Schools Forum 16 th September 2014

1. Appendix 1 Schools Forum 16th September 2014 Community Play Services Report Alice McColl, Strategic Development Officer for Play Preventative Services Commissioning Tel: 01225 395137 Alice_mccoll@bathnes.gov.uk

2. Services commissioned Of the 30% of families which are either subject to CPP/CHiN or have TAF/TAC involvement across the school - at least half access inclusion workers either via Playful Fridays or targeted cook it programme or through weekly support sessions. Family Play Inclusion Individual programmes of play support Close work with child, parent/carer and school. Requests for Support from schools, health visitors, social workers, police, parents In response to high demand providers now offer 4 weekly Playful Families sessions sessionsfor the most vulnerable parents with children (*Table 2 see breakdown of numbers reached through this service within each panel area)

3. Referrals for targeted play support Current focus of specification for the service is upon primary aged children. However, there has been a marked increase in requests for support for secondary aged children in 2013-14. Referrals made to Play Services September 2013-July 2014 133 identified service users reached in total (18% increase from 2012-13)

4. Services commissioned Advice/ consultancy to schools BAPP inclusion have worked with individuals and groups within the school day – supporting children in how to play and create positive friendships. Keith Ford, Head St Martins Garden Primary, Bath Support & advice on behaviour strategies & implementation, playwork training and mentoring - practical ways to improve child-led play and nurture in school.

5. Table 1 Breakdown of attendances by panel area 133 identified service users reached in total (18% increase from 2012-13) *Other includes schools out of area, colleges, pre schools, elective home education and children/young people not currently at school

6. Table 2: Breakdown of referrals to Behaviour and Attendance panels 2013-2014

7. Services commissioned Should funding be cut the impact on the school would be significant, over 50% of the school access community play rangers via Southdown, Odd Down or CombeDown Head, St Martins Garden Primary Community Play Rangers Open access play & activity sessions in parks and open spaces in areas of need. Important links made with children in their home and communityand relationships established with families. Establishment of a strong basis for effective engagement with child, parent and school. Experienced, qualified community play rangers also deliver nurture groups in schools and Family Play Inclusion work 1:1 with familiesbuilding up trust in children who see them both in the community and at school. (Table 2 see breakdown of numbers reached within each panel area)

8. Table 3Breakdown of attendance by panel area

9. The pupils have made excellent progress. The workers work very well with themand seem to know exactly how to connect with them. Welton Primary School Services commissioned Nurture groups Requests from schools for bespoke work to engage children and young people (either individually or in small group) whose attendance is poor and/or whose behaviour may lead to exclusion. Activities include - outdoor physical play, group games, child-led practical activities   Objectives include • Building children's’ confidence. • Strategies to work on behaviour from aggressive and dependent on staff to independent and self-regulating. • Encouraging positive communication skills • Activities include - Outdoor play, group games, child-led practical activities  

10. Services commissioned Nurture groups The children are loving every moment and behaviour levels have reduced substantially! “ SENCO St Michaels Primary school, Bath Case study “We facilitated Nurture Group sessions at St Michaels every Wednesday, with 10 children per week. This is a very diverse group with approximately 70% of the children receiving one to one or behaviour support during class time but this level of support was not necessary during the sessions as the lack of structure, the variety of activities and being outdoors meant we didn’t have any difficulties with behaviour. “

11. Services commissioned Measuring outcomes "This is great. It gives us a real chance to be able to observe and document the children's increase in confidence and personal skills- something we don't always get to do in the classroom. It really covers a lot of the Ofsted requirements that we constantly need to fulfil." Teacher St Phillips Primary School, Bath Using Strengths & DifficultiesQuestionnaire– schools complete Strengths & DifficultiesQuestionnaire for each child. Playworkers use a child version of the SDQ as this identifies areas for focused work and ensures the intervention is child-led. These are repeated at the end of their involvement and schools are asked to report back on any changes in behaviour or reductions in reporting of levels

12. Services commissioned Work with complex families Developing new work – responding to emerging needs • Both providers work closely in partnership with Connecting Families(delivering the Troubled Families national indicative locally) • Aims: • To reduce the impact of crime, lack of education , worklessness, and physical and mental ill health amongst the most disadvantaged families • To work in a co-ordinated way to support both families and their schools in getting the best from educational opportunities in both the school itself and the community • To work with the most disadvantaged families to ensure that they are able to create opportunities for themselves and their children to improve their lives

13. Services commissioned Children Missing Education Developing new work – responding to emerging needs Children Missing Education Approximately 30% of the children and young people referred have attendance issues at school and/or are at risk of exclusion New project to develop a nurture group for children who are not attending school Aim to support children not in school who lack of confidence to interact appropriately with other  children. Likely to also include more work with parents to help them understand how their control and anxieties are impacting on their child’s behaviour through group based family play sessions.

14. Services commissioned Providing additional capacity to schools in with other services Multi-agency working • Providers work closely with a range of services including • Schools • Children's Missing Education • Parent Support Advisors • Social Care • ASD service • Educational Psychologists • Children Centres and early years settings • School Nurses • Health visitors • Police • Housing

15. It is very useful to be able to rely on WPA professionals who the students view as nothing to do with school. Very often, the students are able to open up to the playworkers in a way that they feel unable to do with people associated with school. (Wellsway sch) Secondary Schools demand increase 50% increase in requests for support from May-July 2014. • Play services lend additional capacity to schools to make contact with children and their families out of school. • Introduction of a holistic approach to schools staff - developing focus from on issues beyond school. • Increased awareness by school staff of attachment issues and how past trauma can impact on ability to learn. • Acting as an enabler to bring services together