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Difficulties attending school: Specialist support

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_What might this look like? _ 

A child or young person who is attending school 50% or less of the time and is displaying significant difficulties with attending school. They may be communicating high levels of emotional distress at the prospect of attending school and their overall well-being may be declining. 

**Education services ** 

Vulnerable Pupil Panel  

  • The Vulnerable Pupils Panel [External Link](VPP) is a multi-agency partnership which can be referred into by school staff to provide support, advice and guidance for vulnerable child and young people where there is a concern about risk of exclusion or poor attendance  

  • A range of support is available through VPP including support from The Limes College and STARs and Cognus School Inclusion Service. See more information about referral criteria and VPP processes here[External Link] 

  • Referral onto the Key Stage 4 vocational pathway may be offered to support reengagement with education for a young person  

  • Referral into Limes Primary for the Nurture programme may be recommended for a child struggling to attend  

Sutton Tuition and Reintegration Service  

  • STARS reintegration package where support and intervention has not had the intended impact on school attendance. School staff can make a referral to the VPP, and a multi-agency medical panel will consider the referral and make recommendations, including whether access to STARS support is agreed 

  • All placements at STARS are short term with the aim to returning the pupil to their referring school. A twelve-week intervention will be put in place. Every pupil and family will be offered support from JigSaw4U and STARS Re Think It Project as part of the intervention. STARS will then support a graduated return to the referring school 

Cognus Attendance  

  • Attendance termly school targeting support meeting  

  • Attendance formal and legal interventions  

  • Referral into the Complex Attendance Panel for advice and support from a multi-agency group of professionals. For information about eligibility and the referral process see here [External Link] 

Cognus School Inclusion  

  • Intensive support from Cognus School Inclusion team - Supporting and advising on cases longer term – to prevent exclusion. There is ongoing regular attendance at TACs/TAFs from Inclusion team, as well as multi-agency partners, with action plans and reviews in progress. 

**Social care services ** 

Targeted Early Help Service 

  • A child/young person and their family may be eligible for an Early Help Assessment and support from a Specialist Support Worker to create a family plan to address the areas identified through the assessment. For more information about this service and how to make a referral see here[External Link] 

  • Parenting support, whole family and individual support may also be recommended. See here[External Link] for more information  

Sutton Therapeutic Hub 

_This service is only available to children/young people and families open to Sutton’s Children’s Services _ 

  • Hub practitioners work with children and young people to assess and understand their needs, and those of the parents/ carers. Where appropriate, they may then offer individual or family therapy  

Children’s services  

  • For safeguarding concerns about a child or young person referrals can be made using this form[External Link] 

**Health services ** 

CAMHS  

  • Tier 3 mental health service to children and young people with severe and enduring mental health problems. Referrals to access CAMHS are made through the Sutton SPA 

**Other paid services ** 

Educational Psychology traded offer  

  • Assessment, consultation, training and intervention. See here[External Link] for more information and to find a service brochure  

Cognus Therapies traded offer  

  • Assessment, training and intervention. See here [External Link]for more information  

Attendance traded offer 

  • A bespoke service tailored to meet the needs of individual schools. See here[External Link]  for more information  

Jigsaw4U  

  • EBSandFLOWs programme for children and young people aged between 6 – 16 years old experiencing Emotional Based School Avoidance. To commission this service see here for more information [External Link]