YOUNG MINDS – USEFUL INFORMATION FOR PARENTS/CARERS
This site may be of use to our parents/carers on how to support your own mental wellbeing during this time and engage as a family and community. There are also some useful resources available.
https://youngminds.org.uk/resources/school-resources/
NSPCC
The NSPCC has added further resources to its parents/ carers section of their website. The resources can be accessed via the link.
The document below lists a host of useful sites for parents and carers to access such as education support in addition to a you-tube school timetable.
Useful information and fun activities
A support pack for children with learning difficulties/ASD has been produced by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. The pack gives advice on looking after yourself, sleep routines, exercise, indoor and activities and managing behaviour. See link below:
DOMESTIC ABUSE
Below is a copy of a WM contacts leaflet for anyone who needs support. For victims of domestic abuse, home isn’t a safe place to wait out the lockdown. Anyone in immediate danger should call 999 – and press 55 on a mobile if you are unable to talk.
The council has compiled a directory of Domestic Abuse Information, Guidance and Resources that provides details of online resources, apps, helplines and chat forums available for families and professionals – see leaflet below:
Resources to help families who are experiencing Domestic abuse
SafeLives have put together some information and resources for people living with domestic abuse, and the professionals supporting them during this difficult time.
Safety planning guide victims and survivors
DEPARTMENT FOR EDUCATION CORONAVIRUS HELPLINE
A new helpline to answer questions about COVID-19 related to education. Staff, parents and young people can contact the helpline as follows:
Phone: 0800 046 8687
Email: DfE.coronavirushelpline@education.gov.uk
Opening hours: 8am to 6pm (Monday to Friday)
OTHER USEFUL INFORMATION FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
FOODBANK INFORMATION
Trussel Trust Pelsall Food Bank: Open Tuesday 11 am – 1 pm and Friday 1 pm – 3 pm.
4 min walk from Pelsall Village Centre
Address: 1 Chapel St, Pelsall, Walsall WS3 4LN
Phone: 01922 445802
MAKE YOUR OWN SENSORY KIT
The Variety Club have recently launched our new guide to making your own sensory resources at home. With the aim of helping parents and carers to support their child’s sensory inputs more effectively, all of the ideas can be made from items lying around the house or, if not, they can be picked up easily and cheaply.
The guide will be of particular benefit for children and young people with autism spectrum disorder, sensory processing disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or other conditions which affect a child’s sensory profile. Packed with over 30 ideas for how to provide stimulation across all the senses, how to calm and relax and how to help with focus and concentration, the guide is available to download free from the Variety website.
Get the sensory kit guide here.
LEADING PARENT PARTNERSHIP AWARD
Our certificate is now proudly displayed in reception for all to see Parents can access can access the LPPA website by clicking on the link below in addition to reading our final report: http://www.lppa.co.uk/
Reassessment report Elmwood 2023
Reassessment Report Elmwood 2019
Looking ahead we would like our parents and carers to become involved with their child’s learning and will actively encourage them to take part in family learning sessions. Watch this space!
We employ a Family Welfare Officer who is there to help support any parent or carer who needs help and guidance.
MARVELLOUSME
The School have subscribed to a fun and motivational tool that supercharges family conversations about school and facilitates better at home support. It helps families to celebrate their child’s good work and reinforces positive behaviours. All parents and carers who have access to a smartphone, tablet or computer are provided with individual log ins enabling them to be kept informed of their child’s activities and achievements at school.
The link to the site is: www.marvellousme.com.
A quick reference guide answering common questions like joining up, logging back in and seeing a child’s history can be found below.
MarvellousMe Parent Quick Reference
MarvellousMe Parent App Update
MarvellousMe has upgraded their Parent app this week. This new version delivers a 30-day News Centre (the number one feature parents have been asking for!), fixes notification bugs and includes other improvements.
You may have already seen an email from MarvellousMe however, if you haven’t already done so, it is essential that you follow the below:
- Check your device is running the latest operating software.
- Update the MarvellousMe app via the App Store or Google Play.
- To do this, type ‘MarvellousMe’ into the search bar, click on the ‘MarvellousMe for Parents’ icon and select ‘update’.
- Your phone may have already updated MarvellousMe automatically in which case it will just have an ‘open’ button.
- Open the MarvellousMe Parent app then
- Tap ‘Settings’
- Toggle the ‘Get device notifications’ switch off and back on again. Even if it shows as ‘On’, you must switch it ‘Off’ and ‘On’ This step is particularly important to ensure you receive MarvellousMe notifications going forward and benefit from the upgrade.
Please refer to the guide attached or contact MarvellousMe directly through the ‘User Guide & Help’ section in the app if you need any support.
Thank you for using MarvellousMe.
UNDERSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS, SEX AND HEALTH EDUCATION
A guide on the changes that are coming into effect with regard to the above is available below.
RSE_secondary_schools_guide_for_parents
INFORMATION AROUND MENTAL HEALTH
Parents/Carers may find the following posters helpful which identifies 10 ways to help your child look after their mental health, 8 ways a child’s anxiety shows up as something else and self regulation coping strategies.
FREE ONLINE RESOURCE FOR PARENTS AND CARERS
MindEd for Families is a vital online resource providing evidence-based advice and information for family members concerned abut their child’s mental health. The site has been developed in partnership with YoungMinds and co-written with parents and carers. The resources are engaging, ineractive and accessible on all mobile and tablet devices. Find out more – www.minded.org.uk/families.
COFFEE MORNINGS
All parents and carers are warmly invited to come along to coffee mornings. A number of parents/carers and outside organisations have previously enjoyed coffee mornings as you can see from the pictures below.
Our Family Welfare Officer has tried to incorporate an event or a speaker at the coffee mornings but the preferred option from parents and carers is for a more relaxed informal event where they can speak to each other about their day to day lives, offer each other advice and use the time to catch up. Previous events have included Contact a Family (stress management), Safer Internet Day, Fund Raising and Sports Day.
SCHOOL MEALS SERVICE
Our school kitchen is only able to offer one of these choices in addition to providing either a filled baguette or jacket potato. Please note that from 17th April 2023 the cost of a school meal will rise to £2.99.
Please be aware that new guidance has been introduced with regards to non payment of school meals. Details are contained within the letter from Walsall Council below.
To check if you are eligible for free school meals please ring 01922 650 443 or click on the link below:
Free school meals | Walsall Council
REFERRAL TO WALSALL PSYCHOLOGY HUB (WPH)
If a child in School is displaying negative behaviours at home and does not fit the CAMHS remit or has a diagnosis of autism/extreme behaviour, our Family Welfare Officers are able to speak and pass details onto WPH. Parents are always contacted in the first instance for their consent and given an explanation as to the role of WPH. WPH will then contact the parents to arrange a suitable appointment if you have a Walsall GP.
If a parent is struggling with some form of low level mental health, anxiety, depression, worries or bereavement, our Family Welfare Officers can recommend the parent to the WPH. The parent has to phone and make an appointment. If School feel that the appointment needs to be more urgent we can consult with WPH. A number of sessions are usually offered to parents.
Case study a) – one family on long term child protection, parents needs not met, a counselling service was offered to mom. Due to the relationship with Family Welfare Officer and parent, WPH was offered. Mom was supported with making the appointment. Support given to attend appointment. Mom is able to talk about trauma from the past going back to when she was a young girl. Mom is enjoying attending sessions and feels it is benefitting her.
Case study b) – a Year 10 puil was showing some signs of anxiety which was manifesting in negative behaviours at home. The anxiety was around difficulties he was having outside of School and he was bottling this up continuously and resulting in Children’s Services being contacted and Police involvement. Several visits were made to WPH to discuss and talk through these anxieties. This has resulted in an improvement in his emotional state. Parent accompanied the pupil to all of the appointments.
WPH are based at The Haven, 55 Upper Forster Street, Walsall WS4 2AB. Telephone 01922 649000 from 9.30 am to 5.00 pm.