empowering parents and building trusting, open and cooperative relationships between the home, school and community in order to foster positive engagement with the educational system and in life long learning.
HSCL Interventions • Maths for Fun • Science for Fun • Reading for Fun • Home Visits • Classes for parents • Parents room in the school • Promoting good school attendance • Link between school and home
SCP Mission • To retain young people in formal education system to completion of the Senior Cycle, or equivalent. • To improve the quality of participation and educational attainment of targeted children in the education process. • To bring together all relevant local stakeholders (home, school, youth, community, statutory and voluntary) to tackle early school leaving.
SCP • In-school - Young person who is most at-risk and requires intense support. • After School – Support provided outside schoolhours for children attending school • Out of school – any targeted young person that the school management has identified for support who are out of school (i.e. young people who are under the legal age for leaving the formal education system but who may return).
Target Group • Poor attendance • Social, Emotional and Behavioural issues • Family History of early school leaving • Member of minority ethnic group • Poor educational attainment • Lack of participation / engagement in school • Lack of family support • Family issues-illness, bereavement, addictions
SCP In School Interventions • Attendance tracking and monitoring • Literacy and numeracy supports • Meal provision – Breakfast Clubs • Individual support – counselling • Mentoring Programmes • Personal development programmes • Behaviour / suspension intervention programmes • Family / parent support • Incredible Years Programme / Parenting programmes
SCP After School Interventions • Homework Clubs • Study Support • Transfer Programmes • Summer provision / holiday provision (including projects, programmes, camps – Education at core) • Easter programmes • Christmas programmes • Educational Trips • Literacy programmes
SCP Out of School Interventions • Support in accessing alternative educational placement • Interagency collaboration to support child and family to access supports • Linking with youth & community based service providers
EWS • Works is guided by the Education (Welfare), Act 2000 • Ensure all children attend school or otherwise receive a minimum education • Register of children being educated at home • Support and advise parents and schools of their responsibilities under the legislation
Compulsory Education Definition of a child under the Act : ‘‘child’’ means a person resident in the State who has reached the age of 6 years and who — ( a ) has not reached the age of 16 years, or ( b ) has not completed 3 years of post-primary education, whichever occurs later, but shall not include a person who has reached the age of 18 years
Parents Responsibilities • All children have the right to a certain minimum education. • Parents have the responsibility to ensure that their child has access to this certain minimum education either within or outside of mainstream setting. • If education is taking place outside of a recognised school parent must register child with NEWB • Where education provision is within a recognised school The parent of a child shall cause the child concerned to attend a recognised school on each each school day. • Parents must notify principal of child’s absence • Parents experiencing difficulties may request advice and assistance from EWS and EWS shall give all appropriate advice and assistance
Responsibilities of Schools • Principal to establish and maintain a register and record of attendance • Notify the NEWB of children who are absent more than 20 days • Notify the NEWB of children suspended more than 6 days • Notify the NEWB of children expelled from school • Promote good school attendance through development of a school attendance strategy
Responsibilities of EWO • To advise and support parents in relation to the Education (Welfare), Act 2000 • To explore all avenues to remove the barriers to poor school attendance • To work in a welfare approach to support children and families • Work with other statutory & voluntary agencies as required • Where parents fail to ensure their children attend school to consider prosecution
Prosecution • Where all interventions have been exhausted and the child is continuing to be absent from school the EWO will issue a School Attendance Notice. This obliges the parents to ensure the child is in school every day • Where there is no improvement the Ewo will issue a summons to the parents
Prosecution • The case is heard in the District Court and is a criminal prosecution • Conviction can result in a fine of up to € 635 or up to a month in prison • Aking a prosecution is the very last option when all other efforts have failed
Summonses Issued to Date NEWB SUMMONS SYNOPSIS 2006 – March 14th 2013 Total To March Status 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2013) % Adj with leave to re- enter 1 11 10 7 4 14 3 50 7% Adj 0 0 0 0 3 11 77 21 112 16% Convictions 11 11 21 31 57 74 30 235 35% Probation Act 0 4 4 16 5 24 3 56 8% Bench Warrant Issued 0 0 1 2 4 10 5 22 3% Struck Out 22 29 15 13 17 52 9 157 23% Dismissed 0 0 0 9 1 2 0 12 2% Withdrawn 0 0 0 3 3 3 6 15 2% Ongoing 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 22 3% 34 55 51 81 94 190 133 43 681 Total No. Issued Total No of Children Involved 17 42 34 48 63 113 86 27 430
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