Education support for looked after children

Education Liaison Support Service (ELSS)

The Education Liaison Support Service (ELSS) is available to support all children and young people of school age who are looked after by Herefordshire.

ELSS aims to:

• Ensure the educational needs of these children are met by improving their life chances.
• Monitor and encourage access to appropriate educational opportunities.
• Help carers to raise children’s expectations and achievements.
• Help carers to build children’s self confidence and self esteem.
• Work with the fostering service and social work teams to give a high priority to meeting educational needs.

Support from ELSS is available to anyone who has day to day care of a child or young person looked after by Herefordshire.

What does the Service Offer?

Advice and Support: We offer advice, guidance and support on educational matters to carers, parents and children who are looked after. We encourage carers to speak up on behalf of the children.

Direct Work: We are able to work directly with a small number of students on an individual or small group basis. (All requests for individual work must be made with the agreement of the social worker and those with parental responsibility).

Good Parent: We offer support to people acting as parents of children or young people who are looked after, encouraging them to become actively involved in the education of children in their care.

Individual Support Packages: We are able to co-ordinate and help resource bespoke multi-agency packages for individuals who have identified, but not statemented, educational needs. We may be able to fund specific, targeted work with some statemented children.

Information: We are able to provide carers with regularly updated information about schools, the education system, admission and assessment procedures, end of key stage assessments and examinations.

Resources: We can offer carers the opportunity to buy stationery and educational equipment at reduced costs. We also provide a loans library of CDs and books to support a child’s education. We also fund school trips linked to the national curriculum.

Training: We offer training to carers about education initiatives and legal changes affecting schools. We also raise awareness with school staff of particular issues about children who are looked after, who attend their school.

If you would like more information, please contact:

Education Liaison Co-ordinator
Education Liaison Support Service
41 Southbank Road
Hereford.
HR1 2TL

Tel: 01432 373229
Fax:  01432 273998