About HEALS
HEALS is an education support service. We are here to identify children that are experiencing lost learning (through illness, absence, exclusion, suspension or otherwise), at the earliest opportunity. We work in partnership with schools and families to ensure every child receives the right support at the right time.
With early intervention and a commitment to including all children in a school that can meet their needs, together we will ensure that all children in Hackney receive a high quality education, alongside their peers.
HEALS has oversight for ensuring children in Hackney are able to access a suitable, full time education that allows them to achieve and thrive.
Every child deserves to be meaningfully included in their school, to have friends and to thrive, transitioning to adulthood with options and an exciting future ahead of them.
Information for Hackney schools
If you are a teacher in a Hackney school and you would like to discuss a child that you are worried is missing out on learning, then we are here to help.
You might have questions about the processes and statutory responses in the following areas, and we can help with these:
- Elective Home Education
- Children Missing Education
- Attendance
- Exclusion
- Suspensions
- Inclusion
Your school will have an allocated Outreach and Engagement Officer (O&E officer). If you are not sure who this is, please email heals@hackney.gov.uk.
Your O&E officer is likely to already be connected to staff in your school - but if you don’t know who they are, then we have some work to do to sort that out. We want every school colleague to know how to identify when a child needs support, and to know how to make sure that support is delivered promptly and purposefully.
Once you have got in touch, and identified the child you are concerned about, then we can raise them in our regular meeting in your school (we will be coming in at least fortnightly, and in many cases weekly).
Information for professionals
If you are a professional and you are worried about a child you are working with that is missing out on learning, then please email us at heals@hackney.gov.uk.