One minute guide on supporting children and families from Ukraine – education

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    Introduction

    Some families have already started to arrive from Ukraine and schools have been welcoming them into their school community.

    Our Ethnic Minority and Traveller Achievement Service (EMTAS) is developing a series of webinars, translated resources and materials to support schools, in the meantime, there is a wealth of information and practical resources available to you now.

    Summary

    Effective and regular parent-teacher communication is going to be essential for building the school-family partnership and positive relationships.

    It can be difficult for families with English as an additional language to understand the complexities related to a range of school issues, including safeguarding expectations.

    Therefore, we need to make safeguarding expectations and processes available to all newly arrived families. Safeguarding issues will differ culturally so it is important to support parents with understanding and ensure their questions and views are expressed.

    EMTAS can arrange interpreting services at safeguarding, Team Around a Family and other meetings.

    Please contact educationlearnersupport@devon.gov.uk with the subject line – attention of Iliana Eva if you require interpreter support.

    In addition, our website will be updated regularly with links to resources and guidance documents.

    Section 1 – Welcome to our school community

    Top ten tips for school staff

    The most important thing that schools can do now is to make children and families feel truly welcome in their new school. Schools do this naturally however there may be some additional challenges due to the language barrier.

    Here are some tips and ideas that might help:

    1. Extend a friendly and warm welcome – TWINKL have lots of free resources that are free to download for example FREE! – Ukrainian Translation All About Myself Booklet (EAL) (twinkl.co.uk)
    2. Link with the families to gather and communicate important information – ensure you have established all the languages spoken within the family and any previous educational experience. It is possible there will be some Russian or other languages spoken within the family which would open up greater possibilities in terms of multilingual resources than if Ukrainian alone is spoken
    3. Have one key adult as the school’s link with the family
    4. Learn key phrases and practice new names in advance
    5. Use visual schedules, visual cues and eBooks and tours to communicate the routine of
      the school day – be aware that extended periods listening to a new language are very taxing, and the young person could be likely to tire more easily.
    6. Download and use translation apps to help with communication
    7. Prepare peers for the new arrival and guide them on how to make the child feel welcome – talk to the class they will be joining. You’ve probably already talked as a school about the war, so tell the class that a new pupil is coming from Ukraine and have a discussion about how we can welcome and be kind to them. Setting parameters and sharing what is a suitable response to a child joining the class might be helpful. For example; ‘the new pupil might not want to get lots of questions about the conflict or what has happened to them but it would be good if we could say hello in their language and think about what it would be like if we went to school and suddenly were not able to understand what everyone was saying’.
    8. Set up buddy systems – identify a group of empathetic children to be buddies, choose quite a few so they can buddy on a roster, and you can have two buddies at a time – make sure they understand that their help is going to be most important during break and lunch and come up with a system to reward good buddying because otherwise motivation can flag after a little while.
    9. Manage the learning demands as the children adjust for example, a reduced curriculum may be appropriate for a short time but this will increase as the transition period moves forward.
    10. Reassure them that the school is a safe place and communicate reassuring messages – Schools play an important part by providing stability and a normal routine for pupils from Ukraine. It is important that class teachers, subject teachers and any other relevant staff are aware that these children and young people may be suffering from the effects of trauma, loss, separation and change and that this may affect their behaviour in school as well as at home, the below information may help remind all staff of this.

    Maslow’s hierarchy of needs

    Maslow’s hierarchy illustrates the psychological needs that asylum seeking children and young people will have on their arrival at their new school. It is worth noting that cognitive needs are a long way up the pyramid. It is therefore unlikely that a newly arrived child/young person will achieve or be motivated to achieve academically if their needs lower down the pyramid are not met. The quality of the safeguarding, pastoral and welfare support provided by the school is therefore of utmost importance.

    Section 2 – Ukrainian refugee education resource list

    Essential information for Ukrainian guests

    Mental health and wellbeing

    Education information for families

    Education support for schools

    Section 3 – Frequently asked questions

    How should schools treat an application for a school place from a Ukrainian family?

    For general admission information, please read our information about in year school admissions if parents would like to apply for a school place in Devon. More support for Ukrainian refugees can be found on our Supporting Ukraine website.

    The government has published guidance for families arriving from Ukraine on how to apply for a school place and childcare in England, in English and Ukrainian:

    How do families arriving from Ukraine apply for a school place and childcare? / Як родинам, що приїжджають з України, подавати заяви на отримання місць у школі та допомоги з оплати послуг з догляду за дитиною?

    There are currently no ‘exceptional arrangements’ in place for admitting Ukrainian children to school, i.e. schools should not go above their permitted enrolment number unless a temporary variation has been applied for from the Department of Education.

    For further education/college places, please contact the college directly.

    What do I advise parents of a year 6 child regarding their transfer to secondary school in September?

    Please ensure that you advise the parent to contact Admissions as soon as possible: admissions@devon.gov.uk

    Will transport be provided for Ukrainian pupils?

    The school transport team are applying the normal eligibility criteria and already have some pupils travelling. Please refer to the
    school transport webpages for further information. DCC are currently investigating with bus companies their offer for general travel and understand that Stagecoach have supplied some free travel for a limited period. Parents and/or carers should be made aware that it is largely their responsibility to ensure their children get to school safely.

    What are some of the keyboard options for adapting laptops and tablets for Ukrainian learners?

    Option 1

    The OS will need to have Ukrainian language enabled + keyboard input language enabled to be Ukrainian

    Option 2

    Onscreen keyboard can be enabled to include Ukrainian keyboard although not ideal and can be time consuming to type, but might be useful if touchscreen laptop

    Option 3

    Some Schools have been using keyboard stickers (available from Amazon) and using google docs.

    The child can then type Ukrainian keys which will record English letters, but then translate to Ukrainian on the screen (and can be translated back to English in the settings).

    Is additional funding available for Ukrainian pupils?

    In recognition of the pressures on schools supporting Ukrainian pupils, and whilst we await further clear guidance on funding, DCC will  £1,000 per student who has started on roll. An online form has been developed for you to access this funding. This will enable you to support individual students (uniform, meals, school activities, resources) and will enable DCC to see where the pressure points are.

    Will Ukrainian pupils be eligible for Free School Meals and the uniform allowance?

    The usual eligibility criteria applies for Ukrainian pupils. If parent/carers are not in receipt of the requisite evidence for an application, a paper application should be submitted to the local FSM office under humanitarian grounds. This will provide a 12 week window to allow any evidence (e.g. Universal Credit statement) to be obtained and submitted retrospectively to the FSM office to support the application, while the pupil continues to receive a school meal daily.

    What other community support may be available for families?

    Local communities and organisations are supporting activities with families. District Councils across Devon are appointing a lead organisation for their area who will co-ordinate activity including signposting to registration for GPs, schools and Universal Credit as well as hosting an initial ‘Welcome’ visit to the host’s property.

    Public health teams are also planning an initial health assessment for all families with children under 8; and to make contact with all under 18.

    More information will be available shortly on Essential information for Ukraine guests – Supporting Ukraine (devon.gov.uk).

    We would encourage schools to engage with the local community groups so they are aware of any community support that may be available for children attending the school and their family and in some areas for the school itself.

    Where can we find support for refugees seeking sanctuary in the UK?

    Barnardo’s have a free helpline to support Ukrainian families. The helpline is available to anyone fleeing the conflict in Ukraine. Barnardo’s free helpline (0800 148 8586) is staffed by English, Ukrainian and Russian speakers, to offer support to children and families arriving in the UK from Ukraine.

    The helpline is open Monday – Friday (10:00am – 8:00pm) and Saturday (10:00am – 3:00pm).

    Callers will be able to get help and advice on a range of topics.

    A dedicated email address ukrainiansupport@barnardos.org.uk and webpage have also been set up for those assisting with the Ukraine response.

    More information: https://www.barnardos.org.uk/what-we-do/helping-families/ukrainian-helpline

    Where can schools find out more information about the various visa schemes for Ukrainian families?

    The Stronger Together Network has a helpful webpage of regularly updated information related to this issue.

    Is there any information about Ukrainian culture and language?

    Yes!
    For details, please see Section 4 below.

    How do I support families to access the NHS?

    Information for parents

    First, you will be allocated a GP practice on arrival and supported to register at this practice. When you register with a GP, you will be given an NHS number. You’ll get a registration letter in the post and your NHS number will be shown in the letter. Make a note of your number or try not to lose this letter as knowing your NHS number will help you to access other NHS services.

    You will be entitled to the same health benefits as every other person living here, whether they are new health concerns or helping to manage long-term conditions, and you will not be expected to pay for any of the advice that you receive.

    You will be entitled to the same health benefits as every other person living here, whether they are new health concerns or helping to manage long-term conditions, and you will not be expected to pay for any of the advice that you receive.

    Section 4: Timeline of support available

    The EMTAS team are in the process of pulling together a set of universal materials that schools will be able to access to help support them. These materials will include useful resources for families as well as schools and colleges such as a guide to admissions, primary, secondary and College welcome packs, One Minute Guides to help understand the Ukrainian School System and their culture and a wide range of translated resources for both school and home.

    We will also be running a series of webinars after half term which will be trauma-informed and will go into detail about practical ways you can support refugees to make them feel welcome in your school and Devon. The webinars will consider some of the potential challenges that new arrivals may face when starting school as well as some of the opportunities. They will include further details about the education system in Ukraine, second language acquisition, implementing a culturally inclusive curriculum, EAL Assessments, safeguarding and working with parents.

    Available now

    • Welcome pack
    • KS1 and KS2 Assemblies
    • One Minute Guides (Ukraine School Education System and Culture)
    • Translated resources including stories and information

    Available in July 2022

    KS3 and KS4 Assemblies
    Webinar 1 – Welcoming and supporting pupils from Ukraine, strategies how to support initial
    language acquisition, information about the Ukraine Education system, safeguarding EAL pupils and
    trauma.

    Autumn term (September 2022)

    Webinar 2 – Deeper insight into the Education system in Ukraine, developing second language acquisition, EAL Assessments, implementing a culturally inclusive curriculum, strategies and support for embedding an Equality and Diversity Policy, introduction to DCC’s new Bullying, Prejudice, Racist Incident (BPRI) reporting process.

    Ukraine forums for pupils and parents

    Autumn term (October 2022)

    Survey to listen to experiences and voice of people who have arrived from Ukraine Ukraine forums for pupils and parents
    Webinar 3 – Celebrating Diversity, promoting diversity week, introduce survey, voice and experiences of children and families, good practice
    The EMTAS team also offer the following:
    Bilingual Induction Support Package – Each induction comprises 6 hours of bilingual support to help the new pupils and their family settle into school in the UK. This bilingual support could include a family meeting and in class support. Each induction is usually 3 days at 2 hours per session.

    Advisory consultations – advice and guidance on meeting the needs of Ukrainian refugee children this includes transition, resources and EAL strategies. Information about access to local ESOL classes, and links to English language learning resources,
    will be available on our website.

    Section 5: Key contact details

    EMTAS Advisory Teachers:

    Katarina Tasinkiewicz: Kat.Tasinkiewicz@devon.gov.uk
    Cary-Anne Ginns: Cary-Anne.Ginns@devon.gov.uk

    General enquiries: educationlearnersupport@devon.gov.uk

    Ukraine Support Schemes: The UK Home Office had launched a Ukraine Family Scheme visa – GOV.UK and Homes for Ukraine Scheme. The details of the schemes are announced on the GOV.UK so please follow the updates.

    Section 6 – Pre-employment checks for applicants from Ukraine

    Many communities have recently welcomed families from Ukraine. A number of schools are also delighted to have received applications for a range of employment roles and are mindful that some of the checks required, pose a unique set of challenges due to the current circumstances caused by the recent Russian invasion.
    This guidance has been written with the support of the DCC pre-employment team where any questions should be directed for further support – 01392 383266 (Option 2), disclose@devon.gov.uk.

    While clearly wishing to support those seeking employment, we must also demonstrate that, as with any adult, all reasonable and required checks have confirmed suitability to work with children. Schools will need to be pragmatic in their approach, because some pre-employment checks will be a challenge. Many routine Government functions in Ukraine have been suspended, so employers are not going to be able to obtain overseas Police check or Certificate of Good Conduct. There may also be problems with obtaining employment references, but they should try their best and consider professional references and even character references if necessary (on the basis that something is better than nothing). In the absence of an overseas Police check, schools must make sure they ask for a self-disclosure, to demonstrate that they sought this information and risk assess any shared information accordingly.

    The current version of KCSIE states it has to be considered in line with pre-employment checks. Right to Work (RTW) and DBS check shouldn’t be a problem as schools can use an individual’s Visa document from the home office and letter from HMRC (Tax letter), Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) NI number or benefits letter, or their GP or NHS (Registration with GP or Dentist). They may also have collected their Biometric Residence Permit (BRP).

    If the applicant produces a BRP – Schools must use the ‘Prove & Share’ check:

    • Prove your right to work to an employer – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) This where the employee will login and obtain a share code
    • View a job applicant’s right to work details – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) This is where the school will check the RTW when the employee provides them with a share code.
    • School should then take a pdf of the result, which includes an online photo so they compare true likeness.

    If a school cannot confirm RTW using the Prove and Share above or showing documents, they should follow the instructions and link to obtain a Positive Verification Notice. This will provide them with a statutory defence, in the event that an application is refused and there is no RTW;

    If the job applicant cannot show their documents or use the Prove & Share check schools must ask the Home Office to check an employee’s or potential employee’s immigration status if they cannot show their documents or online immigration status.

    This could be, for example, because they:

    • have an outstanding appeal, review or application with the Home Office
    • arrived in the UK before 1989 and do not have documents to prove their immigration status or right to work

    You must also ask the Home Office to check their status if they have:

    • a digital or non-digital Certificate of Application that says you need to ask the Home Office to check their right to work
    • an Application Registration Card

    Application Registration Cards must state that the work the employer is offering is permitted. The Home Office will send you a ‘Positive Verification Notice’ to confirm that the applicant has the right to work. You must keep this document and if the employee is unable to produce a BRP within 6 months the check should be repeated. When the applicant produces a BRP, follow the instructions
    above to use the Prove & Share check.

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