Preston

Education Partnership Officer  

Alison Walsh  

Period  

Autumn October 24  

Priority  

Develop a partnership approach to increase the number of young people accessing education, employment or training post-16.  

Intended Outcomes  

  • Reduce the number of 'Not Knowns', young people whose post 16 status is unknown to the LA.
  • Increase the number of YP engaging in positive post 16 EET- including the Investing in Youth programme. 
  • Engage Preston Schools careers leads in the project to share good practice and identify gaps. 
  • Engage Preston primary schools in the work also, looking at preventative work and raising aspirations. 

Activity last period  

  • Autumn term meeting held with schools and wide range of partners.
  • Update from Invest In Youth programme funded with UKSPF. Data so far shared with group and referral, capacity etc.
  • Continued linking with the Post 16 team and Youth Futures at LCC to ensure alignment with county action plan.
  • Alignment with the Preston Youth Strategy- in particular the element 'Future'- how this working group can support the Youth Strategy objectives and action plan.
  • All schools have been invited to be members of the Preston Youth Forum

Planned Activity Next Period

  • Questionnaire for schools around their experience of pupils' work experience. This will feed into discussions being held under the Preston Youth Strategy.
  • Data and findings from the County 'Shout' survey of YR10 thoughts around Transition to be shared with the group.
  • Findings from the NATCEN research project shared with the group.

Impact so far  

  • 6 successful meetings held with 5 schools, 2 colleges and 10 different partners.
  • Schools reported feeling that the meetings were beneficial and supportive.
  • Good working links made between the LCC Youth Futures team and Preston City Council.
  • 4 secondary schools are linked with Preston City Council for latest vacancies and opportunities.
  • 14 schools received the Primary School resources.
  • Presentation developed for use with all youth providers.

 Exit Strategy  

    • This priority is expected to run into the 24/25 academic year. 
    • The ambition is that careers leads in schools will be supported by a range of partners across the district to better support young people in making career choices post 16. A wide range of provision is known about and utilised. 
    • Schools are linked to the Preston Youth Strategy objectives around 'future'.

Priority

Work with schools and multi-agency partners to explore factors contributing to school avoidance across Preston, including anxiety around school and wider emotional health and wellbeing support for children, young people and families.

Intended Outcomes

      • To identify some of the reasons why children are struggling to attend school.
      • Link schools to partners in the district who can support with school avoidance.
      • Develop, in partnership, a mental health pathways Document across providers for schools to use when making referrals into MH services.
      • Align the work with the Preston Youth Forum and Preston Youth Strategy, the objectives of 'Be Healthy' and 'Be Ready for the Future'.

Activity Last Period

      • Data from the Attendance Team and from the EHE Team referred to, gathering the scale of the issue across Preston.
      • Initial multi agency meeting for school avoidance with 3 high schools and 5 partners.
      • Themes identified: anxiety and emotional health, undiagnosed ASD, waiting lists for CAMHs, transitions and supporting parents with that process.
      • Discussion with Compass Bloom around the MH offers for schools and the providers who are commissioned to work across Preston.
      • Multi- agency pathways meeting held with 11 MH providers.
      • Linked the Preston Youth Forum with the Schools Senior Mental Health Lead (SMHL) network to update about the MH objective within the Preston Youth Strategy.

Planned Activity Next Period

      • Attendance team to clarify Section 19 position and feedback to group.
      • MH pathways meeting in collaboration with Compass Bloom and aligned with Preston Youth Forum.
      • Meeting with CFW about transition work with parents, raise this with Larches and the Bridge transition programme.
      • Compass Bloom to explore more effective referral into MH providers.

Impact So Far

Initial meeting held and themes identified.

Exit Strategy

Partners will be aware of the main themes leading to school avoidance and absenteeism across Preston. Schools will be updated about the offers available to them and partnership work to support the issues.

Schools will feel supported in the mental health offer across Preston. They will know what's available to them across the district and who to refer to, when. The MH pathways document will be in place for all schools.