Our Parent Support Adviser, Mrs Stephanie Ling, is available every day in school. Her role is to support families and be the link between school and home.

If Mrs Ling isn't available, then any member of the senior leadership team can help!

Frequently Asked Questions:

What sorts of things would I talk to Mrs Ling about?

Attendance, your child's behaviour at home, if you are concerned your child is unhappy in school, or concerns about your child's health and well-being.

How can I speak to Mrs Ling?

Mrs Ling is on the school gate every morning and afternoon. She is also available to speak to via the school office.

How can Mrs Ling help me?

She can sign post families to other services to support, follow up issues in school and ensure families are well informed.

How can Mrs Ling help my child?

Mrs Ling supports in The Hub at lunchtime and is someone the children can go to in school. If you are concerned about your child's well being, Mrs Ling will catch up with your child to make sure that they are ok during the school day.

Parent and Family Support Links

For support and advice provided by Kent, please visit Kent’s Local Offer:
http://www.kent.gov.uk/education-and-children/special-educational-needs/about-the-local-offer

iask provide free, confidential and impartial information, Advice & Support for parents and families around a child’s SEND need: 
www.kent.gov.uk/iask

YoungMinds offers free, confidential online and telephone support, including information and advice, to any adult worries about the emotional well-being, behaviour or mental health of a child or young person up to the age of 25: 
https://youngminds.org.uk or telephone: 0808 802 5544

The NSPCC offers support and advice where there may be concerns around a child’s safety: 
https://www.nspcc.org.uk or telephone: 0808 800 5000
If you are 18 or under telephone: 0800 1111

Contact is a national charity for families with disabled children, including those with ADHD, providing guidance and information: 
https://contact.org.uk/

YoungSibs is a UK-wide online support service for siblings under 18 who have a brother or sister who is disabled, or has special educational needs, or a serious long-term condition including ADHD: 
https://www.youngsibs.org.uk/

Minded provides mental health support and advice online with specific support in how to talk to your child about key worries e.g bereavement and loss, eating, friendships, sleeping, mood swings and mental health. They can also signpost you to further support: 
https://www.minded.org.uk/

Click on the link below for a list of local services for young people’s mental health and wellbeing: 
https://www.annafreud.org/on-my-mind/youth-wellbeing/

Below you will find a website where you can hear about other parents’ experiences and find clear, helpful guidance on children and young people’s mental health and wellbeing: 
https://mindedforfamilies.org.uk/

For further information and support, around mental health, please visit the link below: 
https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/nhs-services/mental-health-services/camhs-information-for-parents-and-carers/

The BBC Bitesize website provides an SEND toolkit for parents, with links to resources and webpages to support individuals with SEND: 
https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/articles/zh9v382?fbclid=IwAR0cLL-S4qfxJNRa9V7pZEWlz8UCiuCyzj9Rtm9d8ufw2xLMuptDnaPAQ2o

For support and advice on physical health, please visit the NHS, Change4life website: 
https://www.nhs.uk/change4life

SNAAP - Special Needs Advisory and Activities Project provides support and advice to families for children with SEND: 
http://www.snaap.org.uk

Websites for Separation and Divorce Support

Separated Families | www.separatedfamilies.info Information and advice for everyone affected by family separation to help bring better outcomes for children.
Resolve | www.resolvemediation.com  Mediation for families. 
Parent Connection | www.theparentconnection.org.uk  Advises on separation and divorce. 
 Anna Freud Family Ties | www.annafreud.org  Online therapy for parents in conflict

Getting Help

Relate | www.relate.org.uk  Offers counselling for individuals and families.
Parenting and Family Support – Family Lives | www.familylives.org.uk  A national family support charity providing help and support in all aspects of family life.
Home-Start | www.homestart.org.uk  Helping families with young children through challenging times
Kent Supporting Separated Families - Home - Supporting Separated Families Alliance: Kent (ssfak.org.uk)
Kent Family Mediation Service is a non-profit making, registered charity that aims to support families involved at any stage of separation or divorce (including future living or parenting arrangements, property and finance).   For further information, please contact 01795 410 457 or contact@kentfms.co.uk, and visit their website at www.kentfms.co.uk 

Co-Parenting www.coparenting.org.uk  run co-parenting programmes in Ashford.  Please visit their website or telephone 01233 680151 to find out more.
Dads Unlimited www.dadsunltd.org.uk  are a local charity supporting separated families.  They work with mums, dads, grandparents and guardians to create positive co-parenting environments.

Books

Two Homes | Claire Masurel A gently reassuring story that focuses on what is gained, rather than what is lost when parents’ divorce. 
Dinosaurs Divorce | Marc Brown A picture book to help young people and their families deal with the anxieties that may arise when divorce occurs. 
The Truth About Children and Divorce: Dealing with the Emotions So You and Your Children Can Thrive | Robert Emery Robert Emery applies his 25 years experience as a researcher therapist and mediator to offer parents a new road map to divorce. 
Understanding children's behaviour | Dr Dinah Jayson and the British Medical Association. If a child is difficult to manage, if parenting doesn’t come easily or if you want to improve your relationship with a child as a parent or carer, this book offers some strategies that you can try.