Reducing Barriers to Education (RBTE) - Attendance Support

Support is available for children and young people in Salford who experience barriers to school or college engagement and attendance. We know the earlier difficulties are identified and support is put in place, the more successful we can be in developing their access to education and ongoing life experiences.

Collaboration between the following services provides support to schools/colleges, parents/carers, children and young people.

  • School Attendance Team
  • Educational Psychology Service (EPS)
  • Early Help Team (including Early Help School Co-ordinators, Salford School Partnership (SSP), Early Help and Family Help Practitioners)
  • SEND Leaders
  • Primary Inclusion Team (PIT)
  • Learning Support Service (LSS)
  • Autism and Social Communication (ASC) Team
  • Salford CAMHS and iReach
  • Place2Be and 42nd Street
  • Barnardo's Attendance Mentors (Watchtower Project)
  • Salford Parent Carer Forum and SIASS
  • Salford Youth Service

Reducing Barriers to Education Attendance Support Guidance 2026-27 includes recommended approaches to support prevention, early intervention and targeted support (for both emerging concerns and extended non-attendance). For a copy of the guidance please email [email protected]

Barriers to Education Project and WARMTH Principles

Salford EPS is part of The Barriers to Education Project – which has worked with families and a wide multiagency team to develop guidance to support children and young people who experience barriers to attendance and accessing their education. This has led to the development of the Barriers to Education website: Welcome to Barriers to Education.

This project has drawn upon the research evidence to develop the WARMTH framework which is included within Salford’s guidance and approach to supporting school attendance difficulties. The core principles of this work recognise that young people want to do well and to support this, the right support needs to be in place at the right time

Key messages and WARMTH Principles

  1. Can't, not won't - children do well if they can.
  2. Preventing and responding to attendance difficulties needs to be a whole school approach. Early intervention is key.
  3. Support first. Build trust and work with families.
  4. Prioritise wellbeing and address wider wellbeing needs (belonging, friendships, self-identity) - this supports access to learning.
  5. Children and young people's views needs to be central, and plans to be agreed at their pace.

WARMTH stands for:

  • W - Wellbeing First
  • A - Affirming Practice
  • R - Relational Approach
  • M - Mutual Understanding and Partnership
  • T - Timely Response
  • H - Holistic Support

Key principles of the WARMTH approach:

  1. Can't, not won't - children do well if they can.
  2. Preventing and responding to attendance difficulties needs to be a whole school approach. Early intervention is key.
  3. Support first. Build trust and work with families.
  4. Prioritise wellbeing and address wider wellbeing needs (belonging, friendships, self-identity) - this supports access to learning.
  5. Children and young people's views needs to be central, and plans to be agreed at their pace.

Virtual Problem-Solving Sessions for schools and colleges

Virtual problem solving session with a multiagency team are available for school/ college staff on Microsoft Teams every month. You can bring a case/ concern to problem solve anonymously. All below dates can be booked via [email protected] 

Autumn term dates for Virtual Problem-Solving Sessions for schools and colleges:

  • Wednesday 23 September 2026, 2.30pm to 3.30pm
  • Wednesday 21 October 2026, 2.30pm to 3.30pm
  • Wednesday 18 November 2026, 2.30pm to 3.30pm
  • Wednesday 9 December, 2.30pm to 3.30pm

Training for schools and colleges

Training for individual schools can be requested via EPS Planning Meetings and Thrive in Education Meetings, or by emailing: [email protected]  

Virtual Drop-Ins for Professionals in services supporting schools

Virtual Drop-Ins for professionals in services supporting schools are held on the fourth Tuesday of every month (9am to 10am). These sessions are delivered by a multiagency team including Educational Psychology, Early Help School Co-ordinator and SEND Leaders. For the Microsoft Team invite please email [email protected] 

Dates for Virtual Drop-Ins for professionals in services supporting schools:

  • Tuesday 29 September 2026, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 20 October 2026, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 24 November 2026, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 15 December 2026, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 26 January 2027, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 23 February 2027, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 23 March 2027, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 27 April 2027, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 18 May 2027, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 29 June 2027, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 20 July 2027, 9am to 10am
  • Tuesday 24 August 2027, 9am to 10am

We understand that attendance difficulties are stressful for the whole family and following positive feedback, will be running parent/carer meetings again this year. 

These are an opportunity to meet other families and to understand the support available for children and young people in Salford.

The sessions are run by members of the Educational Psychology Service, Salford Parent/Carer Forum and guests from multi-agency teams.  

Dates for monthly Virtual Parent/Carer drop-ins on Microsoft Teams:

  • Wednesday 16 September 2026, 7pm to 8pm
  • Wednesday 14 October 2026, 10am to 12pm
  • Wednesday 11 November 2026, 10am to 12pm
  • Wednesday 9 December 2026, 10am to 12pm
  • Wednesday 13 January 2027, 10am to 12pm
  • Wednesday 10 February 2027, 7pm to 8pm
  • Wednesday 10 March 2027, 10am to 12pm
  • Wednesday 21 April 2027, 10am to 12pm
  • Wednesday 12 May 2027, 10am to 12pm
  • Wednesday 9 June 2027, 7pm to 8pm
  • Wednesday 7 July 2027, 10am to 12pm

We have also included information about other types of support for you and your child at the bottom of this page. 

To book your place, please email: [email protected] 

Parents who have attended tell us:

"I have found these sessions really supportive."

"It was useful to meet the professionals and services involved." 

"Feeling a sense of not being alone."

Date Time Where
Wednesday 24 September 2025 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 15 October 2025 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 12 November 2025 7pm to 8pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Thursday 11 December 2025 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 14 January 2026 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 11 February 2026 7pm to 8pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 11 March 2026 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 1 April 2026 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 6 May 2026 7pm to 8pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 10 June 2026 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams
Wednesday 8 July 2026 10am to 12pm Virtual on Microsoft Teams

All documents and resources are available on the Padlet website where you can find further information and the most up to date guidance: 

  • Attendance Graduated Response Document: Sets out expectations for the schools and the Local Authority.
  • Reducing Barriers to Education. Attendance Support 2026-27: Details the universal and targeted support available in Salford, and how to access this.
  • Parent/ Carer Support Overview 2026-27: Includes dates for monthly parent/carer drop ins and other support available for families.
  • Tools for gathering families views and templates: These support the development of individual support plans (Early Identification of Needs Tool, Mapping the Landscape, Card Sort).
  • Build up Timetables (BUTTs): Ensure any use of build-up timetables is clearly recorded and submitted to the LA (School attendance team) 
  • SA Action Plans: Are required for any child or young person where attendance is below 50%, but can be used earlier to support robust assess-plan-do-review cycles. 

Local Offer

Reducing Barriers to Education Attendance. Support For Parents and Carers 2026-27

Downloadable documents

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