“The hand that rocks the cradle is the hand that rules the world” - William Ross…May all parents rock their cradles with supportive, responsible, and loving hands.
Services
01. Initial Consultation
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This is a 50-minute conversation (video, phone, or in-person) where you’ll have the opportunity to discuss your concerns and any issues you are facing regarding your child and the school. We can discuss things like your child’s school life history, the presenting problem, whether you have approached the school and their response (or lack of), any existing support plans, what you want to happen and what you can realistically expect from the school, and what you can do now to trigger any changes.
After the consultation I will send you, within 24 hours, a written summary of what we discussed, with advice on the steps you can to take right now, and a plan for the future.
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€100.00
If you decide to go with one of my other services after this initial consultation then the price will be €85.00
02. Parents’ Buddy
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Parents have the right to take a supporter (buddy) or an advocate to their child’s meetings.
It is crucial to have someone with you at important meetings with your child’s school. Having a professional like me attending these meetings with you means that you won’t need to worry about:
Missing important information as I will be there to record it
Feeling overwhelmed or outnumbered. Sometimes the simple fact that these meetings are attended by 3-4 school staff members can make anyone feel overwhelmed and intimidated and can lead you to feel overpowered. Having a Social Worker present with you to support you all the way will provide a more leveled playing field and make you feel much more comfortable and more confident in your interactions with the school
Having moral support and advice. I will be right behind you!
Feeling “lost in translation”. Sometimes, professional jargon alone can be frustrating and overwhelming. Also, if you are a parent whose first language is not English, this becomes particularly more relevant. Having a British Social Worker with you will give you the reassurance you need in knowing that no crucial information is missed, misunderstood, or misinterpreted
After the meeting, we will debrief, and I will provide you with a written summary with all the important information discussed and any actions to be taken, within 2 days.
Please note: a buddy is NOT an advocate. For an advocate service please see the relevant section.
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€150.00 per meeting for up to an hour.
03. Parents’ Advocate
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Parents have the right to take a supporter (buddy) or an advocate to their child’s meetings.
This service is for parents who want a more involved and in-depth approach. You will have all the benefits of the Parent’s Buddy (please refer to it) but I will also:
wholly or partly communicate on your behalf, both in meetings and in other ways. You also have the option of having me attending your child’s meetings on your behalf if you prefer. In this case I will represent you and give you a full debrief of everything discussed in the meetings and any actions agreed
Write any letters or complete forms
Review and revise any plans in place
Provide the school with a written summary of all the important information discussed and any actions to be taken within 2 days
Follow up on any agreed actions
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From €250.00
04. Diagnosis Support
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Whether you are in a disagreement with your child’s school or are unsure of whether your child meets the criteria for a formal diagnosis, I am here to help. Although I do not formally diagnose childhood disorders, as a Social Worker, I provide an informal assessment and make a professional recommendation. This will likely answer any questions you may have and guide your decision as to whether to seek a formal diagnosis or not.
The assessment will involve:
Two direct observations of your child (preferably in different settings such as home, school, extra-curricular activity, etc)
Review of any relevant information such as school reports, teacher notes, behaviour charts outlining specifics of behaviour issues, medical records, and past psychological or medical treatments
In the case that you decide to have your child formally assessed, I will recommend appropriate healthcare professionals who speak English.
Where it is found that your child does have special educational needs, I can also support with
Developing a support plan for your child (together with the school)
Coordinating support and liaising with other professionals
navigating the system in trying to find the best schools for your child’s needs, if necessary
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From €650
05. Behavioural Challenges
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If you are having problems with the school because of your child’s behaviour, or another child’s behaviour is affecting your child I will:
Attend up to two meetings with you
Liaise with the school and assist in the development of a support plan for your child
Ascertain that the plan is implemented
Review and revise the plan so that we are confident that the plan is indeed working.
Advise and/or refer to other professionals who might be helpful in mitigating the problem.
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€300
06. Bullying and Discrimination
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Every child matters. Every child has the right to be included, loved, and respected regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what they look like.
If your child is being bullied or discriminated at school, I will:
Support you to approach the school or with communicating with the school if you already approached them
Write strategic letters that will trigger an action
Attend a meeting with you to discuss a support plan
liaise with the school to implement legal measures that will prevent this from happening.
Review the plan with you and the school.
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€250
07. Other Services
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YOU LEAD THE WAY… I’M RIGHT BEHIND YOU!
If you would like support with something that is not listed here, however small or big, i.e:
Writing effective emails that will trigger an action
Interpret a document
If your child has disclosed an inappropriate behaviour by another child or an adult at school
Child protection issues, etc.
Please do get in touch and I will contact you directly… Where there’s a will, there’s a way!
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Please contact directly.
Book Your Initial Consultation
Contact Me
Contact Me
I’ll walk the walk and talk the talk with you… every step of the way
