School attendance rates in North Lanarkshire have seen significant improvement due to the support provided to local families. The latest report on North Lanarkshire Council’s Resilient People Programme, which encompasses a variety of support services offered to families by the council and partner organisations, highlights the positive outcomes achieved.
Organisations such as Barnardo’s Scotland, Action for Children, Impact Arts, and Home-Start deliver a comprehensive family support service at the Newmains and St Brigid’s community hub. This support includes one-on-one sessions, group activities, drop-in sessions, family outings, and holiday activities. Over the period from April to July, this service worked with 24 families, successfully preventing social work intervention in nine cases.
Many of the families supported faced challenges such as poor school relationships and poverty. To address these issues, the service focuses on providing tailored assistance and is working towards offering direct payments through Barnardo’s. Impact Arts is also implementing projects like peer mentoring and community engagement across North Lanarkshire.
School attendance rates have shown improvement, especially in additional support needs and early years education. Schools have enhanced their attendance tracking systems and utilised data to pinpoint reasons for absenteeism. Family support engagement workers have played a vital role in supporting families, enhancing attendance levels in 56% of cases.
Support workers specialising in neurodivergence offer assistance at home, in the community, and at school, resulting in fewer referrals to other services like social work. A project catering to disengaged students transitioning from primary to secondary school has seen a high success rate. Additionally, activities held in partnership with local organisations have encouraged educational engagement among approximately 1,000 children.
Kinship carers, who look after children with additional needs, have received increased support from the council, with the Virtual School programme aiding 38 children. This support has led to positive outcomes, with only one young person in kinship care being excluded from school and five S4 pupils achieving National 3 and 4 awards.
The report detailing these achievements was approved during a council meeting, showcasing the impact of collaborative efforts in supporting North Lanarkshire families.
Insights and Summary:
The support provided to families in North Lanarkshire through the Resilient People Programme demonstrates the positive outcomes that can be achieved through community partnerships and personalised assistance. The focus on addressing a wide range of challenges faced by families, including school relationships, poverty, and neurodivergence, highlights the holistic approach taken towards improving school attendance and overall well-being. By offering direct support, tailored interventions, and engaging activities, local organisations are making a tangible difference in the lives of families and children in the area. The success stories shared in the report underscore the importance of ongoing support services in promoting educational engagement and social inclusion.