Early Help Offer
At Rushmere Hall Primary School, we understand that from time to time family life can have its complications. These may be the times when you need some extra help and support.
To support and advise you at such times we have an Early Help Offer.
If you have a concern about a child's well-being you must contact the school as soon as possible and
make contact with our Designated Safeguarding lead.
Outside of school hours?
See our
Safeguarding
page for who to contact.
Who can help?
In the event that you need to make contact with the school, we have designated trained staff available for you to talk to. We call these people Designated Safeguarding Leads. They have access to a range of services, including Police and Social Services as well as other external agencies.
PLEASE CALL THE SCHOOL on 01473 726027 and request to speak to Mr Fykin, Mrs Rogers or Mrs Schultz.
Our Designated Safeguarding Leads are:
Mr P Fykin (Headteacher)
Mrs B Rogers (Deputy Headteacher)
Our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead is:
Mrs L Schultz (Family Liaison Officer)
Our staff receive training in recording important information that is then passed on to a Designated Safeguarding Lead. Staff at the school have a responsibility to protect children and, at times, this may mean taking action and referring serious concerns to highly trained professionals outside the school
What sort of concerns might parents need to share with this team?
A wide range of issues such as behaviour management, financial worries and debts, domestic abuse, housing concerns, mobility difficulties, parents in prison, bereavement and loss, cyber bullying – in fact any concerns which you are worried might be having a negative impact on your children.
What might we offer in response to your concerns and how will this support be managed?
There are a range of ways of delivering support. Informal support meetings with a record of conversation might be all that is required. Behaviour Plans and Risk Assessments can be used to support individual pupils. For pupils at risk of exclusion Suffolk Pupils Support Frameworks could be initiated which involve frequent meetings between school, home and pupils to work together on agreed targets.
Depending on the nature of the concern we may refer to the school nurse or the wellbeing hub for Suffolk. If referral to the Early Help team is requested the school will work to draw up the documents with the parents and if accepted there will be an Early Help Team set up to plan and action the support required through a multi-agency team.
How will safeguarding procedures be effective in supporting families?
Rushmere has seven trained Designated Safeguarding Leads. All staff are trained to identify and report safeguarding concerns. Where there are concerns raised the school will follow the reporting procedures. The team will work with families and all relevant agencies through Child in Need or Child Protection teams to reduce and remove identified risks to children. Support will be given to families by social workers and other relevant agencies including school.
How will our pupils learn to keep themselves safe?
Curriculum provision, especially through PSHE lessons, and additional work from outside agencies including the police, support our children in learning how to keep themselves safe. Children are also made aware of the role of the Safeguarding team in supporting them.
Childline posters are displayed in school.
Who might the school refer to for more help?
- The Early Help Team
- Children and Young People’s Services
- The In Year Fair Access Panel
- County Inclusive Support Service
- Counselling
- School Nurse
- Speech and Language Therapist
- Educational Psychologist
- Young Carers
- SENDAT
- Sendias – formerly known as Parent Partnership
- Local Offer Broker
- Educational Welfare Officer
When should I contact the Rushmere team?
Contact us when you have a concern which is affecting your child(ren). We will always try to see you quickly or to give you a call to find out what the problem is and arrange to meet.
Safeguarding
To read more about keeping children safe, please see our Safeguarding page.