Emotional Health & Well-being
David Nieper Academy’s Pastoral Team
Our pastoral team know each student as an individual and treats them as such throughout their time at the academy and beyond. From the day they start in Year 7, each student’s path through the school is guided by a caring team of professionals with unrivalled experience in pastoral care.
Your child is provided with the support, guidance and care they need whilst nurturing friendships and developing a strong sense of community. Form tutors, Pastoral Support Managers and Progress & Achievement Leaders play an active role in ensuring that students are happy, well-supported and fully engaged in school life. Form Tutors and Pastoral Support Managers also serve as the first point of contact between school and home.
As your child develops through David Nieper Academy, their progress and well-being will be closely monitored, ensuring that students are recognised and rewarded when they succeed and supported when things are more challenging.
David Nieper Academy is a very caring community and the health, happiness and well-being of students underpins our overall ethos and philosophy.
In order to ensure that all families feel supported at all times, we offer Family Support through our internal Early Help Offer.
Supporting Young People with their Mental Health & Well being
Useful Links
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/
https://derbyandderbyshireemotionalhealthandwellbeing.uk/
Early Help procedure and policy
What is Early Help?
Early Help means providing help for children, young people and families as soon as problems start to emerge or where it is likely that issues will impact negatively on children’s outcomes.
Why is Early Help important?
On occasions we all go through situations which are difficult to cope with. We are sometimes aware of families that are, or have been, struggling, or even in danger. At these times, we need help and advice but finding the right source of support can be difficult. The Academy’s Early Help procedure provides a framework for how the Academy provide Early Help Support.
Our pastoral team provide advice, support and signposting to other agencies with services that can help. Providing timely support is vital. Addressing a child’s or family’s needs early on can reduce risk factors and increase protective factors in a child’s life. Protective factors can reduce risk to a child’s well-being.
The Department for Education state that, ‘It is more effective to provide early help when problems first arise than to intervene later’.
The reasons for Early Help being needed can vary and the list is not finite. However, reasons could include; support for emotional well-being, behavioural support, issues in school and at home. If a family feel they require support then they can contact a member of the pastoral team to discuss their needs.
If required a referral can be made to our Family Support Manager for further support. If the Family Support Manager feels the family require more intensive support then they assess the family’s needs through an Early Help Assessment.
What is an Early Help Assessment?
The Early Help Assessment (EHA) is the local assessment that is used by all agencies working with children and their families in Derby and Derbyshire to agree what extra help may be needed to support a child or young person at an early stage.
The Early Help Assessment will help practitioners work with the family to:
- clarify the child and their family’s needs and strengths; and
- coordinate the help and services that are needed.
Using an Early Help Assessment can make sure that decisions are made at the earliest opportunity to improve the situation for the child and their family.
If anyone has any questions regarding Early Help Assessments then please contact our Family Support Manager, Mr Matthews.
Early Help Useful Documents
Amber Valley Community Update: a document providing support for parents and families.
CAMHS
Following the information event held on 7 December 2021, please click on the link below to view the PowerPoint slides from the evening.
CAMHS information evening – slides
Pastoral Team
Mrs Sheridan – Year 7 Pastoral Support Manager (hsheridan@davidnieper.academy)
Mr Artliff – Year 8 & 9 Pastoral Support Manager (sartliff@davidnieper.academy)
Mrs Howard – Year 10 & 11 Pastoral Support Manager (lhoward@davidnieper.academy)
Mrs Hopewell – Attendance & Admissions Officer (ehopewell@davidnieper.academy)
Miss Billiard – Pastoral & Attendance Support Officer (lbilliard@davidnieper.academy)
Family Support Manager
Mr Matthews – (bmatthews@davidnieper.academy)
Mrs Emma Merchant – Assistant Headteacher – Pastoral and Inclusion (emerchant@davidnieper.academy)
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