WASGAP Talk by Liz Swarbrick of L.A.C.E.R.
At WASGAP's October meeting Liz Swarbrick talked about her work with the Looked After
Children Educational Resource team. She is the co-ordinator for the north of the county
and is based at the Birches in Bromsgrove. Her counterpart in the south is Helen Hill who
is based at the Pines in Worcester.
She explained that LACER provides an enhancement to existing services. Their work is to
support 'looked after children' who have been excluded from school or are experiencing
behavioural difficulties; 'looked after children' who need additional support in order to
help them fulfill their individual learning potential; and children, who are experiencing
difficulties in education, where a Core Assessment indicates that additional support is
needed to maintain them in their families.
The team works on a rapid response, short-term basis. They may provide direct teaching
support, or support with professionals working with 'looked after children'. After a short
meeting with those involved with a particular child, a support plan for the next few weeks
is put in place and reviewed after 5 weeks, unless there is reason to do so earlier.
Input may continue for a second half term, but as it is intrinsically short term, an exit
strategy is being devised from the outset. The team works with pre-school children.
Support with older children may be in the form of mentoring or advocacy. A recent initiative
is the GO FAR PROJECT, which aims to support more 'looked after children' to attain 5 A - Cs
at GCSE.
An aspect, though limited, of the team's work is teacher inset and initial teacher training.
Overall, Liz explained that she felt they had developed a way of delivering effective
provision, given their limited resources, and the fact that they were complementing existing
provision.
Liz has a good understanding of the educational and emotional needs of 'looked after children'
and an appreciation that adopted children are on the same continuum. She was very sympathetic
to the views of the meeting that there was a need for equivalent support for adopted children.
Liz Swarbrick can be contacted on 01527 578410. Her colleague in Worcester, Helen Hill, can be contacted
on 01905 455319.
Sue
WASGAP COMMITTEE
6/10/03
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