 University of Oxford recommends 'multi-agency working'
A University of Oxford report has recommended a ‘multi-agency working’ approach to support children and schools, similar to that of Gloucestershire County Council’s TALC programme.
A report by the renowned university investigates the potential new and heightened risks for school exclusions following the Covid-19 pandemic.
TALC is a multi-agency approach to supporting schools, giving them an open forum to refer their concerns to.
Examples within the report ‘highlight the need for multi-agency working’, and ‘suggestions for creating multi-agency clinics for schools to refer concerns to’.
The report, produced by Harry Daniels, Ian Thompson, Jill Porter, Alice Tawell and Hilary Emery, states: “There were calls for the development of a strategy across services and effective signposting to guidance on self-referrals, together with suggestions for creating multi-agency clinics for schools to refer concerns to, with a rapid response system for children who fall below the traditional threshold for formal service support.
“These measures would support understanding the problem holistically and the challenges people face, and adopting a contextual safeguarding approach.”
The report, published in 2020, also highlighted ‘the importance of rebuilding relationships and trust’ and ‘of making school spaces feel safe’.
Part of this includes training teachers to understand the nature and impact of trauma, and to more confidently interpret and understand trauma related behaviours.
This approach is supported by the county council’s Restorative Practice Team, who are working with a number of schools to embed Trauma Informed Relational Practice (TIRP) to build resilience and promote inclusion in our school communities.
In producing the report, the authors spoke to 70 people from 26 Local Authorities, with views from health, education, criminal justice, Local Authority Teams, and voluntary organisations heard.
It asked these groups the following three questions:
- What are the heightened risks for exclusion as schools restart? Which students are at risk?
- How can we mitigate these risks? Who needs to act, when and how?
- What is happening to currently excluded students including where there is no alternative provision?
The report added: “There will not be quick fix solutions to the complex challenges that will be faced over a sustained period of time.
“Success will depend on dedicated thoughtful professional endeavour that is persistent in the face of considerable demands and pressures.
“It will also involve listening to the voices of children, young people and their families.”
To find out more about the TALC programme, visit https://www.glosfamiliesdirectory.org.uk/kb5/gloucs/glosfamilies/family.page?familychannel=3_2_10. To read to the report in full, visit http://www.education.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/Daniels-et-al.-2020_School-Exclusion-Risks-after-COVID-19.pdf.
To find out more about Restorative Practice and TIRP, visit https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/education-and-learning/restorative-practice-in-gloucestershire/
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