What I can offer you as parents:

My role is to support parents to be involved with all aspects of their child’s school life. I have attended various personal development courses, continued my personal education  and have gained life experience in many areas. Listed below are just some of the issues I can advise and support families on.

• Mental or physical health issues
• Getting to school on time and good attendance

• Supporting parents and carers to get involved in school life

• New starts and settling in

• Training, education and employment

• Housing and debt worries
• Family relationship problems
• Bereavement and loss
• Training and education
• Volunteering in the community 
• Drug and alcohol awareness
• Parenting skills and one to one support.
• Counselling skills
• Behaviour Issues
• Lunchtime Concerns
• Family Circumstances affecting your child​                                                                               Eg: bereavement, parental separation etc.
• Concerns about playtimes/friendships
• Medical/Health Concerns
• Homework Concerns
• Transition to Secondary School
• Provide information about school procedures and policies​

I work closely with other members of staff, particularly the school Special Educational Needs Co-ordinator (SENCo). I liaise with outside agencies such as School Nurse, CAMHS, Educational Psychologists and Parenting Support agencies. 

As well as offering individual support to families, I can help parents access courses in a variety of subjects within the local community and accompany parents/carers to various services if required.

• Adult literacy and numeracy classes.
• Parenting classes
• Play Sessions during school holidays
• Managing children's behaviour.
• Stress management.
• Self-esteem building
• Literacy  project

If I can't help directly then I am able to offer support and point parents, and their families, in the right direction to the person that can.

• South Gloucestershire Talking Therapies: Therapeutic interventions including counselling and group courses, in line with people’s differing needs, age 16+.

Self-referral via the website: https://iapt-sglos.awp.nhs.uk/. Tel: 0117 378 4270.

• Bourne Family Project: Offers parenting support courses, play therapy (for children aged 3-14 years, voluntary contribution to costs) for those experiencing difficulties, and adult counselling services. Free crèche facilities available for many of the services.

Tel: 0117 9478441. Website: http://www.bournefamilyproject.org/

• Samaritans: Free, confidential emotional support for those experiencing despair, distress, self-harm or suicidal feelings. Tel: 116 123 (free, from any phone, 24/7). Website: www.samaritans.org. Email: jo@samaritans.org
• Bristol Mind: Mental health resource for people in Bristol and the surrounding areas, providing information, signposting, advocacy, low-cost counselling and a hate crime service.

Tel: 0808 808 0330 (Wednesday-Sunday 8pm-Midnight). Website: www.bristolmind.org.uk. Transgender helpline: 0300 330 5468 (Mondays and Fridays 8pm-midnight).

• HOPEline UK (Youth Suicide Prevention Advice): Confidential helpline service and website offering support and advice to anyone age under 35 who is having suicidal thoughts, or anyone who is worried about a young person who may be having thoughts of suicide. Tel: 0800 068 41 41. Text: 07786 209 697. Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org. Website: www.papyrus-uk.org/help-advice/about-hopelineuk

Useful Websites and links:

1 Big Database: http://www.1bigdatabase.org.uk/

1 Big Database has information about a wide range of services for young children, young people, their parents and carers and professionals in Bath and North East Somerset, Bristol and South Gloucestershire.

Information includes : Housing, Education, Health, Money Matters, Family Support, Employment, Play and Leisure Facilities, Community Groups, Drugs Information Service.

Supportive Parents. http://www.supportiveparents.org.uk/

Tel:  0117 9897725

Supportive Parents  provide an independent and confidential service to parents of children with special educational needs (SEN)

http://www.bbc.co.uk/learning/

http://www.familylives.org.uk/