Social workers to go into schools

Social workers could provide services in over two hundred
schools across the country under Government plans to have at least
one school in every local education authority offering a range of
community services by 2006, writes Amy
Taylor.

The 240 extended schools will receive funding of £52.2 m
over a three year period to provide health and social care,
childcare, lifelong learning opportunities, family learning,
parenting support and sports and the arts, it was announced last
week.

The money will initially go to the most disadvantaged areas
before being rolled out throughout the country. It is up to each
school to decide which services they spend their money on depending
on local needs.

Government guidance suggests social services could be enlisted
to help schools reduce poverty and social exclusion by targeting
initiatives towards groups such as foster children or children with
special educational needs (SEN). It is also suggests that social
care professionals could be involved in the provision of Teenage
health walk-in clinics for issues such as bullying, drugs, eating
disorders and sexual health.

Ministers say it is crucial that schools work with existing
providers and partnerships in developing social care services on
school sites.

Schools will also get additional funding for childcare, with all
LEAs getting funding for the co-ordination of childcare services by
2006.