I’m an Attendance Adviser and BDSIP’s DSL. I was inspired to join BDSIP because of their enthusiasm for what I could bring to their vision for the organisation, one which prioritises high quality support for schools and young people.
My role involves meeting with Attendance leads in schools to support with their Attendance processes, develop plans for their Persistently Absent students and explore the reasons for the absences and what interventions could be beneficial to improve each child’s attendance. When school’s interventions haven’t improved attendance, they can utilise more bespoke support and identify ways to work with parents. I work with schools to manage a caseload of PA children and use a variety of methods to support and encourage parents to improve their situation and ensure their children attend school much more frequently. It’s always a proud moment when my schools have improved processes, parental engagement and attendance, especially when they are happy and confident with their school outcomes and their place within school. I have an interest in engaging with the community and have a degree in Youth and Community Work which has allowed me to apply some of the psychological theories studied into my own practice. Whilst working for Essex County Council I helped shape changes in youth provision and managed a variety of youth projects including the Duke of Edinburgh Award.
As the BDSIP Safeguarding Lead my colleagues report any safeguarding concerns to me and I work closely with my attendance team colleagues to deliver half-termly Attendance Networks and training to LBBD school staff.
I believe that every child and young person deserves the right to all the opportunities available and shouldn’t be held back because of their circumstances. Interested in understanding the root causes of problems and identifying the why for patterns of behaviour, I can work with schools to implement strategies to make necessary changes and help improve attendance and engagement for stakeholders.
