First steps (BTEd)

The Schools' Welcome Pack is a downloadable digital resource designed to support Suffolk schools in promoting belonging, engagement, and attendance among children and young people (CYP) facing barriers to education. It includes tailored sections for Early Years, Secondary, and Post-16 settings, offering practical tools and guidance for spotting early signs of disengagement and implementing support strategies.

The Suffolk Staff Toolkit is a downloadable digital resource designed to support school staff in identifying and addressing barriers that prevent children and young people from fully engaging in education. It promotes relational and inclusive practice through frameworks like WARMTH and Therapeutic Thinking, and offers practical tools such as attendance action plans, transition strategies, and co-production guidance with families. The toolkit includes EBSA-specific resources, the graduated response model, and links to specialist services including SEND support, mental health teams, and the Virtual School.

Please see here information for professionals and schools supporting school-based anxiety and non-attendance, including how to support parents, gather pupil voice and develop agreed action plans: EBSA resources for schools - Suffolk County Council

Inclusion Support Line - Advice line for practitioners who work in education, health and social care

The Suffolk Inclusion Support Line is a dedicated advice service for education professionals seeking guidance on supporting children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). It offers timely, solution focused support around issues such as exclusion risk, EHCP processes, multi-agency involvement, and navigating Suffolk’s local offer. Advisors help clarify pathways, signpost to relevant services, and arrange Inclusion Support Meetings where needed. With over 600 contacts annually, mostly from schools, the line ensures accessible, joined-up advice across education, health, and social care. Call 01473 265502 or visit the Suffolk local offer website.

The Inclusion Support Line (ISL) is considered a first step resource because it offers immediate, accessible, and system-wide guidance for professionals navigating support for children and young people with SEND or facing barriers to education

Education Access Support Meetings - Schools advice and guidance from the Education Access Team. These are specifically designed to support intervention around a pupil who may be experiencing numerous suspensions or be vulnerable to Permanent Exclusion (PEx).

Education Access Support Meetings (EASM) are short, structured online consultations designed to provide early intervention for children and young people (CYP) at risk of suspension or permanent exclusion. These 30-minute sessions are chaired by an Education Access Officer and are held weekly on Tuesdays, alternating between morning and afternoon slots to accommodate school timetables

Make a safeguarding referral- If you have a safeguarding concern, click here to use the MASH professional consultation line or web chat, ensuring timely and confidential escalation.

School Attendance Team - Schools advice and guidance from the School Attendance Team.

The Schools Attendance Team plays a vital role in Suffolk’s multi-agency approach to improving school attendance and tackling barriers to education. Working closely with Educational Welfare Officers (EWOs), Inclusion Facilitators, and services such as Social Care and Youth Justice, the team supports schools in identifying patterns of absence, coordinating graduated responses, and facilitating timely interventions. Through weekly triage meetings, collaborative planning, and pilot projects like the EBSA EWO initiative, the team promotes relational practice, early help, and inclusive strategies that prioritise the wellbeing and engagement of children and young people.

Sleep underpins many other barriers and is best considered early as part of preventative, inclusive problem‑solving.

Psychology and Therapeutic Services provides lots of information and free resources about sleep for children, young people and families.

Sleep resources - Suffolk County Council