Early Help Support at St. Mary's:
Early Help means helping to support a child, young person or their family early in the life of a problem, as soon as it emerges. It can be required at any stage in a child’s life from pre-birth to adulthood, and applies to any problem or need that the family cannot deal with or meet on their own. It also applies to all children and young people, with any form of need. Our School offers Early Help so that support is provided to prevent or reduce the need for specialist interventions unless they are absolutely the correct response to meet the need and resolve the problem.
If you would like to speak to someone about Early Help then please contact Mrs Pritchard who is our Early Help Lead in School. With your consent Mrs Pritchard will speak to other agencies to ensure that the individual and family get the right response, and the right services, from the right people at the right time. Our aim is to meet need early and avoid a problem escalating or the need increasing.
Early Help can be provided in the most complex of circumstances as well as the simplest. Early Help means responding promptly if a child is at immediate risk of harm (or has other significant or complex needs) as much as it means responding to a need which only requires advice or guidance.
For more information, please see out SEND page:
Sandwell Offer:
St. Mary's Early Help Offer:
At St. Mary's 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.
The Safeguarding Team (Mrs Pritchard & Mr Southall) can offer advice on a range of concerns or can signpost parents to other sources of information, help and support.
What sort of concerns might parents share with our team?
A wide range of issues such as behaviour management, financial worries and debts, domestic abuse, housing concerns, mobility difficulties, bereavement and loss, cyber bullying - in fact any concerns which you are worried might be having a negative impact on your child(ren).
What might we offer in response to your concerns?
- Senior Mental Health Lead - Mrs Boyce
- 1 x trained Nurture Group Leader
- Breakfast Club
- After School Club
- Learning Together sessions for families to work alongside their child/ren
- Lunchtime Play Leaders
- Comprehensive induction program for children starting Reception class and mid year transfers
- In house safeguarding protocols (1 DSL, 2 DDSLs, 1 named Governors)
- Bespoke learning interventions e.g. reading, maths, phonics
- Speech and Language Therapy
- Parent Information Sessions (academic and pastoral, eg Phonics workshops, DECCA workshops)
- SEND half termly Parent Drop ins with class teachers & SEND half termly telephone conversations with the SENDCO
- Range of pupil leadership groups e.g. Stewardship Squad
- A range after school extra curricular activities
- Pupil Voice Opportunities
- Daily Mile Track
- Forest School area
- Nature Trails
- Government Fruit and Vegetable Scheme
- Use of washing machine
- Curriculum provision and additional work from outside agencies support our children in learning how to keep themselves safe - Inclusion Support and CADMUS
Who might the school refer to?
- The Early Help Team
- Children and Young People's Services
- Sandwell Inclusion Support
- NHS Speech and Language Therapist
- School Nurse
- Educational Psychologist
- Local Authority Family Services team
- Educational Welfare Officer
- Family Hub
