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Define Fine Parent Peer Support for children with School Attendance Difficulties

Define Fine has been created by a small, committed team of parents and professionals who have lived experience of school attendance difficulties 

 We are a parent/carer-led organisation set up in response to the growing number of children and young people who experience school attendance difficulties. This is sometimes referred to as ‘school refusal’, or emotionally based school avoidance and may be due to unmet Special Educational Needs & Disabilities including physical or mental illness, either suspected or diagnosed, bullying or issues relating to academic pressure, or even the school environment.

We provide peer support, using our tried and tested resources and to help parents advocate for the support their children and young people need to be able to learn and achieve. We hope to build up our growing network of peer supporters, who we can train to use our guides for their own family and ultimately to then help other families experiencing attendance difficulties.

Empowering parents to be able to effectively work with professionals, should encourage not only earlier intervention, with much better outcomes, but also reduce the risk and impact of unhelpful, and unnecessary attendance prosecutions and social services  safeguarding interventions. It is vital that children, young people and their families receive appropriate support, and especially in cases where professionals insist children are “fine in school, “ all are clear as to how fine is actually defined.

For us “fine in school” would mean that children are safe, healthy, happy and their needs are acknowledged and supported to able to access suitable education and learn.

We have co-produced the following guidance, based on relevant and up to date government guidance and policy which forms the basis of our support framework.  We have had some success already in working with parents and professionals to develop suitable Support Plans to enable s children to  access a suitable education. 

 

http://definefine.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/NFISDefine-Fine-Schools-Guide-Summary-V3.pdf

 

 https://www.facebook.com/groups/773420163493553

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/Define-Fine-Parent-Peer-Support-for-School-Attendance-Difficulties-112641363942639

 

Who to contact

Contact Name
Louise Engels
Contact Position
Co founder – Define Fine
E-mail
louise@definefine.org.uk
Website
Define Fine

Where to go

Name
National Facebook Support Group

Other Details

Costs

Table of costs
Table of costs
AmountCost Type
Free
Details
. Free peer support. Some advocacy and individual support may be available by donation https://www.facebook.com/groups/773420163493553

Availability

Referral required
No
Referral Details

Parents please request to join our facebook group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/773420163493553

 

Professionals and Parents please see our website for further information

http://definefine.org.uk

 

Other notes

We are currently a national Facebook group

We are inclusive and supportive of all parents and carers of children who struggle to attend school, usually due to unmet SEND needs.