THE EDUCATION WELFARE SERVICE

The Education Welfare Service in the Isle of Wight was returned to local authority control in January 2003. For the previous two years it had been one of the 16 national pilots where management had been devolved to schools. The current establishment is a Principal Education Welfare Officer (responsible for the co-ordination, integration and administration of the service as a whole), an Assistant to the Principal, five Education Welfare Officers, and five part-time Education Welfare Assistants.

At present one Education Welfare Officer and one Education Welfare Assistant are allocated to a school cluster. (A school cluster being defined as a high school and its principle feeder middle and primary schools.) The Education Welfare Service is the link between home and school and works closely with parents, Head Teachers and staff on all matters that affect the welfare of children. This includes giving advice to schools, parents and pupils as well as undertaking individual casework.

The service also works closely with other professionals and agencies, both statutory and voluntary, which are concerned with child welfare. These include the Probation Service, Police, Housing Managers, Social Services Department, Department of Health and Social Security, NSPCC, etc.