At St Peter & St Paul Church of England Primary School we understand that from time to time family life can have its complications. There may be times when you need some extra help and support. We aim to offer you support and to let you know that at such times we have an Early Help Offer.

All staff work together to identify those families who may benefit from early help and explain how some extra help may be beneficial. We can offer advice on a range of concerns or can signpost parents to other sources of information, help and support. This may be best arranged using a CAF (Click this link for more information)

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 child(ren).

We have bespoke interventions which are run to support some pupils or groups of pupils. We recognise that mental health concerns may underpin some social, emotional and behavioural issues and will help families to seek appropriate support. We have also trained individuals in dealing with bereavement to help those families who are experiencing loss. For attendance concerns, support through school will be offered and if required the Educational Welfare Officer will be brought in for further help. Outside counsellors are referred to for additional support.

There are a range of ways of delivering support. Informal pastoral support meetings with a record of conversation might be all that is required. Individual 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. Individual or group Thrive assessments will generate action plans for Thrive interventions and home plans can be drawn up for parents to use. If referral to the Early Help team is requested the school will work to draw up documents with the parents and if accepted there will be a Team Around the Child set up to plan and action the support required through a multi-agency team.

St Peter & St Paul Primary has two trained Designated Safeguarding Leads and has access to an additional fourteen across the Trust. All staff are trained to identify and report safeguarding concerns. Where concerns are 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.

Curriculum provision and additional work from outside agencies, including NSPCC and the police, support our children in learning how to keep themselves safe. Children are also made aware of who the trusted adults are that they can go to for help. Childline posters are displayed in school.

• The Early Help Team
• Children and Young People’s Services
• The In Year Fair Access Panel
• County Inclusive Support Service
• Counselling services
• School Nurse
• Speech and Language Therapist
• Educational Psychologist
• Young Carers
• SENDAT
• Sendias – formerly known as parent partnership
• Local Authority Family Services team
• Educational Welfare Officer

• Citizens Advice Bureau
• GPs
• Occupational Therapists
• Paediatricians
• Children and Young People’s Services
• The Early Help Team
• Speech and Language Therapist
• School Nurse
• Young Carers
• Freedom Project
• Housing Associations
• Food Bank
• Sendias – formerly known as parent partnership
• Children’s Centre
• Children and Adolescent Mental Health Service

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 and discuss it with you.

School policies are available on our website or paper copies can be requested from the school office. Relevant policies include:

• Special Educational Needs Policy
• Behaviour and Discipline Policy
• Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy