1. Working with Parents/Carers and Communities Great Yarmouth College

2. Context What’s going on locally:
Mental Health and anxiety - approximately 1120 young people estimated to have a mental health condition and a similar number for emotional and behavioural problems (Mind, 2015)
Great Yarmouth and Waveney Clinical Commissioning Group has the highest percentage of young people (0-17yrs) self-harming per 100,000 population (Mind 2015)
Panorama report
Increasing gang culture and use of weapons reported by Police
NEET – 4.3% Great Yarmouth (SEND/Parent/Pregnancy/Mental Health)
Our aim:
Positive futures – development of the whole person with Individual as key focus
Staff wellness linked to student achievement
Identifying imbalance in wellbeing and mental health and finding positive solutions to address this

3. Benefits of parent/carer engagement
Research suggests that parent/carer engagement has a positive impact of student achievement and the development of the education provider. However, the engagement generally diminishes as student age increases and is more evident at higher academic levels. This research suggests that engagement is impacted by socio- economic status, health and the educational attainment of the maternal figure.
Professor Charles Desforges with Alberto Abouchaar 2003

4. What are the risks of low parent/ carer engagement?
Working in groups, identify the risks in your settings
Discuss and put those
ideas on paper/post it notes

5. Lack of engagement with parents/carers…risks include:
NEET and reduced positive economic contribution
Reduced labour market and sustainability for local business
Homelessness
Substance misuse
Domestic violence/abuse – unhealthy relationships
Higher rate of pregnancy
Mental Health issues including isolation, anxiety and lowe self esteem
Crime/ASB
Exploitation

6. What are your challenges?
Working in groups, identify the challenges in your own setting
Write down thoughts on paper/post it notes
Are there any similarities?

7. Challenges identified by GYC
Low attendance for some aspects of study programme – importance of root cause analysis
Financial problems at home
High/low expectations of parents and young people
Generational low achievement
Difficulty in engaging some parents/carers
Information sharing amongst professionals

8. What is working well at GYC
Progression and Wellbeing Programme
Respect campaign

9. What is working well at GYC
Building positive communities - British and college values
Self esteem and building resilience
Partnership working
Team working to engage with parents and young people
Restorative approaches
ProMonitor ILP
Mentoring and transition
Student voice and involvement
Focus on positive wellbeing
Responsive to local trends
Inclusion before exclusion

10. Community values

11. Student Involvement Part of induction…

12. Current activities
Discuss in groups, things you have tried to engage parents and young people, what has worked well, what hasn’t worked so well

13. GYC activities and ideas in progress
Bespoke sessions for parents in academic sessions – e.g. English and Maths
Parent/carer involvement in inclusion and disciplinary process – links to progression and wellbeing advisors
Progress evenings/reports/welcome information/texts/termly update on college activities
Moodle training
Parents page on website for generic resources and information
Wellbeing events for parents and families
Progression and wellbeing tutorial sessions for parents/carers
Webinars
Positive reinforcement cards/postcards sent home to highlight positive elements of students achievements
Building positive community sessions with college and partners
Increased opportunity for families to engage with social action and community based sessions
Increased transition opportunities for mainstream students with SEND/anxiety
Use of social media: , Facebook, Twitter, WhatsApp
Community events

14. PREVENT/British values video

15. Any questions?