Education Inclusion Family Advisors (EIFA) team are part of the Alternative Provision and Inclusion Service. We support parents/carers in primary schools in Cambridgeshire. Each member of the team is linked to a cluster of schools. You may see our poster in your child’s school reception with the name of your school’s linked EIFA.
The EIFAs provide parents and carers with knowledgeable advice on a variety of parenting subjects. We offer this support before a more targeted support, like the Early Help Assessment (EHA), is needed.
We work closely with our colleagues the Education Inclusion Officers (EIOs). They are based across secondary schools. Further details on their service can be found at Alternative Provision Education and Inclusion service | Cambridgeshire County Council.
Core service offer
We offer one to one work with parents/carers around a singular issue which can be managed through a short-term intervention. This support would be delivered mainly virtually, over 6 sessions maximum. Topics include:
- Challenging behaviours
- Sibling rivalry
- Routines
- Sleep
- Strategies for supporting emotionally based school avoidance
- Building resilience and confidence
- Worries
- School transitions: pre-school to primary and primary to secondary
- Signposting to partner agencies such as Emotional Well-being Service, School Nursing team, Centre 33, Pinpoint, SENDIASS, MHST for further support
- Virtual county wide core offer workshops delivered each week during term time
- Virtual workshops delivered in individual schools on request, as needs arise
- Delivery of an evidence-based parenting programme such as Incredible Years, in collaboration with Targeted Support Family Workers or virtually one to one with parents
- Ad hoc support via parent drop ins - offered in schools virtually, county wide during the school holidays
- Monthly newsletter to all schools with information on upcoming workshops, parenting tips and local support for families
- Supporting schools with completing EHAs where relationship with parents may have broken down. Provide information on support that has been offered by an EIFA that can be included with an EHA.
EIFAs are unable to offer support:
- If the family need more complex or long-term interventions
- If the child is Electively Home Educated
- If the child attends a private school
- If the child is younger than 4 years old and has no sibling in a primary school
- If there is no consent from parent/carer after a school referral or family disengage during the support.
To access EIFA support, parents/carers can contact the link EIFA directly or via their child’s school.
If you are unsure who your school's link EIFA is please email us on earlyintervention@cambridgeshire.gov.uk
A referral is not necessary. Parents/carers are only required to sign a consent form to the CCC GDPR regulations about information sharing and recording.
(Please note, we are unable to answer secondary school related queries as we are primary based. Please go directly through your secondary school for further support and guidance).
Contact details for each individual EIFA are shared with families through the newsletter. This is distributed each month by your child’s school.
