The Education Welfare Service (EWS) is committed to the principle that all children and young people have the right to a suitable education and must not be prevented from achieving or fulfilling that entitlement. To ensure every child in Essex receives an appropriate education through regular school attendance or otherwise, the EWS works in partnership with parents, carers, children and young people, schools and communities within a multi-agency forum.

The EWS acts on behalf of the Local Authority (LA) in enforcing a parent's duty to provide appropriate education for their child. It also discharges the authority's responsibility to monitor and licence child employment, and entertainment licences for school age children.

These web pages explain what the Education Welfare Service does and how we can work with you and the school to support your child's education.

The links on the left of this page will lead you to information about who can help if there is a concern you want to talk about.