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Supporting Parent Carers to find solutions for school attendance difficulties

Define Fine is a national parent carer led peer support organisation. Our team all have lived experience of children and young people with school attendance difficulties, sometimes referred to as EBSA: Emotionally Based School Avoidance - linked to
unmet Special Educational Needs & Disabilities including physical or mental health, either suspected or diagnosed, bullying, issues relating to academic pressure, or even the school environment.

Our tried and tested support model is based on current relevant government guidance and research enable parent carers and professionals to work together from the earliest signs that a child or young person is experiencing barriers to education.

OUR SUPPORT OFFER

Guidance and Resources

Our Barriers to Education guide is based on statutory and other government guidance to enable parent carers and professionals to work together to find solutions around attendance difficulties.
We also share links to useful information and research from trusted sources.

Parent Peer Support and Advocacy

We provide peer support for parent carers through our closed Facebook Group, webinars , Q&A sessions and some direct 1:1 support and advocacy. We aim to empower our members with an understanding of the relevant government guidance so they can advocate for their own children and young people.

Training and Consultancy

We provide training and consultancy to Professionals, Parent Carer Forums, SENDiass, Mental health and SEND support groups, local authorities, ICB's and other organisations.
We have two CPD accredited webinars with Q&A sessions which can be tailored to requirements.

Parent Peer Support for School Attendance Difficulties and Barriers to Education

Empowering parents to be able to effectively work with professionals should encourage not only earlier intervention, with much better outcomes.
Most of our children and young people want to attend school but just can’t. They may have barriers to education that need to be acknowledged and understood. Only then can an effective, evidence based plan can be made.It is vital that children, young people and their families receive appropriate support, and especially in cases where professionals insist children are “fine in school, “ all are clear as to how fine is actually defined.

For us “fine in school” would mean that children are safe, healthy, happy and their needs are acknowledged and supported to be able to access suitable education and learn.
In our Facebook Group we have regular webinars for advice and support with Question and Answer sessions led by our Define Fine Team, and in collaboration with other colleagues.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

The impact of barriers to education.

School attendance difficulties can be difficult to understand. Our children and young people at at risk of school distress, burn out and even trauma which can then have an impact on the whole family.

Some professionals are at a loss to know how to help.
Some parent carers are referred onto parenting courses, and or to Early help, only to find that the support they are offered isn't suitable for these kinds of difficulties.

Others report being blamed, with unhelpful formal attendance proscution proceedings or MASH referrals.

Parent Peer Support for School Attendance Difficulties

We are here to support parent carers and professionals to find solutions for children and young people who struggle with school attendance difficulties. The sooner we work together to work out why school is so difficult for them, the sooner we can plan a way forward.

Most of our children and young people want to attend school but just can’t. They may have barriers to attendance that need to be acknowledged and understood. Only then can an effective plan can be made.

In our Facebook Group we have regular Webinars for advice and support with Question and Answer sessions led by our Define Fine Team, and in collaboration with other colleagues.

JOIN US ON FACEBOOK

Is my child really fine in school?

Unless you have experienced extreme school refusal or attendance difficulties it is hard to understand the situation. The whole family can be affected both on a practical or emotional level. One parent may not be able to continue to go to work. Maybe there are other children who need to get to school by a certain time and are delayed. It can be really hard to see a child expressing their distress responses at not coping with school attendance

Some professionals are at a loss to know how to help. They may try to help with advice based on their understanding or opinions. Really plans should be child led, and evidence based approaches. So many of our parents report being referred onto parenting courses, and or to Early help, only to find that the support they are offered aren’t suitable for these kinds of difficulties. It's important to work with professionals and share recommendations for exploring the issues and in making a plan.

SUPPORT, TRAINING AND CONSULTANCY

We support Parent Carers and offer training, consultancy and case management to Professionals and Support Organisations

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