Student & Family Support (SAFS)

Commissioned by B&NES Council to support primary and secondary students to engage positively in mainstream education

What is the Student and Family Support Service (SAFS)?

SAFS provides tailored packages supporting school reintegration, Fair Access and preventative work to help young people stay in mainstream education. This may be needed for a variety of reasons, including mental health, poor attendance and behavioural issues, following a period of home education or a period with the hospital education service.

This student-focused service has a key role to play in narrowing the gap and reducing inequalities in outcomes for local children and young people facing significant challenges.

How does SAFS work?

Students - are matched with a skilled Mentoring Practitioner to support their transition back into mainstream education over an initial 16-week period. Our practitioners create a tailored intervention that can enable students to re-engage with education. Students can also access additional positive activities through Mentoring Plus to support their continued engagement with education.

Schools -  benefit from support and coordination from the Mentoring Practitioner during the period, alongside additional professional development opportunities accessed via the B&NES Behaviour and Attendance Panels.

Families - also benefit from support from a Mentoring Practitioner, who will help them access wider support.

Positive impact of SAFS

Increased attendance in school

Students reintegrate successfully back into school and attend regularly. Pupils are motivated and engaged in their education, increasingly enjoying learning with confidence

Interested

Pupils are fully involved and informed regarding their intervention, and so are their families.

Parents/carers are supported

Parents/carers are supported and positively engaged with the SAFS service, their child’s education and school.

Improved wellbeing

Pupils have improved emotional wellbeing and resilience.

Supporting schools' strategies

Schools develop strategies for supporting individual children/young people to sustain the student's attendance and positive engagement with school.

Supporting schools

Schools build capacity to support children and young people who may have been disaffected with their education or affected by other challenges.

Referral process

Referrals for the service are submitted by schools via the B&NES Behaviour and Attendance Panels. Students may be eligible for the service if they meet the following criteria:

  • Students eligible for Fair Access support
  • Students reintegrating into education.

Parents or careers keen to access the service for their child should contact their school directly.

Schools wishing to refer through the Panels should email Chloe Snook or call 01225 395314. 

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