Targeted youth support (TYS) redesigning services: Supporting transition at Key Stage 3

Contact:

arich@cityofworcester.gov.uk

Provider:

Training and Development Agency

Topics:

Targeted youth support

Type:

Emerging practice

Date:

December 2006

Region:

West Midlands

Issue

There is a history of successful integrated working in Worcester to support families with young children, but services for young people were not well integrated. There was little continuity between services for the two age groups at Key Stage 2 to Key Stage 3 as primary children move up into secondary school.

Background

An integrated service worker, based in a community centre in a deprived area of Worcester, is bringing together services supporting families with young children.

A social and emotional aspects of learning (SEAL) programme is operating in primary schools in Worcester for targeted children. SEAL offers space to develop interpersonal skills and attitudes, increase productivity and attendance in school and gives support in a learning environment. The benefits of this programme were being lost in the transition from primary to secondary school.

A multi-agency support team (MAST) was set up in the secondary school in the pathfinder area of East Worcester at the same time as the start of the targeted youth support (TYS) change process. MAST supports children and young people with additional needs through integrated service provision.

MAST includes representatives from educational psychology, family support social care, the youth inclusion support panel, child and adolescent mental health services and educational welfare officers. MAST found that the key information to support pupils' transition to secondary school was not being picked up.

Actions prompted by TYS

Research during the early stages of the TYS change process identified that good practice was taking place, but improvements could be made to the Key Stage 3 transition between primary and secondary school. A TYS change team, including an extended schools coordinator, school link inspector, behaviour support and educational welfare staff, was formed to look at this issue.

The change team encouraged the integrated service worker, SEAL and MAST to set up regular meetings to share information about families and develop support for young people identified with additional needs at the Key Stage 3 transition.

Benefits and results

The collaboration and regular communication between the integrated service worker, SEAL and MAST has already led to improved outcomes for young offenders. For example, a boy who set fire to his primary school was well supported through the Key Stage 3 transition and, as a result, is now happy and settled in his secondary school and involved in positive activities through the youth service.

The TYS change team has decided to continue meeting in order to explore the roll-out of learning around transition throughout the authority.

In addition the integrated service manager and EWOs, who work in either primary or secondary schools, are now meeting regularly to discuss individuals and families of mutual concern across the authority

The impact of the changes will be assessed using the existing outcome measures, such as youth offending and school attainment.

TheTYS pathfinder has brought together service providers to support the additional needs of children and young people. Collaboration between practitioners has improved significantly and early intervention is impacting positively on the wellbeing and achievement of children and young people

Angie Rich, Worcester City Council coordinator for TYS good practice

The LA

Worcestershire is a large two tier shire authority. The TYS pathfinder is focussing on a rural area and two deprived urban sites. The authority's statistical neighbours include Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, West Sussex, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Cheshire, East Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Bedfordshire, Shropshire.

Click to read more case studies on redesigning services to help young people with particular needs.

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Last updated on 01/12/2006