Rebuilding Bridges provides joined-up support to children and young people who are regularly and/or persistently absent from education.
The programme provides 1-to-1 sessions during school hours, after school and during the holidays, offering fun and educational activities. We also provide therapeutic and family support.
Rebuilding Bridges is a partnership between PACE, Camden Educational Psychology Service and the London Borough of Camden.
Who is Rebuilding Bridges for?
Rebuilding Bridges works with Camden children and young people in Key Stages 2 & 3 (Years 3 to 9). Young people are referred to the programme if they are having difficulties within school or group settings due to anxiety or behaviour concerns, if they refuse to go to school, or are at risk of exclusion or placement breakdown.
What happens at Rebuilding Bridges?
If your child is allocated a place in Rebuilding Bridges, we will contact you to arrange a visit to assess how to best support the needs of you and your child. During our visit, we will discuss your child’s needs and any additional support you may need as a parent. This will include support from an educational psychologist.
We will allocate a key worker we think will be suitable. Our staff are experienced in working with young people who are struggling with anxiety or having difficulties at school. The key worker will take your child out to discuss their interests, goals and preferences.
Based on this session and the other information provided, we will work with you and your child to create a personalised programme of activities. The activities are educational and can include:
- Sports
- Visits to places of interest
- Help with school work
- Developing positive and meaningful relationships with staff
Programme outcomes
The first 3 years of Rebuilding Bridges were a pilot programme funded by the Department for Education. Rebuilding Bridges has been used as a learning example, and the programme results were presented to Parliament.
The outcomes of the pilot programme included:
- 50% who were persistently absent at referral showed improved school attendance
- 84% achieved positive outcomes in relation to personalised goals
- 90% had reduced behaviours of concern.
- 58% of service users reported improved emotional well-being
- 48% of parents reported being better equipped to meet their child’s needs
- 41% stepped down CP threshold categories, 73% didn’t escalate
How to make a referral
Referrals can only be made by individual schools, SEN departments, pupil referral units/special schools, and other agencies working with children, young people and families. We are not able to accept referrals directly from parents.
Please speak to your school or support workers if you would like your child to be referred.
For more information on how to refer a child or young person, and to access referral forms, visit Camden’s Cindex website.
Contact us
Phone: 020 7183 5120 ext. 899