NATIONAL
ASSOCIATION
OF SOCIAL
WORKERS IN
EDUCATION
Founded 1884
ASSOCIATION
OF SOCIAL
WORKERS IN
EDUCATION
Founded 1884
2005 Conference - Friday 1 April 2005 The following are notes from the speakers at the Conference. They are not intended as a verbatim record.
Sue was very excited to be asked to do the Arnold Dry Memorial Lecture, as she was involved in the discussions in what NASWE could do to honour Arnold following his death. She outlined how important Arnold was to the work of NASWE and about his vision of an Education Welfare Service that very much had children at its heart. Sue learnt a lot from Arnold about always looking to the future and moving on.
Sue showed us a British Pathe film about a school in the 1960's.
Sue looked at the history and creation of social care.
Workforce reform has allowed relevant bodies to look at how teachers spend their time. They are a valuable commodity. We need Teachers teaching. Headteachers valuing social work. Social work as a skill.
What works in making a change in the lives of Young People and their families?
Research:
The application of different types of therapy only accounted for 15% of good outcomes
It's all about you!
Personal relationships
This is what is remembered and valued
'Use of Self'
The power of the individual in terms of changing people's lives. The quality of the interaction between people. e.g. getting back to people when you promise to Reflect on what it is that people remember and think about this in your interactions.
School attendance has risen for 3 years and is now at a record high. More children are going to school now than ever since school became compulsory in 1880. This is because of the work the EWS has done in promoting school attendance and because people are now making the links between attendance, attainment and child welfare. Authorised absence is reducing but unauthorised absence has remained the same. Pupils are out for less days now.
Every authority in the country has an attendance consultant working with them now. The Department is collecting termly absence data from schools now - not broken down into authorised/ unauthorised - do this at the term's end.
Anthony clearly stated that the EWS has to continue to play its key role in this success story. He no longer feels it's a Cinderella service and is much higher valued in LEAs. People are clearly seeing the links with safeguarding children, achievement and attendance.
Anthony is interested in hearing from NASWE members about what is having an effect on improving attendance targets.
They are hoping to include data from PRUs next years as there was a concern expressed about their exclusion from the data and their vulnerability. Ruth Kelly has written to all authorities and schools collaborating to work with pupils with poor behaviour. This will be expanded to include truants. There is a move towards sharing resources and commissioning alternative forms of education, but Anthony was clear to point out that this is not about moving away from inclusion but as a temporary measure for those pupils.
Concern was raised by a delegate that this assumes the school is never the problem and when the child returns the school hasn't changed.
The DfES are looking to enhancing provision for alternative providers - may be commissioned at a national level. Some authorities have volunteered to be pathfinders for this. Government wants all schools to be in collaboration partnerships by Sep' 2007.
Coference notes from Thursday.
