Skip to content ↓
Dacorum Education Support Centre

Dacorum Education Support Centre

Outreach

The Outreach Team are specialist support workers who provide intervention provision in mainstream schools for learners with social emotional and behavioural difficulties.  We support schools in promoting the positive behaviour of learners.  We are a County Service, funded by the Local Education Authority.   We work with schools in the Dacorum area.

We provide early intervention for children with emotional and behavioural difficulties and support for colleagues in schools.   We aim to reduce the need for permanent exclusions from mainstream schools, and develop positive, honest relationships with our partner schools.

As an organisation we recognise that the needs of individual children within their schools differ widely and so, we offer a broad and flexible range of services. The requirements of the children and schools change, so can the nature of our intervention provision.

What can we offer?

When a learner is referred to us, a variety of options may be offered.  Each intervention is personalised for the learner and may include;

  • Individual behaviour programme with a specific focus 
  • Group work; social skills, friendship groups etc
  • Transition Programme (KS1, KS2, KS3)
  • Staff training
  • Circle of friends/peer support
  • Solution focused circle
  • Reintegration support
  • Managed move support
  • Whole class programmes
  • Intensive locality packages
  • Sign posting / working with other agencies
  • EHM input
  • Support with statutory assessment paperwork
  • Drop in sessions
  • Observation, advice and strategies for school staff
  • Support for school staff through regular communication, planning and discussion
  • Lego groups, Year 2 upwards

This is not an exhaustive list and we are continually developing our work with schools and professional partners.

How can support be accessed?

School completes a DESC Outreach and Therapeutic Services Referral form, sent directly to DESC  

School will be sent a DESC Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). When this is returned, the child will be placed on our waiting list, ready for allocation

School will be contacted and an appointment made to meet with the appropriate school representative to gather information and observe the child

Where appropriate, parent/carers meet with DESC staff and a member of school staff to outline support

A partnership plan is provided outlining specific targets for the intervention, the role of school, parents and DESC in the intervention

The intervention starts.  Weekly feedback is provided to schools via an online summary

At week 6, the intervention is reviewed and other support is considered

At week 10, a final DBQ is sent to school and once returned to DESC, impact data can be gathered

At week 12, a review meeting is arranged on completion of the programme to discuss progress and next steps. This is then sent to school in an end plan (including impact data if the final DBQ has been returned)

 

Kathryn Girdlestone, Outreach and Therapeutic Services Lead
kgirdlestone@desc.herts.sch.uk  Mobile: 07496 824770

     Telephone: 01442 247476  (Option 1)