Improving attendance

 

• Use SIMS to highlight early patterns which may suggest a potential problem i.e. is the child having a lot of Mondays off? Mandy Turner, Somerset PSA
• Give certificates to reward attendance. In the infant school, I do this every half term as a whole term is too long for little ones. Tell the parents they are great too and let them know they are one of the few parents to achieve 100% attendance. Mandy Turner, Somerset PSA
• I involved a parent to write a puppetry working on Transition into primary school and transition from year 6 to year 7. The workshop was very successful with the little ones. Katie O'Brien, PSA Plympton St Maurice Primary School

• Monitor attendance regularly and try to link in early. Work through the issue with parents, if necessary put in place a good morning routine which is realistic; suggest attending breakfast club, incentive charts and rewards linked with home and school so that everyone is involved in praising achievements. Unravel reasons with home and school if a child is refusing to come to school - it could be a number of reasons i.e. they do not have the correct kit, tiredness, bullying, worried about leaving parent - work together to find a solution and unite in support. Link with EAO. Jenny Joslin, Somerset PSA

Supporting a family with two children attending a Special School

• A Year 8 boy was arriving at most lessons late and was having difficulty concentrating. His general behaviour had deteriorated and he appeared very distracted. He was often out of class in the medical room saying he had toothache and he was sent home on a number of occasions. His parents had been contacted a number of times but had not taken him for treatment so I was asked to visit them to evaluate the situation and to see if I could help.  I met with the parents who were very open. They were concerned their son was in pain but they were extremely anxious about taking him to the dentist. They told me that visiting the dentist had been traumatic for them in the past and they felt it would be cruel to subject their children to pain. I took time to empathise with them but explained the consequences for their son’s health if he didn’t receive treatment. They hadn’t realised this and reluctantly agreed to let me arrange an appointment. They were keen for me to go with them which I agreed to do. I made an appointment at the hospital dentist as they have clinics for children with additional needs. The boy was happy to come but the mother was very anxious and reluctant. After some reassurance she came and coped well. The boy is now receiving the treatment he needs and being fitted with a brace. I supported the family for a number of visits and eventually the parents were confident enough to take their son themselves.  I also worked with the older sister in Year 11 to build her confidence in coming to school on public transport. Her parents felt she was too vulnerable to do this but the school’s aim is to promote independence. I travelled with her a few times, helped her with the timetable and planned what to do if she missed the bus. She is now travelling independently and her parents are really proud of her as she is of herself.    

• While working with this family I was also able to access help from CAB to support them through financial difficulties and the threat of eviction. In addition, I went with the mother to the first session of a confidence building workshop – she said she felt lifted and that it was the best day she had had for ages.  Sarah Tuttiett, PSA, Westhaven Special School.  

• An 8 year old girl was refusing to go to school – her father was almost literally dragging her. Attendance was 38%. I met the girl’s parents and found their dog had died recently and her best friend had moved away. The discussion also revealed their older son had ADHD and Dyspraxia and he took up much of their time. I have found what works is supporting families to discover their own solutions. I suggested a reward chart for attending school, the rewards being spending 1:1 time with mum doing fun activities (e.g. making cakes). This would give her the opportunity to talk about recent losses. I also suggested the parents apply for Disability Living Allowance and helped them complete the forms. This would provide support for their son to engage in some outside activities so they could spend more time with their daughter. Attendance has risen to 65.8% in 3 months. The parents began to attend regular PSA coffee mornings. This case is typical of work with families where an initial problem uncovers other issues that may have been missed.  Corrina Wood, Family Services Manager and PSA Lead, Southern Brooks Community Partnership, Patchway, South Glos. 

• A teenage boy was referred for poor attendance. He has a weight problem that has led to low confidence and self-esteem. He can sometimes be aggressive. Engaging with his family of mum and step-dad revealed some complex family issues. There is a history of domestic violence from the birth father and mum’s anxieties and mental health reflect this. Although known to services, the family feel they have never received the support they needed. So when I visited them, they were suspicious at first. What I did was aim to be non-judgemental. I took the focus away from the problems and asked them to consider the positives of their situation. I used techniques from the Brief Solution-Focussed Therapy. I also invited the parents to a parenting group that was starting next day. They went to the parenting course and enjoyed it. Mum knows there is lots to do but has made the first steps towards change. She has begun to feel more confident. The son’s attendance has begun to improve and he has agreed to engage with our counselling service, attending two sessions so far.  Yvonne Robson, PSA, Southern Brooks Community Partnership, Patchway, South Glos.

   

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