We provide an information, advice and guidance (IAG) service for 13-19 year olds (up to 25 for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities).
We are part of Bolton Council’s Children’s Services Department. In September 2010 we were integrated with the Council's Education Social Work Service to become the Early Intervention and Connexions Service Bolton.
Early Intervention Key Workers
Our Early Intervention Key Workers work closely with each of Bolton’s secondary schools and their main feeder primary schools.
If a school has a concern regarding a child’s non attendance they make a referral to an Early Intervention Key Worker who will then arrange to visit the child and his/her family to discuss the circumstances surrounding this and offer appropriate support.
The work the Early Intervention Key Worker can vary depending on the requirements of the school to which they are linked and the individual support needs of the child and his/her family.
If a child is subject to a Child Protection Plan or an Interim Care Order and living at home, they will be subject to a 1st Day Visit by a minimum of two Early Intervention Key Workers if the child does not turn up to school. The purpose of the 1st Day Visit is to establish the child is safe, the reason for absence and expected date of return.
Early Intervention Key Workers are allocated to one of three cluster areas: North, South and West and their work is overseen by two District Managers.
Child Employment and Enforcement Officer
Our Child Employment and Enforcement Officer issues Penalty Notices for non-attendance and licences children’s part-time employment with a particular focus on those working in the entertainment industry. She also works very closely with the Early Intervention Key Workers, often supporting them in conducting 1st Day Visits.
Connexions Team
We provide an information, advice and guidance (IAG) service for 13-19 year olds (up to 25 for young people with learning difficulties and disabilities where it is considered appropriate).
The Connexions Service was originally formed from the former Careers Service and we remain the only statutory service providing careers advice and guidance and job/training vacancy service tailored to young people’s needs.
However we are more than just a jobs and careers service. Whatever life throws at a teenager we aim to help them overcome anything that is stopping them from doing something positive with their life.
We have very good links with a wide range of specialist services and we can help and support your teenager in accessing these. Typical examples of things young people come to us for help with include: housing, bullying, low self esteem, substance misuse, health worries, money matters, teenage parenting, disability issues and problems at home.
What is IAG?
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Information: refers to facts and figures related to learning, careers or any other issues.
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Advice: includes an explanation of the information including the benefits of different options.
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Guidance: involves an in-depth session(s) involving a teenager and a Personal Adviser who will help them through the process of making decisions and putting plans in place.
Personal Advisers
IAG is delivered through a network of Personal Advisers (PAs). All our PAs are qualified guidance practitioners.
From September 2010 every secondary and special school in Bolton will have a PA based on site full-time (not independent schools). There will also be PAs allocated to work with young people in local pupil referral units (PRUs) and with looked after children (LAC).
We also have a dedicated Connexions Centre team based at our client centre at The Wellsprings in Bolton town centre.
Your teenager can speak to a PA in confidence but if they want you to be with them you will be made welcome.
The information we keep about your teenager
Every contact we have with a young person is recorded. We do not pass this information to another agency unless it is in a young person’s best interests; this will be clearly explained with they first meet with their PA. They can withdraw their consent to having information held about them at any time but this will limit the effectiveness of the services we provide.
Your teenager will be given a leaflet about the information we keep about them when they first meet their PA.
Click here to download a copy of this leaflet..