Step three - BOSS (or other specialist) involvement
Statutory guidance
Examples of interventions schools can consider include engaging with local partners and agencies to address specific challenges such as poor anger management, a lack of resilience and difficulties with peer relationships and social skills.
Schools should consider what additional support or alternative placement may be required to improve behaviour and avoid exclusion where possible.
School actions
Social and emotional competencies take time to develop so referral to Step 2, BOSS involvement, is normally after about 12 weeks. However, if a pupil reaches crisis point quickly, then ladder steps can be compressed, and referral made early. This must be in consultation with virtual school if the child is in care.
Note that the referral must be accompanied by a comprehensive PSP which will be screened by the PRT. This information will influence the nature of the BOSS intervention, which may include restorative work.
BOSS work is based on trauma informed and relational approaches and caseworkers seek from the outset to work with the school and the pupil to understand the needs of those involved and then develop a negotiated joint way of working, which may or may not involve the BOSS caseworker working directly with the referred student. Direct work is solutions focused.
It is expected that the BOSS behaviour improvement plan (BIP) will become a legacy document used by the school to plan, implement, and review on-going support if necessary for the pupil, after BOSS’ contribution to the process.
Whilst BOSS aims to withdraw from the process after a maximum of 22 weeks of involvement, it can be the case that direct involvement stops before this limit. Once the risk of exclusion has reduced or a school is able to deliver the required provision without BOSS input, the case is closed.
If risk continues, then multi-agency meeting needs to consider next steps, including virtual school when the child is in care.
Pupils reintegrating back into mainstream education after a permanent exclusion will automatically have BOSS support. No referral from the new school is required.
All referrals for BOSS support must be made to PRT, not directly to BOSS.