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This toolkit is to help practitioner when supporting children, young people, and families.

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Consultation advice line for professionals

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The consultation advice line is a quick way to get basic advice and guidance about local services and community support.

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Working together to safeguard children 2026: summary of changes

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We have clarified that the guidance applies to all children, including:

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Luke Smith: Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

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Luke Smith: Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead

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lukesmith@pevenseyschool.org.uk

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Jackie Hance: Designated Safeguarding Lead

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Jackie Hance: Designated Safeguarding Lead

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jhance@pevenseyschool.org.uk

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Safeguarding Snippet Term 2 2025 - Reporting and recording concerns

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Safeguarding Snippet Term 1 2025 - KCSiE 25 updates and reminders

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Safeguarding Snippet Term 6 2025 - Medical Matters

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Safeguarding Newsletter - September 2025 - 1

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Safeguarding Newsletter - November 2025 - 1

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Safeguarding Newsletter - January 2026 - 1

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Safeguarding Newsletter - March 2026 - 1

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NEW Consultation Advice Line from East Sussex County Council Children’s Services - ESSCP

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Or you can watch the East Sussex School Health for parents and carers video on our Vimeo channel.

School Health One Point

0300 123 4062
kentchft.esschoolhealthservice@nhs.net
Make an online School Health referral

School Health One Point (SHOP) is our contact point for parents, carers and professionals

Your call will be answered by an experienced administrator who will be able to take your details; if necessary a nurse can call you back.

Text your school nurse

If you need to speak to someone now, contact us by text using our confidential text messaging service for parents and carers of children of aged five to 19 years and also young people aged between 11 and 19 years.
Text 07507 332473
Who are we?

Your School Health Team is led by registered, qualified nurses who have a specialist community public health degree. The team consists of community staff nurses, community nursery nurses and assistant practitioners, health improvement staff, school nurse assistants and administrators. We work closely with a number of other services, including education, GPs, children's integrated therapy services, paediatricians, the voluntary sector, youth services and East Sussex Children's Services.

All our staff who work within schools and with children, families and young people have enhanced disclosure and barring checks; we are committed to promoting the healthy development, resilience and welfare of all children and young people.

What we do

Our focus is on promoting the health and wellbeing of all school-aged children, striving to deliver the very best care that we can. We do this by completing a health assessment with you and your child to identify the most appropriate intervention and potential outcome and we will work with you to achieve this. Where we are unable to help, we will always signpost or refer you to a more suitable service.

Appointments

One of our admin team will contact you by letter or telephone to offer an appointment. This will be a remote appointment either by telephone or video call in the majority of cases. The appointment will last about 45 minutes so make sure you are prepared and comfortable. Here are some video call tips:

make sure you have a quiet space in a well-lit room where you can talk openly and freely

remove any distractions that might interrupt the session

make sure your computer camera and sound work, check you have a good internet connection and check you have the meeting link.

If you are unable to attend the appointment please contact us at least 24 hours beforehand and we will re-book your appointment.

Find your local team

We are based in Polegate but we are a mobile service and work in schools and other venues throughout East Sussex. To contact us phone 0300 123 4062.

Chaucer Clinic, Polegate
Unit A4, Chaucer Business Park, Dittons Road, Polegate, East Sussex, BN26 6QH

Station Plaza Health Centre, Hastings
Devonshire Rd, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 1NH

Grove House, Crowborough
The Grove, Crowborough, East Sussex, TN6 1NY

How our school health teams work together

The School Health Service works in partnership with parents, children and young people to make sure pupil's health needs are supported within their school and community. This includes all those attending a state school within East Sussex and children and young people who are electively home educated. We can support you and your child with their physical and emotional needs from the age of five until they are 19 years old.

Every child deserves the best start in life; our aim is to make sure that nothing gets in the way of your child's development, so that they can achieve their full potential.

Text your school nurse

Across East Sussex we also offer a text service called Text Your School Nurse. This is a confidential text messaging service for parents and carers of children of aged five to 19 years and also young people aged between 11 and 19 years.

Your message will be answered by a school nurse Monday and Friday from 9am to 5pm, who will offer guidance on a range of health related problems or concerns. All of the issues discussed are confidential unless a child's safety, or that of others, is at risk.

Our school nurses will always encourage young people to discuss issues with their parents or carers.

The Text Your School Nurse number is 07507 332473.

Confidential suicide prevention advice

Are you, or is a young person you know, not coping with life? For confidential suicide prevention advice please visit www.papyrus-uk.org.

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All our School Health staff work within schools and with children, families and young people. We are committed to promoting the healthy development, resilience and welfare of all children and young people.

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Sussex CAMHS has been experiencing a significant increase in the number of referrals since September 2020, due to the pandemic and the easing of lockdown restrictions. The level of need we are experiencing is having an adverse effect on waiting times for initial assessments and treatment.

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This page is for professionals. If you're a member of the public, visit:
Report a concern about a child or a teenager

Before you contact the SPoA

Discuss your concerns about a young person with your safeguarding lead. Assess the level of need by reading and using the Continuum of Need
Do not contact SPoA

when families already have a social worker. Contact the social worker directly. (The exception is if you are making a CAMHS referral.) If you are unsure who their worker is, you can get this from SingleView.

about Level 1 and 2 needs. The Council doesn't normally offer advice about Level 1 and 2. Instead, see Organisations that help families

Call SPoA on 01323 464222

if the child does not have a social worker and you have immediate safeguarding concerns. Or if the child is at risk of harm, or has sustained an injury.

if the practitioner has Level 3 or 4 concerns (targeted and child protection services.)

when a practitioner and safeguarding lead manager have assessed a child as being at immediate risk of significant harm. Phone SPoA straight away and say your concern is about immediate risk.

when the safeguarding lead is not available.

when practitioners have a concern about a child with emotional, wellbeing or mental health issues. (SPoA is now the contact point for referrals to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS))

What SPoA will ask you

have you checked SingleView? Are any Council services already supporting the child?

have you spoken to any of these services?

who else you have spoken to?

details of child and family

a summary of your concerns

have you referred to the Continuum of Need?

do you need to report a child protection concern? (Forms below.)

Reporting a child protection concern using a form

You can report a child protection on the Children's Portal to report your concerns to SPOA.

If a child is at risk of immediate harm, or has sustained an injury, please call SPOA directly on 01323 464 222 before completing your referral.

Contacting the SPoA

Telephone: 01323 464 222
Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm.

Email: Single Point of Advice team
(Do not use GCSx email - it is no longer in use.)

Out of hours:

Telephone: 01273 335 906 or 01273 335 905

Contact our Emergency Duty Service (EDS) with serious concerns that cannot wait until the next working day.

EDS operates Monday to Thursday 5pm to 8.30am and
Fridays, weekends and bank holidays, 4.30pm to 8.30am.

SingleView access

SingleView gives partners an overview of Children's Services involvements, case status and relationships.

For SingleView information and applications see SingleView.

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Contacting the Single Point of Advice (SPoA)

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Actions to take before you call, what they will ask and how to contact the Single Point of Advice team.

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CLASS Pupil Voice Tool - Listen to Me - 1

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CLASS Pupil Voice Tool - Listen to Me (with pictures) - 1

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Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy - September 2025

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Staff Behaviour Policy Code of Conduct Sept 25

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Safeguarding and Child Protection Staff Induction Policy - September 2025

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Supervision of Children Policy September 2025

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Attendance Policy for pupils - September 2025

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Nursery and School - Separated Parents Policy - March 2025

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Consultation advice line for professionals

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The consultation advice line is a quick way to get basic advice and guidance about local services and community support.

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AI CSAM Guides for Professionals | IWF & NCA

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Download essential guides for professionals on understanding, identifying and responding to AI-generated Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM). Developed by IWF & NCA.

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Contents – Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures Resource

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Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures

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Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures Resource

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Sussex Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Procedures

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Safeguarding Snippet Term 5 2025 - Coercive Control

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Safeguarding Snippet Term 4 2025 - Site Security

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Overview

Schools are required by law to engage with pupils' parents in a number of different ways. They can find themselves caught up in disputes between a number of adults, each claiming to have parental responsibility for a particular child. They are also expected to navigate complex living arrangements, particularly for children who are living in social care, where parental responsibility can be confusing or unclear.

We've produced this guidance to help schools understand their obligations and duties in relation to the rights and responsibilities of parents, as recognised by education law. We use the terms:

must - where a school has a duty

can - where a school has a power (not a duty) under statutory or common law

should - for guidance on good practice

We use the terms 'resident' and 'non-resident' parent to distinguish between parents who do and do not live with a child.

This guidance should not be treated as a complete and authoritative statement of the law. We refer throughout to legislation that sets out schools' legal duties. Some primary legislation may have been amended since its publication. If you have any queries about the legislation referred to, you should contact your legal advisers in the first instance.

The welfare of the child must be a school's paramount consideration. If a parent raises a concern and you are unsure how to act, you should seek legal advice to ensure that the parent's rights and responsibilities are not infringed and the school's actions are compliant with education law.

We will review this guidance before September 2026, subject to any legislative changes.

Defining who is a parent

It is important that schools and local authorities are aware that parents may be recognised differently under education law and under family law. Section 576 of the Education Act 1996 states that, in relation to a child or young person, a 'parent' includes any person who is not a parent (from which can be inferred 'biological parent') but who has parental responsibility for or care of the child.

For the purposes of education law, the Department for Education ( DfE) considers a 'parent' to include:

all biological parents, whether they are married or not

any person who, although not a biological parent, has parental responsibility for a child or young person - this could be an adoptive parent, a step-parent, a guardian or other relative

any person who, although they are not a biological parent and do not have parental responsibility, has care of a child or young person

A person typically has care of a child or young person if the child lives with them either full or part time and they look after them, irrespective of what their biological or legal relationship is with the child.

Example A foster carer or a family-and-friends carer who does not have parental responsibility but has been delegated the responsibility for taking day-to-day decisions about the child.

If a person is not the biological parent of a child, does not have parental responsibility for the child, and the child no longer lives with them, it is unlikely they will be recognised as a parent. Any disputes about whether a person is a child's 'parent' within the meaning of section 576 of the Education Act 1996 are for the courts to decide.

DfE may also refer to a 'corporate parent' within statutory and non-statutory guidance. This term is used to describe local authorities and partner organisations that contribute to services provided to looked-after children, namely children who are the subject of a care order. A care order gives the local authority (the 'corporate parent') parental responsibility under section 33(3) of the Children Act 1989.

Understanding parental responsibility

In family law, under section 3 of the Children Act 1989, parental responsibility means all the rights, duties, powers, responsibilities and authority that a parent has in relation to the child.

A person with parental responsibility can make decisions about the child's upbringing and is entitled to information about the child. For example, they can give consent to their medical treatment and make decisions about their education. They also have the right to receive information about their health and education.

There are specific examples in general principles for schools and local authorities.

Who has parental responsibility

A child's birth mother (the person who carried the child) has parental responsibility unless it has been removed by an adoption order or a parental order following surrogacy.

If a child's father and mother were married to each other at the time of the child's birth, they each have parental responsibility. If the parents were not married to each other at that time, the child's father can gain parental responsibility:

by registering the child's birth jointly with the mother

by subsequently marrying the child's mother

through a 'parental responsibility agreement' between him and the child's mother that is registered with the court

by obtaining a court order for parental responsibility

If two female parents have a child through fertility treatment, the mother's female partner is treated in the same way as a father. She has parental responsibility if she is married to or in a civil partnership with the mother at the time of the treatment (or if the two women agree in writing that she will be the child's second parent). She can also acquire parental responsibility in the same way that a child's father can.

People who are not the child's biological mother, father or second female parent can also acquire parental responsibility.

Civil partners have parallel rights to married people in terms of parental responsibility. The same provisions for married people apply to them in terms of:

acquiring parental responsibility: adoption, agreement with their civil partner or by an order from the court

holding parental responsibility

A local authority (the 'corporate parent') acquires parental responsibility under section 33(3) of the Children Act 1989 if it is named when a care order is made in respect of a child.

Key effects of a father or second female parent acquiring parental responsibility

When a father or second female parent acquires parental responsibility, they:

become a 'parent' for the purposes of adoption legislation and can therefore withhold consent to an adoption

can object to the child being accommodated in local authority accommodation under section 20 of the Children Act 1989 and remove them from such accommodation (unless the child is over 16 and agrees to be provided with accommodation)

will automatically be a party to care proceedings

can appoint a guardian

can give valid consent for the child's medical treatment (subject to the competency of the child to give their own consent or object to the treatment being proposed)

have the right of access to the child's health records

can withdraw the child from sex education and religious education classes and make representations to their school concerning their education

must give their consent if the child's other parent seeks to remove the child from the jurisdiction

can sign the child's passport application and object to the granting of a passport

has sufficient rights in relation to the child to invoke the international child abduction rules

can consent to the marriage of the child, if the child is aged 16 or 17

Other ways to acquire parental responsibility

Parental responsibility can be acquired in other ways, including by:

adoption, after which only the adoptive parents will hold parental responsibility

prospective adoption, when parental responsibility is shared with other parties such as the local authority while the child is placed with the prospective adopter

obtaining a parental order following surrogacy

being a step-parent, through agreement with the child's mother and their other parent, if that person also has parental responsibility for the child, or as the result of a court order

being granted a child arrangements order determining who the child should live with or that a parent should spend time with the child but the child should not live with them

being appointed as a guardian or special guardian

being named in an emergency protection order - although parental responsibility in such a case is limited to taking reasonable steps to safeguard or promote the child's welfare

being the local authority named in the care order for a child

More than one person, and even several people, can hold and exercise parental responsibility for a child. The parental responsibility of one party does not necessarily stop simply because another person is also given it, although this can happen. Therefore, in some cases, several people may exercise parental responsibility on behalf of a child.

Parental responsibility is not given to a foster parent or a key worker in residential care, but it is essential that schools engage and work with these individuals, who are often the most influential and important people in the child's life. How a school engages with social workers and the birth parents of the child in each case needs to be defined locally, but it is an essential part of supporting the child's school and care environment.

Court orders and parental responsibility

Court orders under section 8 of the Children Act 1989, often called section 8 orders (as amended by section 12 of the Children and Families Act 2014) settle areas of dispute in relation to the exercise of parental responsibility or a child's care or upbringing, and can limit how an individual exercises their parental responsibility.

There are different types of section 8 orders, which can be made to address particular issues.

Prohibited steps order

A prohibited steps order imposes a specific restriction on the exercise of responsibility. This means that no step specified by the court that a parent could take in meeting their parental responsibility can be taken without the consent of the court.

Example One parent wants to take the child abroad for an extended period or prevent the child from attending a form of religious worship against the wishes of the other parent.

Specific issue order

A specific issue order gives directions for the purpose of determining a specific question that has arisen or may arise in connection with any aspect of parental responsibility.

Example An order allowing one parent to agree to a pupil moving school against the wishes of the other parent.

Child arrangements order

A child arrangements order sets out the arrangements for whom the child is to live with and when, and the arrangements for which parent they are to spend time or have contact with. It replaces the former residence and contact orders.

In line with their safeguarding duties, schools should ask parents to provide them with a copy of the most recent court order in place. However, a parent may first need to seek the permission of the court to share orders with a third party, including the school.

Care order

If a care order is in place, the role parents can play in their child's life and schooling may be limited by the local authority.

Schools should note that a court order limiting a parent's exercise of their parental responsibility does not necessarily prevent or restrict a school from carrying out its duties under education law.

Terminating parental responsibility

While such cases are rare, in very limited circumstances, the court can also make an order under section 4(3) of the Children Act 1989 to terminate parental responsibility that has been acquired. The exception to this is where parental responsibility was acquired through the marriage of the father or second female parent to the child's mother.

More information about court orders and pre-proceedings is available.

General principles for schools and local authorities

Anyone who is a parent, as recognised under education law, can participate in their child's education.

This is supported by the duty on the Secretary of State for Education, when exercising or performing all of their respective powers and duties under the Education Acts, to have regard to the general principle that pupils are to be educated in accordance with the wishes of their parents.

Under the Education and Inspections Act 2006, governing bodies of maintained schools must also have regard to any views expressed by parents of registered pupils.

Under the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005, all parents can also receive information about the child, even though the school's main contact is likely to be the parent with whom the child lives on school days.

Those who have parental responsibility for or care of a child have the same rights as biological parents to:

receive information, such as school reports

participate in statutory activities, such as voting in an election for parent governors

be asked to give consent, such as to the child taking part in a school trip

be informed about meetings involving the child, such as a governors' meeting on the child's exclusion from school

School and local authority staff must treat all parents equally, unless a court order limits a parent's ability to make educational decisions, participate in school life or receive information about their child. In most circumstances, the question a school must ask itself when making decisions is not just whether a parent holds parental responsibility but whether they are a parent under education law.

All parents also have legal obligations under section 7 of the Education Act 1996 - for example, to ensure that a child of compulsory school age receives a suitable full-time education.

If a parent's action or proposed action contravenes the school's ability to act in the child's best interests, the school should try to resolve the problem with the parent but avoid becoming involved in any conflict. However, there may be occasions when a school needs to decline requests for action from one or more parents.

In cases where schools cannot resolve the conflict between separated parents, they should advise the aggrieved parent to pursue the matter through the family court.

Information sharing

It is important that schools balance the requests of parents with their statutory duties. Having parental responsibility does not allow a parent to obstruct a school from carrying out its duties under the legislation.

Example A biological parent with parental responsibility informs their child's maintained school that they do not wish their child's step-parent, who does not have parental responsibility but does have care of the child, to receive educational information about the child. The school must inform the biological parent that they cannot comply with that request.

Under the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005, maintained schools are required to provide access to or copies of a child's educational record to parents on request. Therefore, if the school were to abide by the request of the biological parent, it would be in breach of its obligations under education law.

Information sharing legislation

Under the principles of the UK General Data Protection Regulations 2018 (UK GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018, a child or young adult can assume control of their personal information and restrict access to it from the age of 13.

However, until they reach the age of 18, their parent is entitled to request access to or a copy of their educational record even if they do not wish them to access it. Nonetheless, a parent is not entitled to information the school could not lawfully disclose to the child under the UK GDPR or to which the child would have no right of access under the Education (Pupil Information) (England) Regulations 2005.

A local authority with parental responsibility for a child is also entitled to inspect or receive a copy of the educational record of a child who is the subject of a care order.

Example A non-resident parent who has limited contact with their child contacts their school to find out how well they did in their exams. The child and the resident parent do not wish to share that information, and notify the school of this. The school refuses to release the information on the basis that the child is old enough to control access. It has therefore breached education law by failing to provide information to which the non-resident parent is entitled.

Note: GCSE results form part of the pupil's educational record and are therefore disclosable to a parent on request. The pupil's consent is not required. However, if a school considers that sharing this information could result in serious physical or mental harm to the pupil or another individual, it may decide not to release the results to the parent. In such a situation, the school and the affected parent may wish to seek independent legal advice.

For more information about UK GDPR, you can contact the Information Commissioner's Office.

Information sharing and academies

Requirements of academies differ slightly and are derived from part 6 of the schedule to the Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014.

Academies must provide a parent with an annual written report of a registered pupil's progress and attainment in the main subject areas unless the parent has agreed otherwise.

Informing non-resident parents

If a school does not know the whereabouts of a non-resident parent, it should make the resident parent aware that the other parent is entitled to be involved in their child's education and request that information is passed on.

If the resident parent refuses either to share information with the non-resident parent or to provide their contact details, if they have them, so the school can deal with them direct, the school can do nothing more. If the non-resident parent subsequently contacts the school and requests access to information, the school should provide it to that parent direct, after taking reasonable steps to satisfy itself that the individual is, in fact, the child's parent.

A school does not need to seek the consent of a resident parent before recording the contact details of the non-resident parent or sending them their child's educational information. It does not need to ask for a solicitor's letter from a non-resident parent as evidence that they are entitled to access this information. No court order is required before providing statutory information to any parent entitled to receive it.

Obtaining consent

If a school needs parental consent for extra-curricular visits and activities, a headteacher should seek the consent of the resident parent. Exceptions to this are when the decision is likely to have a long-term and significant impact on the child, or the non-resident parent has requested to be asked for consent in all cases.

If a school considers it necessary or has been asked to seek consent from both parents, it may wish to assume parental consent has not been given unless both agree. Such an approach ensures that the school has treated the views of each parent equally and will help safeguard its position in terms of exposure to any civil liability if, for example, the child is injured while on a school trip.

The school should avoid becoming involved in any disagreement between parents, but might want to suggest that, if they cannot agree, they seek independent legal advice about obtaining a prohibited steps order or specific issue order setting out exactly which decisions each parent can make in respect of their child.

Medical treatment: seeking consent following an accident or injury

A school may experience an issue when a child has had an accident and consent is needed for emergency medical treatment. Section 3 of the Children Act 1989 states that a person who does not have parental responsibility but nonetheless has care of a child may:

...do what is reasonable in all the circumstances of the case for the purpose of safeguarding or promoting the child's welfare.

This allows a school to act 'in loco parentis' - that is, in place of a parent - or to seek consent from a parent who may not hold parental responsibility.

It would clearly be reasonable for a school to take a child who needs to have a wound stitched to hospital, but the parents - including the non-resident parent who has asked to be kept informed of events involving the child - should be informed as soon as possible.

Guidance on health and safety responsibilities is available.

Safeguarding

All schools must have regard to the statutory guidance on keeping children safe in education ( KCSIE), which explains what schools and their staff must and should do to safeguard pupils.

Safeguarding is defined in KCSIE as:

protecting children from maltreatment

preventing the impairment of children's mental and physical health or development

ensuring that children grow up in circumstances consistent with the provision of safe and effective care

taking action to enable all children to have the best outcomes

KCSIE emphasises that everyone who comes into contact with children and their families has a role to play in safeguarding. School and college staff are particularly important, as they are in a position to identify concerns early and provide help for children so as to prevent concerns from escalating. They should consider at all times what is in the best interests of a child.

If a child is in immediate danger or at risk of harm, a referral should be made immediately to children's social care or the police, as appropriate. It will be for a school, on a case-by-case basis, to consider the level of information, if any, that is provided to parents when a referral has been made to children's social care.

All schools should have a designated safeguarding lead - a full job description for the role is provided in Annex C of KCSIE. Working with children's social care, that member of staff should generally lead on decisions about sharing information related to safeguarding concerns with a child's parent.

Information sharing should always be in the best interests of the child. It will be especially important that a school works closely with children's social care to consider next steps if it has reason to believe sharing information with a parent will potentially put a child at greater risk of harm.

Guidance about safeguarding and information sharing can be found in:

Pupils moving schools

In the case of separated parents, case law states that all those with parental responsibility must be consulted before important decisions are made, such as removing a child from their school, when they should leave the school or which new school they should attend.

Schools must still comply with the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2006 when they receive a request to remove a child from the school register. However, there is no statutory obligation on a school to notify one parent if the other decides to remove their child - that responsibility rests solely with the separated parents.

Nonetheless, the child's welfare is paramount, so, if a school is aware that parents are separated and one parent decides to remove their child, staff may wish to ask that parent if the other has been informed and has agreed to this.

A school should avoid becoming involved in parental conflicts. If parents are unable to agree lines of communication between themselves on issues involving their child, they may wish to seek independent legal advice and explore other options. These might include referring the matter to non-court dispute resolution, such as mediation, or to the family court for adjudication.

Schools may consider it appropriate to make an early help referral. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child's life. Where a child would benefit from co-ordinated early help, an early help inter-agency assessment should be arranged. Working together to safeguard children provides detailed guidance on the early help process.

Schools can also signpost parents to this guidance and other sources of support, such as Citizens Advice and Coram Children's Legal Centre.

Changing a surname

A change of surname is a private family law matter and should be resolved between parents. The Ministry of Justice is responsible for government policies relating to private family law. DfE retains policy responsibility for public family law.

If one parent seeks to change the surname by which their child is known, a school should ensure it does not do so without written evidence that the other parent, or anyone else who has parental responsibility for the child, has given their consent. It should source this evidence independently of the parent seeking to make the change.

Regulation 5(1)(a) of the Education (Pupil Registration) Regulations 2006 requires a school to record the full name of every pupil in alphabetical order in the admissions register. This means the child's full legal name and not any other name that the child is known by.

However, there may be circumstances where an informal name change has already been adopted in school and it would not be in the child's best interests to revert to a different name. In such circumstances, a school should decide what action to take, but the best interests of the child must be paramount.

Where a child is subject to a special guardianship order, there are particular considerations if a school receives a request to use a different surname. Section 14C(3) of the Children Act 1989 states that:

While a special guardianship order is in force with respect to a child, no person may cause the child to be known by a new surname... without either the written consent of every person who has parental responsibility for the child or the leave of the court. Schools must therefore decline requests from special guardians for a child to be known by a different surname unless the above criteria are met.

Parent governors

Schools must not restrict eligibility to nominate, vote or otherwise participate in parent governor elections to parents holding parental responsibility. Under the School Governance (Constitution) (England) Regulations 2012, a 'parent' includes not just those with parental responsibility but also biological parents and anyone who cares for a child.

Guidance on the roles and duties of governing boards is available.

Administration

In accordance with Regulation 5(1)(c) of the Education (Pupil Registration) (England) Regulations 2013, a headteacher must ensure the:

names and addresses of all parents are included in the admission register

school register contains at least one telephone number by which to contact each resident parent in case of an emergency

Headteachers should therefore:

ask parents or guardians for the contact details - including names, addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses - of all parents when they register a pupil

ensure they note the details of any court order in a pupil's educational record

Such information will be necessary when decisions need to be made about who can give parental consent for an extra-curricular visit or should be contacted if the child is ill, as well as what to do in more difficult situations.

Example If a biological parent, rather than a foster parent, comes to collect a child in local authority care from school.

Schools should be mindful to protect parents' private data from any other party and to avoid accidental disclosure. This is particularly important, given that a parent may have been, or be at risk of being, a victim of domestic violence.

Example Annual attendance registers, commonly issued together with end-of-year reports, generally include a pupil's current address, so a school should be careful who it sends them to. Similarly, if the school copies one parent into what it has sent the other, it may disclose their private email address and correspondence.

A school needs to take the same care when providing information to foster parents and biological parents if a child is in care. There may be circumstances in which the foster parents' details must not be disclosed to the biological family as part of safeguarding the child.

Liaising with social workers

There may be occasions when a child's social worker will collect them from school. This needs to be by prior agreement with either their birth parent or foster carer, depending on the circumstances. A social worker should not enter school premises to collect a child to attend a care review or contact meeting without the prior agreement of a teacher, the birth parent or foster carer, and the child themselves.

A school may on occasion need to contact a social worker - for example, in regard to a child's health or absence from school. However, in most circumstances, the primary carer is best placed to have that conversation with the school and to report on the outcome to their social worker.

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Understanding and dealing with issues relating to parental responsibility

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Schools are required by law to engage with pupils' parents in a number of different ways. They can find themselves caught up in disputes between a number of adults, each claiming to have parental responsibility for a particular child.

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Schools are private property. People do not have an automatic right to enter. Parents have an ‘implied licence’ to come on to school premises at certain times, for instance:

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Mental health for children, teenagers and young adults

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Find advice and support about mental health for children, teenagers, students and parents.

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An eating disorder is a mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations.
Unhealthy eating behaviours may include eating too much or too little or worrying about your weight or body shape.

Anyone can get an eating disorder, but teenagers between 13 and 17 are mostly affected.

With treatment, most people can recover from an eating disorder.

Types of eating disorders

The most common eating disorders are:

anorexia nervosa - trying to control your weight by not eating enough food, exercising too much, or doing both

bulimia - losing control over how much you eat and then taking drastic action to not put on weight

binge eating disorder (BED) - eating large portions of food until you feel uncomfortably full

Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED)

A person may have an OSFED if their symptoms do not exactly fit the expected symptoms for any specific eating disorders.

OSFED is the most common eating disorder.
Find out more about OSFED on the Beat website
Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)

ARFID is when someone avoids certain foods, limits how much they eat or does both.

Beliefs about weight or body shape are not reasons why people develop ARFID.

Possible reasons for ARFID include:

negative feelings over the smell, taste or texture of certain foods

a response to a past experience with food that was upsetting, for example, choking or being sick after eating something

not feeling hungry or just a lack of interest in eating

Find out more about ARFID on the Beat website

Check if you have an eating disorder

If you or people around you are worried that you have an unhealthy relationship with food, you could have an eating disorder.

Symptoms of eating disorders include:

spending a lot of time worrying about your weight and body shape

avoiding socialising when you think food will be involved

eating very little food

making yourself sick or taking laxatives after you eat

exercising too much

having very strict habits or routines around food

changes in your mood such as being withdrawn, anxious or depressed

You may also notice physical signs, including:

feeling cold, tired or dizzy

pains, tingling or numbness in your arms and legs (poor circulation)

feeling your heart racing, fainting or feeling faint

problems with your digestion, such as bloating, constipation or diarrhoea

your weight being very high or very low for someone of your age and height

not getting your period or other delayed signs of puberty

You can read more about the symptoms of:

Warning signs of an eating disorder in someone else

It can be very difficult to identify that a loved one or friend has developed an eating disorder.

Warning signs to look out for include:

dramatic weight loss

lying about how much they've eaten, when they've eaten, or their weight

eating a lot of food very fast

going to the bathroom a lot after eating

exercising a lot

avoiding eating with others

cutting food into small pieces or eating very slowly

wearing loose or baggy clothes to hide their weight loss

Getting help for an eating disorder

If you think you may have an eating disorder, see a GP as soon as you can.

A GP will ask about your eating habits and how you're feeling, plus check your overall health and weight.

They may refer you to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists.

It can be very hard to admit you have a problem and ask for help. It may make things easier if you bring a friend or loved one with you to your appointment.

You can also talk in confidence to an adviser from eating disorders charity Beat by calling their adult helpline on 0808 801 0677 or youth helpline on 0808 801 0711.

Getting help for someone else

It can be difficult to know what to do if you're worried that someone has an eating disorder.

They may not realise they have an eating disorder. They may also deny it, or be secretive and defensive about their eating or weight.

Let them know you're worried about them and encourage them to see a GP. You could offer to go along with them.

Read more about talking to your child about eating disorders and supporting someone with an eating disorder.

The eating disorder charity Beat also has information on:

Treatment for eating disorders

You can recover from an eating disorder, but it may take time and recovery will be different for everyone.

If you're referred to an eating disorder specialist or team of specialists, they'll be responsible for your care.

They should talk to you about the support you might need, such as for other conditions you have, and include this in your treatment plan.

Your treatment will depend on the type of eating disorder you have, but usually includes a talking therapy.

You may also need regular health checks if your eating disorder is having an impact on your physical health.

Your treatment may also involve working through a guided self-help programme if you have bulimia or binge eating disorder.

Most people will be offered individual therapy, but those with binge eating disorder may be offered group therapy.

Read more about the different treatments for:

Treatment for other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED) will depend on the type of eating disorder your symptoms are most like.

For example, if your symptoms are most like anorexia, your treatment will be similar to the treatment for anorexia.

What causes eating disorders?

We do not know exactly what causes eating disorders.

You may be more likely to get an eating disorder if:

you or a member of your family has a history of eating disorders, depression, or alcohol or drug misuse

you've been criticised for your eating habits, body shape or weight

you're really worried about being slim, particularly if you also feel pressure from society or your job, for example, ballet dancers, models or athletes

you have anxiety, low self-esteem, an obsessive personality or are a perfectionist

you've been sexually abused

Find out more

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Read about the different types of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, and binge eating disorder, including what possible causes and treatments available.

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Beat provides Helplines offering support and information about eating disorders no matter where you are in your journey.

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Our aims are to:

Raise awareness of the diversity of voices, visions and similar experiences

Challenge negative stereotypes, stigma and discrimination

Help create more spaces for people of all ages and backgrounds to talk freely about voice-hearing, visions and similar sensory experiences

Raise awareness of a range of different ways to manage distressing, confusing or difficult voices

Encourage a more positive response to voice-hearing and related experiences in healthcare settings and wider society

Some of the things we do:

Sharing information and free resources through our website, social media, e-bulletin, newsletter and email information service

Engaging with the media to present realistic and hopeful perspectives on hearing voices and related experiences

Offering workshops, training and events - subject to resources

Supporting members who want to set up a Hearing Voices Group

Some of the things we don't do

Run groups directly (we provide guidance and networking opportunities for those who do run groups)

Provide crisis or long-term support (we connect people with available resources where possible). See Getting Help & Support for more info

Contact Us

If you would like to find out more about our work, become a member or get your self-help group listed on our website, please contact us at:

National Hearing Voices Network (HVN)
86-90 Paul Street
London
EC2A 4NE
Email: info@hearing-voices.org

Whilst we do our best to reply promptly, our email is managed by a small team of trained volunteers and we get more enquiries than we can often manage. If you need help in a crisis, please call 111. For less urgent help, see our getting help and support page.

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National Hearing Voices Network - For people who hear voices, see visions or have other unusual perceptions

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Raise awareness of the diversity of voices, visions and similar experiences Challenge negative stereotypes, stigma and discrimination Help create more spaces for people of all ages and backgrounds to talk freely about voice-hearing, visions and similar sensory experiences Raise awareness of a range of different ways to manage distressing, confusing

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YoungMinds | Mental Health Charity For Children And Young People

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YoungMinds are a mental health charity for children, young people and their parents, making sure all young people can get the mental health support they need.

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Depression And Me : Real Life Child Mental Health Experiences : Nip in the Bud

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Skip to content

Watch the full video

Thinking of suicide?

Are you, or is a young person you know, not coping with life? For confidential suicide prevention advice contact HOPELINE247.

My whole way of thinking has changed. I feel positive about my future and the people around me. I'm now looking forward to the future and helping others just like me!

Thank you so much for the incredible support PAPYRUS and HOPELINE247 has given me. You helped me in that moment and it kept me alive.

I intend to continue to fundraise for and promote PAPYRUS. I am so proud and humbled to be involved with a wonderful charity, and to have received the support that I have.

Having been personally bereaved by suicide I understand the importance and need for our charity. I am surrounded by others who are as passionate as I am about saving lives.

* All feedback is provided by people who contact PAPYRUS. All feedback has full consent of the user and the user remains fully anonymous. Some feedback may have been adapted to keep the users anonymity.

Our latest news

Stay up to date with PAPYRUS; our news section is regularly updated with helpful advice and guidance, as well as information about our upcoming events and campaigns. If you have any questions or queries please get in touch.

Our upcoming events

Please see below some of our upcoming and exciting events including fundraisers and charity events we will be attending. For more information please get in touch.

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Papyrus UK Suicide Prevention | Prevention of Young Suicide

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PAPYRUS UK is a charity for the prevention of young suicide (under 35) in the UK | Call PAPYRUS HOPELINE247 on 0800 068 4141 Now

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Learning about Children's Mental Health through Film

Nip in the Bud is regularly adding new FREE resources - short films and fact sheets - to raise mental health awareness among primary school staff, teacher trainees, anyone working with children, parents, carers and young people.

Early intervention is key, so the negative impacts of these conditions can be 'nipped in the bud' and so reduce the risk of them becoming entrenched. Our films cover Expert Information on different conditions, Real Life Experience, Emotional Wellbeing and Coping with the Aftermath of Covid.

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Nip in the Bud | Child Mental Health Resources for Parents and Teachers

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Nip in the Bud® works with mental health professionals of the highest standing to produce FREE short evidence-based films and fact sheets to help parents, educationalists and others working with children to recognise potential mental health conditions. The goal is to increase the prospects of early intervention and to avoid those conditions becoming more serious in later years.

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This page:
To search this page, use your browser's "find" function.

Scroll down to access the worksheets by clicking on the document image - no tool or download programme is required other than your normal PDF reader.

Other Pages
For specific condition or approach, find via Problems or Solutions pages.

© These documents are for therapy purposes only and must not be commercially exploited.

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Free Downloads 2 - CBT Worksheets | Get.gg - Getselfhelp.co.uk

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This page: To search this page, use your browser's "find" function. Scroll down to access the worksheets by clicking on the document image - no tool or download programme is required other than your normal PDF reader. Other Pages For specific condition or approach, find via Problems or Solutions pages.

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Coronavirus info

The way you get support from us will be different for a while, but we are still here. We'll do everything we can to help you stay safe. We'll be doing appointments over the phone for now.

In an emergency call the police on 999.

Find the latest information on coronavirus from the NHS and GOV.UK.

How we can help

We offer support to anyone aged 16+ who has been affected by domestic abuse and violence.

Domestic abuse can affect everyone differently. It is any physical, psychological, emotional or economic abuse by someone close to you. It includes stalking and harassment, forced marriage, so-called 'honour crimes' and female genital mutilation.

If you would like guidance or support around domestic abuse, we're here to help.

We take referrals from professionals, or you can get in touch yourself. If your needs aren't right for our service, we can help you find the support you need.

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The way you get support from us will be different for a while, but we are still here. We'll do everything we can to help you stay safe. We'll be doing appointments over the phone for now. In an emergency call the police on 999.

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East Sussex refuge service - East Sussex 1Space

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Getting help in East Sussex - Find local groups and services to support you, your family and friends.

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What Is A Non Molestation Order? | Jason Hadden MBE

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My Girlfriend Tortured, Stabbed and Starved Me | This Morning

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The 3 planets model from WHAT DOESN'T KILL ME

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Domestic Violence & Abuse · Emergency Injunction Service

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A free, fast emergency injunction service to survivors of domestic violence regardless of their financial circumstances, race, gender or sexual orientation.

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ESCC Sudden Death and Suicide Prevention training

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Helpline for Mental Health | SOS Silence of Suicide

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We are a suicide prevention charity that offers a helpline for mental health and emotional wellbeing.

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Training Home - Grassroots Suicide Prevention

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Training with Grassroots Suicide Prevention Our training teaches the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to support those at risk of suicide. We work with organisations across the UK to deliver our life-saving training in suicide prevention, mental health and self-harm. Find a course Who we train FAQ Contact us Find a course → Training options Read More...

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Charity supporting male victims of domestic abuse through a helpline, directory of local services and general information on the website.

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Struggling with an eating disorder? Caring for someone who is? Beat is here to support you.

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Advice for professionals on how to make a Prevent referral if you are concerned about someone expressing extreme beliefs.

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When domestic homicide reviews (DHRs) take place, their aims and learning briefings from recent DHRs.

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What is Sarah's Law?

Sarah's Law, or the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme allows parents, carers and guardians to ask the police to tell them if someone has a criminal record for child sexual offences.

If police checks show the individual has a record for child sexual offences, or other offences that might put the child at risk, the police will consider sharing this information.

The police will only consider telling the person best placed to protect the child - usually a parent, carer or guardian - if the person being checked has a record of child sexual offences or other offences that indicate they may pose a risk to a child. The police will disclose information only if it is lawful, necessary and proportionate to do so in the interests of protecting the child, or children, from harm.

How do I put in an application?

You can do this in person at your local police station or by calling 101.

What happens when an application is put in?

The police will assess if the person named in the application is a threat to the children based on previous child sex abuse convictions.

If the subject has convictions for sexual offences against children, poses a risk of causing harm to the child concerned and disclosure of this is necessary to protect the child, this information will be given to the those who are the immediate care givers for the child e.g. a parent, carer or guardian. Disclosure may not always be to the original applicant.

Checks should be completed to ensure that there is no immediate risk of harm to the particular child or children within 24 hours of the report.

Will the subject know they are being checked out, and who asked for the check?

No they will not be told that they are being checked out unless a disclosure takes place. If a disclosure does take place the subject may be informed that someone is going to receive a disclosure about them.

If you are worried that your child might be at risk of abuse, there is lots of information on the Parents Protect website.

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Sarah's Law, or the Child Sex Offender Disclosure Scheme allows parents, carers and guardians to ask the police to tell them if someone has a criminal record for child sexual offences. If police checks show the individual has a record for child sexual offences, or other offences that might put the child at risk, the police will consider sharing this information.

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Also known as the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme is a police policy giving you the right to know if your partner has an abusive past

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Professor Jane Monckton-Smith OBE and her team are leading homicide specialists providing clients with high-quality, professional and confidential services in coercive control, stalking and homicide cases. Internationally recognised as an expert in her field, Jane provides a range of consultancy services and training for professionals.

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UPDATED 19/09/2024 Killed Women Count - Older Women

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Music Football Fatherhood | For dads who want more open conversations around fatherhood - Music.Football.Fatherhood - open conversations around fatherhood

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In the UK, a woman is killed by a man every three days and in recent years we have seen a frightening rise in hatred of women and misogynistic views. Education is a key to addressing this and it has to begin early. Headteacher Sarah Wordlaw advises how

Image: Adobe Stock

Misogyny is a dislike of, contempt for or ingrained prejudice against women. This is a safeguarding issue which affects all, irrespective of their gender.

The word has evolved to encompass the more widely held attitudes and behaviours that relegate women to subordinate positions and maintain the power imbalance which characterises male/female relations.

To quote the final report of the Working Group on Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland: "It is these attitudes - and the conduct which flows from them - which prevent us achieving genuine equality." (Kennedy, 2022)

Official statistics tell us that, in the UK in 2023, a woman was killed by a man every three days.

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Tackling misogyny in the primary school - Headteacher Update

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In the UK, a woman is killed by a man every three days and in recent years we have seen a frightening rise in hatred of women and misogynistic views. Education is a key to addressing this and it has to begin early. Headteacher Sarah Wordlaw advises how

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Understanding the issues and risks

Schools are increasingly concerned about the impact of online influencers that promote misogynistic rhetoric. This content can be permissive of: discriminatory behaviours and attitudes (including racist, antisemitic, homophobic, transphobic, and misogynistic attitudes); sexual harassment and abuse; abuse in relationships; and victim-blaming narratives.

The entry point for young people's first engagement with such content can often seem quite superficial, but social media algorithms can then lead them to increasingly problematic and extreme content.

This all comes at an age when young people may be particularly insecure and vulnerable to persuasive narratives. For example, much of this content taps into insecurities about body image and agency. The focus on money, success and power also plays on financial and status insecurities that may lead to risky and even illegal behaviours.

Women and girls in particular are put at risk by narratives that normalise sexual harassment and abuse, promote unhealthy relationship behaviours and victim blaming. Similarly, the sharing of homophobic and transphobic content by some influencers can inform behaviour and attitudes towards LGBT+ young people in schools. Toxic masculinity is also harmful and restrictive to boys and men. Promoted stereotypes contribute to existing narratives that restrict and undermine help-seeking - especially in relation to mental health and emotional wellbeing. Some online spaces even direct young people towards other harmful content, including content that promotes self-harm and suicide.

In some extreme circumstances, boys can also become radicalised via involvement in forums and communities that promote and celebrate violent behaviours, including rape, child abuse and terrorist acts.

PSHE education should primarily be used as preventative education, providing a foundational understanding from an early age about healthy relationships, respect, self-esteem, digital literacy, economic wellbeing, critical thinking, and recognising and challenging negative influences. And, importantly, it should explore the links between these areas. This is crucial for safeguarding and building resistance to problematic narratives (as well as the influencers and algorithms that deliver them so effectively).

Of course, education is only one part of the solution, but it is a key part. There are essential efforts - for example through the Online Safety Bill - to make aspects of the digital landscape safer for children, but technical solutions must be complemented by human solutions that emphasise respect, equality and diversity.

Read on for advice on how to cover these issues through PSHE education, including recommended teaching resources.

Teaching about these topics safely:

Avoid focusing the lesson on specific influencers, websites or groups that promote harmful attitudes. This is important, as you cannot assume even the most popular influencers are known by all pupils. Speaking about a specific influencer or influencers might prompt suggestions from students of additional less well known influencers, and encourage those previously unaware to check them out - thereby providing a potentially inspiring role model and affecting how advertising and algorithms influence their future viewing. Speaking in general terms also helps pupils to understand that this advice applies to any problematic influencers in future, not just those currently causing concern.

This should be delivered by appropriately trained, prepared teachers using safe, effective materials: Anyone teaching this complex content should be given the training and pedagogical understanding to teach it safely and well.

Establish a safe learning environment: establishing a safe learning environment with pupils before teaching takes places is crucial.

Relevant guidance and training:

Addressing these issues through KS1 and KS2 PSHE education

Tips for laying the foundations at key stages 1 and 2:

With younger pupils, the aim is to develop respectful attitudes by focusing on learning that supports inclusion and belonging rather than covering specific types of discrimination, such as misogyny.

At key stage 1 this might include exploring how everyone is equal and deserves to be treated with respect. Also, recognising and celebrating people's similarities and differences.

This may extend to learning about stereotypes in early key stage 2, including gender stereotypes and how these can be unfair.

Then at upper key stage 2, pupils could explore how these stereotypes can have negative effects on a person's behaviour, aspirations, and feelings about themselves.

Teaching should also reflect younger children's early experiences online and begin to develop digital literacy skills to identify trusted sources, false information, and negative influences.

This will all help to prepare pupils for more specific learning about discrimination (including discrimination based on gender) in the later primary years and in secondary school, as they access digital platforms with increasing independence.

Statutory guidance at primary phase:

These topics are included in the DfE statutory Relationships and Health Education guidance for KS1 and KS2 as follows:

Relationships education
Respectful relationships

the importance of respecting others, even when they are very different from them (for example, physically, in character, personality or backgrounds), or make different choices or have different preferences or beliefs.

that in school and in wider society they can expect to be treated with respect by others, and that in turn they should show due respect to others, including those in positions of authority.

what a stereotype is, and how stereotypes can be unfair, negative or destructive.

Online relationships

that people sometimes behave differently online, including by pretending to be someone they are not.

that the same principles apply to online relationships as to face-to face relationships, including the importance of respect for others online including when we are anonymous.

how to critically consider their online friendships and sources of information including awareness of the risks associated with people they have never met.

how to report concerns or abuse, and the vocabulary and confidence needed to do so.

Health education
Internet safety and harms

why social media, some computer games and online gaming, for example, are age restricted.

that the internet can also be a negative place where online abuse, trolling, bullying and harassment can take place, which can have a negative impact on mental health.

how to be a discerning consumer of information online including understanding that information, including that from search engines, is ranked, selected and targeted.

where and how to report concerns and get support with issues online

Developing this learning through PSHE education at key stages 3, 4 and 5/post-16:

Statutory RSHE can help schools to address this as part of their wider PSHE education curriculum as it addresses a range of topics, including treating each other respectfully; online and media influences; identifying discrimination; and seeking support, including in relation to radicalisation.

While the statutory guidance does not extend to post-16 settings, schools and colleges are encouraged to support students by offering these subjects. The PSHE education Programme of Study outlines what can be covered at key stage 5/post-16.

The statutory RSHE guidance gives schools an outline of what they need to cover, and the important knowledge that pupils should acquire, but PSHE education must also equip pupils with the skills and attributes to apply this understanding in the real world.

The PSHE education Programme of Study (KS1-5) and Programme Builders exemplify how to integrate the statutory content into a comprehensive PSHE education programme.

Statutory guidance at secondary phase:

These topics are included in the DfE statutory Relationships, Sex and Health Education guidance for KS3 and 4 as follows:

Relationships & Sex education
Respectful relationships, including friendships

how stereotypes, in particular stereotypes based on sex, gender, race, religion, sexual orientation or disability, can cause damage (e.g. how they might normalise non-consensual behaviour or encourage prejudice).

that in school and in wider society they can expect to be treated with respect by others, and that in turn they should show due respect to others, including people in positions of authority and due tolerance of other people's beliefs

the legal rights and responsibilities regarding equality (particularly with reference to the protected characteristics as defined in the Equality Act 2010) and that everyone is unique and equal

Online and media

their rights, responsibilities and opportunities online, including that the same expectations of behaviour apply in all contexts, including online

about online risks, including that any material someone provides to another has the potential to be shared online and the difficulty of removing potentially compromising material placed online

what to do and where to get support to report material or manage issues online

the impact of viewing harmful content

The statutory guidance also requires that young people are made aware of 'relevant legal provisions when relevant topics are being taught', including:

violence against women and girls

extremism/radicalisation

hate crime

Health education
Mental wellbeing
how to critically evaluate when something they do or are involved in has a positive or negative effect on their own or others' mental health
Internet safety and harms

the similarities and differences between the online world and the physical world, including: the impact of unhealthy or obsessive comparison with others online (including through setting unrealistic expectations for body image), how people may curate a specific image of their life online, over-reliance on online relationships including social media, the risks related to online gambling including the accumulation of debt, how advertising and information is targeted at them and how to be a discerning consumer of information online.

how to identify harmful behaviours online (including bullying, abuse or harassment) and how to report, or find support, if they have been affected by those behaviours.

Keeping Children Safe in Education (KCSIE) 2022 statutory guidance

The statutory KCSIE guidance stresses that 'schools and colleges play a crucial role in preventative education' and that this is most effective in the context of a whole school approach that 'creates a culture of zero tolerance for sexism, misogyny/misandry, homophobia, biphobic and sexual violence/harassment'.

Regarding the curriculum, KCSIE outlines the importance of 'a planned programme of evidence-based RSHE delivered in regularly timetabled lessons and reinforced throughout the whole curriculum' and that 'such a programme should be fully inclusive and developed to be age and stage of development appropriate'.

KCSIE lists the areas of statutory RSHE of key importance to safeguarding. These are also particularly relevant to addressing toxic masculinity and misogyny in the classroom:

healthy and respectful relationships

boundaries and consent

stereotyping, prejudice and equality

body confidence and self-esteem

how to recognise an abusive relationship, including coercive and controlling behavior

the concepts of - and laws relating to - sexual consent, sexual exploitation, abuse, grooming, coercion, harassment, rape, domestic abuse, so called 'honour'-based violence such as forced marriage and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), and how to access support, and

what constitutes sexual harassment and sexual violence and why these are always unacceptable

The KCSIE guidance also reminds us that all schools are subject to the Prevent duty, meaning they must have: 'due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism' and that 'The Prevent duty should be seen as part of schools' and colleges' wider safeguarding obligations'. KCSIE advises that 'designated safeguarding leads (and deputies) and other senior leaders in schools should familiarise themselves with the revised Prevent duty guidance : for England and Wales, especially paragraphs 57-76, which are specifically concerned with schools (and also covers childcare)'.

Teaching resources and related learning

Teaching about consent and healthy relationship behaviours counters messages that normalise unhealthy relationship behaviours. See:

This teaching should be linked to learning about mental health and emotional wellbeing in both primary and secondary phase, as influencers prey upon young people, with challenges relating to their self-esteem and mental health. See:

Some influencers combine discriminatory content with messaging about the importance of acquiring wealth and material possessions. This messaging is often aimed at those experiencing or concerned about unemployment or financial difficulties. It is therefore important to ensure that the economic wellbeing aspects of your PSHE education curriculum help young people to recognise pathways to careers, identify strategies to support their financial wellbeing in the future and to challenge economic misinformation presented by influencers.

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Addressing misogyny, toxic masculinity and social media influence in PSHE education

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Advice for schools on addressing the impact of online influencers who promote misogynistic rhetoric and other discriminatory behaviours and attitudes.

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Our mission is to prevent violence against women and girls by addressing its root causes. We work with men and boys to change long-established, and harmful, attitudes, systems and behaviours around masculinity that perpetuate inequality and violence.

Our work is preventative; we want to stop violence before it starts.

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Our mission is to end men's violence against women, once and for all. We work with men and boys to challenge cultures that lead to harassment, abuse and violence.

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Dr. Tamasine Preece urges schools to "create opportunities for children and young people to understand the origins of gender norms and gender stereotypes."

While many children are exposed to misogyny that reinforces gender stereotypes online, the issue is an historical one that existed well before the internet.

"Even to this day it can be difficult for many men and women, or boys and girls, to break these stereotypes." For men and boys, they may feel pressured to act a certain way or fit into a certain role. For instance, many men and boys are called out if they cry or if they take the surnames of their spouses when they marry.

This toxic masculinity contributes to issues like homophobia and misogyny in schools among other forms of hate both online and offline.

Similarly, talk about how misandry (the opposite of misogyny), the hate against men, helps reinforce these same things.

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Misogyny in schools - Guidance for teachers | Internet Matters

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Misogyny in schools -- Guidance for teachers from Internet Matters provides top tips and resources to tackle misogyny online and offline.

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Find out about our free, online parenting webinars and courses in East Sussex, including help with behaviour and anxiety.

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Equality Wheel Poster - Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs

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Developed to define a non-abusive relationship, the Equality Wheel works in coordination with the Power and Control Wheel. This poster is 20"w x 22"h.

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Rosie Duffield MP Speech on Domestic Abuse

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A whole school approach mobilises the whole school to promote student and staff wellbeing and address mental health issues. It ensures your school considers mental health and wellbeing in each area of school life.

Free support for all schools and colleges

The MHEW in Education Team offer the following support:

Helping you develop and implement whole school approaches to mental health and emotional wellbeing.

Providing training to identify pupils with mental health problems and set up appropriate support. There is training for Senior Mental Health Leads or whole school and college staff in INSET days or staff meetings.

Help to audit mental health practice and make achievable MHEW action plans.

Sharing good practice and developing resources in response to current mental health themes.

Auditing MHEW

Audit your provision using a tool such as the:

Contact us to discuss plans to improve your social, emotional and mental health areas of the tool.

Mental health policy support

We can help to develop or review your mental health policy. This ensures it meets Department for Education and Public Health England guidance.

Training for whole setting staff

We encourage all school staff and governors to be aware of mental health and know:

when support may be needed

how to access support

We can help determine your training needs and deliver packages on mental health themes to all school staff.

Parent and carer support

We offer:

Workshops on mental health and wellbeing, or semi-structured coffee mornings, for parents and carers. These take place in your setting.

Bespoke support for settings to develop whole school approaches to engaging and working with parents and carers.

Me & My Mind team (Mental Health Support Team)

The Me & My Mind service, known nationally as the Mental Health Support Teams, work with many schools to offer mental health support. The team provide short-term support for children aged 7 to 17 with mild to moderate mental health difficulties.

We also work with school senior mental health leads to develop their whole school approach plans.

Download a List of Me and My Mind host schools [15.2 KB] [docx]

- Me and My Mind Team

Me and My Mind Parent and Carer Practitioner Offer

Me and My Practitioners can support your school to develop ways of engaging parents and carers to improve the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people.

In addition, the practitioners can complement the schools plans by delivering mental health themed workshops or coffee mornings.

Contact mhst.info@eastsussex.gov.uk to request this support.

Contact us

Me and My Mind host schools and colleges

Contact your link Senior Mental Health Practitioner:

Email: mhst.info@eastsussex.gov.uk

All other schools and colleges

Contact the MHEW in Education Team:

Email: mhew@eastsussex.gov.uk

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Support for all schools with mental health and emotional wellbeing audits, policy, training and resources.

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Providing tools to help tackle debt and financial difficulties.

We recognise that budgeting when you're on a low, or no income can be incredibly difficult and stressful. That's why our foodbank has launched a debt project called 'Money Life' to enable people who are struggling with financial difficulties to access expert help.

This help includes :

debt management plans

debt relief orders

help managing or avoiding debt

help setting a budget

We are working with Community Money Advice and are licensed with the Financial Conduct Authority

Back to More Than Food

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Providing tools to help tackle debt and financial difficulties. We recognise that budgeting when you're on a low, or no income can be incredibly difficult and stressful. That's why our foodbank has launched a debt project called 'Money Life' to enable people who are struggling with financial difficulties to access expert help.

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Help with money and debt - Lewes and Eastbourne Councils

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There are many organisations that can offer help if you have problems with money or debt

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Find out what support is available to help with the cost of living: income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.

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Eating difficulties, disordered eating and eating disorders - Sussex Health & Care

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Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) toolkit | Czone

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Overview

An overview of the EBSA guidance and how to use it.

What is EBSA?

Increase knowledge of what EBSA is and the prevalence in East Sussex and Nationally.

Assessing

Information and tools for assessing the risk of EBSA, in collaboration with the child/young person and their family.

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Information and tools for preventing, identifying and addressing mental health and emotional wellbeing using a whole school approach

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Information and guidance for supporting EBSA in Post-16 Education.

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Emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA) toolkit

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Emotionally based school avoidance toolkit

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Allegations about adults who work with children - the LADO

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The LADO deals with allegations about adults who work with children. If a child is at risk of significant harm, you should go straight to SPOA.

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Advice for professionals on what help can be accessed for children and teenagers who are having problems with drugs, alcohol and substance misuse.

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East Sussex Under 25s Substance Misuse Service - East Sussex 1Space

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Getting help in East Sussex - Find local groups and services to support you, your family and friends.