At Hill Farm we are proud of the support we are able to offer our families. We have a friendly pastoral team that work hard to overcome barriers to learning.
Pastoral Team
- Mrs Hammond – Safeguarding and Pastoral Lead.
- Mrs Bruton – Learning Mentor
- Mrs Pinks – Safeguarding Assistant and Early Help Trained
Our team can support with a whole range of issues such as attendance, low self-esteem, anxiety, friendship issues; that may impact on the children’s ability to learn. Support offered may be in the form of small group interventions or a piece of 1:1 work.
‘Ever since my child started getting support she seems to be a lot more relieved and happier just knowing that she can speak to someone and having someone there for her when she was feeling sad’.
Parent from Hill Farm Primary School
We are also able to signpost your family to services/agencies that can provide specialist support. Below is list of just a few agencies that can provide extra advice and support:
Coventry City Council: Cost of living and wellbeing support
Citizens Advice Bureau: Advice on your rights; debt; housing and other legal matters.
Breakthrough: The Breakthrough programme is a project that helps people tackle the financial barriers they face in gaining and sustaining employment. The Building Better Opportunities Programme works throughout Coventry and Warwickshire to assist people in gaining access to education and training, in addition to taking on an active role within their community.
Foodbank: Today people across the UK will struggle to feed themselves and their families. Redundancy, illness, benefit delay, domestic violence, debt, family breakdown and paying for the additional costs of heating during winter are just some of the reasons why people go hungry. Please do not feel embarrassed by this, contact Mrs Hammond or Mrs Bruton at school who can both distribute foodbank vouchers.
Change Grow Live CGL: We understand that substance misuse affects not just the individual, but the whole family. The impact upon the parents/carers and family of an individual’s substance misuse problems can also be significant. At CGL, we strive for a family focussed approach. Either at assessment or during treatment an individual client may find it useful to be accompanied by a family member either for support or in order for the worker to discuss their treatment with a family member. Our service is for people aged 5 – 24. It’s free and confidential.
Coventry Haven: They support by providing safe housing and a range of support services, before during and after leaving an abusive partner/family member. They will assist you through your whole journey. Please visit their website safely or contact them on 024 7644 4077 24 hours a day.
Valley House: they believe everyone should have the chance to live a happy and fulfilling life. We work with disadvantaged individuals and families in and around Coventry. Our services help people struggling with issues such as homelessness, depression, and unemployment to get their lives back together, become independent, and look forward to a brighter future. We provide tailored services to young parents and victims of domestic abuse / domestic violence, helping them feel safe by providing safe accommodation and 1 to 1 and group work support. We can also provide court support for those involved in the criminal justice system, emotional support through counselling and practical help when people are ready to move on into their own homes.
Coventry Mind: OFFERING ADVICE AND SUPPORT FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROBLEMS IAPT – Improving Access to Psychological Therapies For further information about any of the IAPT services, please contact : Telephone: 0845 521 6100 Email: iapt@covwarkpt.nhs.uk
CRASAC: for support relating to rape/sexual abuse.
Action Counters Terrorism – It can be hard to know what to do if you’re worried someone close is expressing extreme views or hatred, which could lead to them harming themselves of others. Working with other organisations, the police protect vulnerable people from being exploited by extremists through a Home Office programme called Prevent. ACT have set up a website https://actearly.uk/ to enable you to tell them your concerns in confidence.
Mrs Hammond and Mrs Pinks are trained in the Signs of Safety Tool which is used to establish what strengths there are in your family and what areas you are worried about and may need some further support with. This information is gathered through an Early Help Assessment. This is a voluntary process whereby together we can draw up a plan of action for your family. The plan is then reviewed at regular intervals, to ensure you and your child are getting all the support you need to enable your child to reach their full potential.
Hill Farm Primary School adhere to the Right Time, Right Help guidance to ensure where possible children and families receive Early Help according to the level of their needs. Sometimes if we feel that a child is at significant risk of harm, then we will speak to you about a referral to social care so that the support you need is put in place urgently.
On very rare occasions, the decision will be made to refer into social care without consent, this will be because a child tells us that they have been harmed or have witnessed a parent in danger. We would not gain consent in this instance as we must follow government safeguarding procedures and allow social care and/or the police to investigate the matter. Similarly, if a child is very worried about something that could potentially cause significant harm to them or a family member and we can’t get hold of a parent or safe adult straight away to discuss this, we may refer in without obtaining your consent.
If you, your family or your child need any additional support during your child’s time at Hill Farm Primary, please call in either in person or on 02476 595455 and ask to speak to a member of our pastoral team. We will try to help in any way that we can.