This resource provides an example of practice demonstrating how Clackmannanshire’s Education Refugee Team adapted their services during lockdown to allow them to continue support and learning opportunities for their families.

It is aimed at staff with managerial responsibility for Community, Learning and Development (CLD) and further education; CLD practitioners; all practitioners who have a role to play in supporting ESOL learners and refugee families, particularly when considering remote approaches.

Background

The team provides an innovative service delivery model to improve wellbeing and learning outcomes for Syrian refugees resettled in Clackmannanshire. Supports introduced include wellbeing support, English language support, employability support, mother and baby groups, and targeted youth work/holiday programmes. The team consists of Education Community Learning Development Team, Schools’ Support Service Outreach Team and Educational Psychology.

Clackmannanshire currently has 24 resettled Syrian refugee families.

The successful partnership model embraces a holistic needs-led approach in delivering:

• ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) for adult learners
• EAL (English as an Additional Language) and targeted wellbeing support for school aged children and young people
• therapeutic support for children and young people to address trauma and loss
• signposting to other agencies for additional support

The partnership approach set out to:

• increase employability/volunteering skills
• increase adult engagement with community ESOL(English for Speakers of Other Languages) programmes and further education
• improve school attendance and attainment
• increase engagement in school education
• improve wellbeing
• reduce PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) scores

During Lockdown

Concerns

• Continuation of learning – ESOL provision.
• Support for families: vulnerabilities due to social isolation, communication barriers and experiences of trauma and loss.

Delivery

• ESOL provision moved to an online platform using Google Classroom.
• Learners have been invited to specific online classrooms reflecting their current ESOL level. Using this virtual learning platform has allowed the provision to continue offering an individualised learning opportunity for each learner.
• Ongoing communication plans (including welfare check-ins) were considered highly important throughout lockdown.
• The Team established a ‘red, amber, green’ system, where all 24 families were placed into one of these categories. This determined the level of weekly communication required during lockdown based on their needs and vulnerabilities.
• Regular communication with all families means the advice, support and signposting can be tailored in relation to the day to day challenges the families are facing as a result of Covid-19.
• The Team have carried out house calls and video calls to support with accessing IT, carrying out food deliveries for those shielding or self-isolating and providing school work and resources for children and young people.

Impact

• 100% contact record with all families during this period. Engagement with 69% of adult learners through online platform since the start of lockdown.
• Use of Google Classroom has resulted in learners developing their confidence with IT. It has also provided a useful mechanism for continued communication with all learners; also allowing the Team to closely monitor engagement in learning. The Team plan to continue using this virtual learning platform in the future once face-to-face classes return.
• Current delivery allows flexibility for the learner in terms of when they choose to study. This was an important consideration as the team were mindful that families would now have their children at home full time and would need to fit in studying around caring for their children.

Impact quotes:

“Thank you for all your efforts with us.”

“You are a great team.”

“You have given us important information.”

“The video you sent made me happy, I watched it 5 times!”

“Thank you for remembering us.”

Improvement questions

• How do I identify the needs of refugee families in the current circumstances?
• How am I helping learners to continue to engage in learning?
• What support and information can I signpost to families?
• How might the support and provision for the learner/family need to be adapted or done differently during the recovery period?
• How can I raise awareness of the needs of refugee families during this time and ensure that their needs and voices are heard in recovery planning?

Read more – Education Refugee team nominated for award.