Looked After Children Educational Support (LACES) Team
About us
LACES is a team of workers who offer support to social workers, residential workers, foster carers and schools in promoting better educational outcomes for children who are “looked After” by Sheffield City Council.
(A “Looked After” child is one who is in the care of Sheffield City Council; either through agreement with their parent(s) or because a Court has made a legal order that they need to be in the care of the Council)
The main focus of the teams work is to try and ensure that everyone has up to date knowledge, understanding and skills from the areas of education and social care. They may also become involved with specific groups of children, organising direct work to help them boost their educational achievements.
A core tool used to plan the support a child needs in his or her education is the Personal Education Plan [PEP]. This is a plan agreed between the main adults involved the care and support of the child; and the child themselves. The LACES team are involved in the monitoring of these plans, ensuring that they are in place and up-to date for all Looked After child.
Opening Hours:-
Some aspects of the LACES teams work is year round. However, the majority of their work is focused during school term time. Office contact can be made between 8.45 am and 5.00 pm. If we are unable to deal with your call straigntaway please leave a message with your contact details and we will return your call. We aim to do this within 1 working day
General contact details:-
LACES is primarily a service for the other professionals involved in supporting Looked After children, so access to them is usually via the social worker, teacher etc. However, we are happy to offer general advice about Looked After Children’s education.
Please contact us on 0114 250 3930. If you prefer you can write to us at:-
LACES
Halifax Road Centre
Halifax Road
Sheffield
S6 1AA
Specific contact details:-
You may have been given the name of a specific worker within the LACES team for ongoing contact; their contact details are as follows:-
Paul Briggs – Consultant Teacher
Tel: 0114 250 3938
Email: Paul.Briggs@sheffield.gov.uk
Kate Battersby – Primary Teacher
Tel: 0114 250 3931
Marilyn Chryst – Secondary Teacher
Tel: 0114 250 3931
Peter Thurtle – Senior Learning Mentor
Tel: 0114 250 3932
Denise Braken – Learning Mentor
Tel: 0114 250 3933
Violet Holland – Senior Teaching Assistant
Tel: 0114 250 3937
Email: Violet.Holland@sheffield.gov.uk
Heather Pollard – Senior Teaching Assistant
Tel: 0114 250 3936
Email: Heather.Pollard@sheffield.gov.uk
Lynne Short – Senior Teaching Assistant
Tel: 0114 250 3936
Email: Lynne.Short@sheffield.gov.uk
How to give feedback or complain
If you have any concerns about the service you have received from LACES,
any aspects of our work you are particularly pleased with or if you have any suggestions about how we can improve our work please contact Paul Briggs [contact details shown above].
Alternatively you can contact:-
Martin Sadler, Corporate Parenting Manager on 0114 250 3935 or
We are keen to continually improve our service and may arrange for enquirers to be re-contacted at a later date to obtain feedback on our performance.
Please use the links below for more information.
Any complaint about a service to a child and young person or their family will be considered under the under the complaints and representations procedures established through The Children Act 1989 Representations Procedure (England) Regulations, 2006 and the Council’s corporate feedback process.
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