Parent Support Advisers

The role of Parent Support Adviser (PSA) has been piloted in a number of authorities across the country, with a view to:

• building capacity within schools to champion Every Child Matters (ECM);
• supporting the delivery of the Parenting support and Swift and Easy Access (SEA) elements of the Extended Services core offer; and,
• supporting the aspirations of the Children’s Plan.

As part of the wider parenting support offer within the city covering all levels of need, the work of PSAs is mainly targeted at universal provision through to lower level 2 interventions.

Parent Support Advisers will:

• identify and address parents’ support needs;
• provide accessible information, explanation, guidance and signposting to services;
• support parents and their children through transitions to ensure continual engagement with schools and learning;
• work with an extended range of networks and partnerships to develop parenting skills and to broker support, to sustain and help parents engage positively with their child’s learning and development; and,
• offer access to parenting groups and family learning.

PSAs work in an integrated way with the broad range of agencies and organisations that provide support to parents and families. Their work complements what other agencies do, and PSAs can signpost parents effectively to these organisations.

How will PSAs contribute to school improvement?

• PSAs work with Headteachers to agree clear objectives that support overall school improvement plans. This could include:
• helping schools to develop their links with outside agencies (both statutory and voluntary), and encouraging agencies to feel more comfortable about working with schools;
• ‘opening doors’ and creating a ‘fast track’ to third party provision;
• help schools to communicate more effectively with parents by advising on language, tone and style;
• acting as advocates for parents and using their knowledge of parents’ needs to challenge certain school policies and ways of working;
• early intervention, preventing potential problems between parents and schools escalating; and,
• increase parental involvement in children’s learning.

 Read some case studies of the PSAs’ work , and an update on their progress.