As a result of the reorganisation of Surrey County Council, the Education Welfare Service is now called the Inclusion Service.
The Inclusion Service provides support to schools, parents and young people in providing services on behalf of the Local Education Authority and deals with non-attendance (Truancy), Child Protection and making enquiries about children missing education.
The aim of Inclusion is for every child to have an equal opportunity to access educational provision and to ensure that parents meet their parental responsibilities under various Education Acts on our legal proceedings webpage.
- Inclusion Officers
- What we do - our service offering
- Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)
- Help and contacts
Inclusion Officers
The Inclusion Officer's aim is to help children attend school full-time and support pupils and parents in resolving issues which may be affecting a child's wish to attend school. To bring this about, a plan is agreed in consultation with all the parties involved and the Inclusion Officer will stay involved until it has been achieved. If the aim is not achieved the Inclusion Service may have to consider legal proceedings.
All Surrey schools have an allocated Inclusion Officer to support schools and parents to ensure every child goes to school regularly. Inclusion Officers can accept referrals or enquiries from schools or other agencies, parents and members of the public if a child is not attending school.
Inclusion Officers can provide advice on:
- resolving attendance problems
- social and family problems
- other services and useful resources available.
What we do - our service offering
We fulfil both statutory and non-statutory functions in relation to compulsory school-aged children and young people. The Surrey Inclusion Team offers all schools, including academies and free school, a statutory service as follows:
- Investigation of causes for absence for cases meeting the criteria for legal intervention
- Case work management for statutory cases
- Regular consultation with key personnel to report and plan actions for open cases, including matters relating to safeguarding concerns, carrying out half-termly register checks and monitoring students whose attendance is below 90%
- All aspects of legal intervention for school attendance offences
- Advice and guidance on all matters relating to legislation and processes underpinning school attendance and pupil registration, including registration coding and off roll procedures
In addition, Surrey maintained schools will also be eligible to receive the following services which may be bought back by academies and free schools:
- Regular consultation meetings with key personnel to advise on attendance concerns for pupils who do not yet meet the criteria for legal intervention
- Support and casework for pupils with poor attendance who do not yet meet the criteria for legal intervention
- Parenting courses and intervention
- Strategic guidance and support to improve whole school attendance and reduce persistent absence
- Data analysis
- Ofsted preparation
- Bespoke initiatives to improve attendance including attendance panels and late gates
- Bespoke training for attendance managers, officers and NQTs including INSET days
- Whole school audit of attendance processes and procedures
- Addressing groups of students re attendance for example in assemblies, targeted groups and workshops
Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (EBSNA)
If your child or young person is experiencing EBSNA or school-based anxiety you may find the following webpage useful for advice, guidance and access to support.
Emotionally Based School Non-Attendance (Surrey Local Offer)
Help and contacts
If you need help in ensuring your child attends school regularly please contact the office in whose area your child's school is situated.
North East Inclusion Team
Epsom and Ewell, Elmbridge, Spelthorne Telephone: 01372 833588
South East Inclusion Team
Tandridge, Reigate and Banstead, Mole Valley Telephone: 01737 737777
South West Inclusion Team
Waverley and Guildford Telephone: 01483 517179
North West Inclusion Team
Woking, Surrey Heath and Runnymede Telephone: 01483 518130
If you are concerned that a statutory school age child (who lives in Surrey) is missing from education because they may not have a school place and are not receiving suitable alternative education provision, then please let us know by completing a children missing education form.
You can also send us your comments and compliments or complain about our services.
