Swift and easy access to specialist services
Swift and easy access (SEA) is about schools working closely with other services to identify and support children and young people with emotional, behavioural, health or other difficulties as early as possible. Working in this integrated way, with health and social care for example, has real potential to help rmove some of the barriers to learning faced by children and young people of all ages.
Where problems do emerge, SEA ensures the early identification of and support for those problems, within the school wherever possible, drawing up on the multi-agency or locaility teams developed under the children's trust arrangements. But with more serious cases the child or young person will need to be referred to services outside of the school. In those cases, effective SEA arrangements will ensure timely and accurate assessment, referral and intervention, and good links between the child and family, the school and the services provider(s) concerned.
There are a range of specialist health and social care services that children, young people and adults need to access at different times in their lives which support both their wellbeing and their ability to learn. Examples of specialist services are: speech and language therapy; child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS); family support services; intensive behaviour support; support from counsellors; and (for young people) sexual health services. Scroll to the bottom of this page to read case studies and specfic guidance.
How can schools ensure swift and easy access to services?
Schools, with the support of their local authorities and other children's services agencies, will need to have in place clear internal processes that mean those pupils who need specialist support are assessed quickly by an appropriate member of the school staff. An agreed time period to carry out the assessment will need to be communicated to pupils, their families and school staff. There will also need to be an appropriate internal tracking system in place once a child is identified as having additional needs. Many schools are using the common assessment framework (CAF) to help them with this.
The assessment should determine whether need can be met within the school — either by school staff or by other children's services professionals based in the school, or whether referral to another agency is necessary. In such cases local arrangements will need to determine how a lead professional can offer support.
Referrals
When a referral is made to a local service there needs to be a named individual within the school staff who has responsibility for liaising wiht the pupil, her/his family and the service to be accessed. An important element of the role is to ensure that the journey between referral and actually accessing a service is as swift as possible and to inform the child/young person and his/her family of progress. This person will remain the key contact within the school. The impact of any intervention will then need to be monitored by the school and the appropriate agency or organisation.
How does extended services link with healthy schools?
Offering extended services supports a school in gaining healthy school status. These both help to improve educational achievement, health and emotional well being, and makes schools a safe, secure and healthy environment in which young people can learn and develop. To gain healthy school status, schools need to meet certain standards.
Case studies
The booklet, 'Making it Happen', published in June 2006 contains clear and concise explanations of integrated working practices, including: guidance on information sharing, the common assessment framework, the role of the lead professional, best practice in multi-agency working and the development of ContactPoint. The Every Child Matters website has more information.
Poole Borough Council
Poole Borough Council has established two multi-agency locality groups to bring
together closer integration of children's services in the borough and
support the delivery of the five Every child matters outcomes and
extended school services. The groups are having a real impact on the speed and
manner in which children and families are able to access a wide range of
support services. Read more here.
Kidbrooke School, Greenwich
Multi-award winning TeenTalk@Kidbrooke is a drop-in health centre
based on the school's premises — the first of its kind in London. The
centre is a 'teacher free zone' offering confidential, one-to-one
counselling sessions and informal group discussions for students who may be
unlikely to seek support in more formal health settings. Read more here.
Chamberlayne Park School, Southampton
An on-site student centre has been set up which works on self esteem
and confidence for those pupils who need it. At a city-wide level the school is
part of the Weston regeneration board, a multi agency forum including the
police, statutory agencies, Southampton city council, the Sure Start programme
team, the local church, and community and voluntary organisations all working
in the area. Read more here.
Priory School, Hampshire
The school has has a dedicated educational psychologist post to work
with special needs and vulnerable children. This post is within a small team
which co-ordinates with statory and other agencies to create a flexible network
that can tackle a wide range of psychological and other problems. As a result,
attendance levels are improving, and the number of exclusions is falling.
Qualitative feedback from staff, pupils and parents is extremely positive. Read
more here.
Extended schools related publications
- Extended Schools: Improving Access to Sexual Health Advice Services guidance (January 2007) — for secondary schools and their partners.
- Extended schools and health services: working together for better outcomes for children and families (November 2006) - leaflet for health professionals produced jointly with Department for Health and Care Service Improvement Partnerships. Hard copies can be ordered from Orbital by phone on 0845 6060323 or email tdapublications@omsg.co.uk
- Looking for a School Nurse? (2006) — to help schools work with their local health partners to expand or develop their school nursing service.
This page was last updated on the 2nd August 2007.
