Information
The information below can be used to support and extend your practice and provision, but all professionals must also have regard to relevant legislation and regulation.
-
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families
Anna Freud National Centre for Children and Families supports the mental health of children through research, training and treatment and offers free resources supporting children’s mental health.
They also offer two free, professional networks: Early Years in Mind and Schools in Mind.
Beacon House
Beacon House is a therapeutic service with a specialist interest in working with those who have experienced trauma and loss and offers information and resources around the impact and repair of trauma and adversity.
BraveHeart Education
BraveHeart Education educates and supports those living with or working with vulnerable children – whether they are looked after, adopted or in challenging home environments.
Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma
Centre of Excellence in Child Trauma is an organisation combining resources, research and knowledge from experts across the sector.
Ed Psych Insight
EdPsychInsight attachment and trauma resources – Dr Chris Moore has created a blog and accompanying resources related to Attachment and Trauma, including individual infographic sheets about each element of PACE.
Out Of Home Care Toolbox
Out Of Home Care Toolbox provides accessible information for the supporters and carers of young people aged 12-18 years in out of home care.
It provides descriptions of Trauma, Attachment and Adolescent Development amongst other supporting information.
-
- Information for childcare providers – West Sussex information and guidance for new or established childcare providers regarding practice and provision.
-
PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy) is an approach developed by the clinical psychologist, Dan Hughes. It is an attitude and a way of being with a child or young person that can promote greater feelings of safety.
This approach can be beneficial for all children and young people as it supports the development and maintenance of healthy relationships, and as such it is particularly important to foster PACE with children who have experienced Trauma. Further information, advice and guidance regarding PACE can be found below.
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board - Resilience Project
- PACE: A trauma-informed approach to supporting children and young people.
- Understanding Pace - A way of being for education staff.
Oxfordshire - The Attach Team
-
Adoption UK
Adoption UK is a charity providing support, community and advocacy for all those whose lives involve adoption, including those parenting children who cannot live with their birth families and adopted people.
Adoption South East
Adoption South East is the regional adoption agency comprising four partner agencies: Brighton and Hove; East Sussex; Surrey and West Sussex. Adoption South East has an ongoing commitment to supporting adopted children and their families.
PAC-UK
PAC-UK is an Adoption Support Agency and is part of Family Action. They provide specialist support for all parties affected by adoption and permanency.
Parents and Children Together - PACT
Parents and Children Together - PACT is a voluntary adoption agency offering information, support and training.
Family Futures
Family Futures is an independent adoption and fostering agency in London. They provide assessment and treatment services for children who have experienced trauma, as well as providing support to adoptive parents, special guardians, kinship carers and foster carers.
Kinship
Kinship is a kinship care charity in England and Wales. They offer support, training, events, information and advice to Kinship Carers.
Kinship Care - West Sussex County Council
Information, resources and guidance for kinship carers. Find out about the support available and how to become a special guardian.
-
- Apprenticeships - This resource helps young people to explore a range of resources designed to help inspire and support the apprentices of tomorrow. It guides you on how to make an application, research if the apprenticeship is right for you and explains the process and next steps.
- Care Leavers Covenant - The Care Leavers Covenant is a website which is brimming with opportunities and benefits for Care Leavers, including discounts, mentoring, employment, training and education opportunities and information.
- National Youth Advisory Service - NYAS offers child and family advocacy services, alongside a range of additional support. They offer targeted support service for care experienced children and young people, vulnerable adults, families and sector professionals across England and Wales.
- Propel - Propel is a fantastic resource that helps, supports and advises young people about possible next steps in terms of university education. They will explain and guide the young person on many aspects including finance, loans, UCAS applications and accommodation.
- Springforward Programme - SpringForward is a DfE-funded online mentoring service for Yr12 and care-leavers, offering direct support from subject experts to navigate applications, finance and settling into university life. If young people are considering applying for university, the Virtual school and the Care leaving team can support them to be referred for a bespoke mentoring service, with support from a team of subject matched experts. For more information, please contact the Virtual school or Care Leaving team who will be happy to help.
- Your Space - Information and advice portal for post-16 young people covering the following aspects: Life, places to go, support, health, downtime, work, education, youth voice, youth participation and UKYP.
-
Reach2Teach app
The Reach2Teach awareness and behaviour app gives all those working with children and adolescents in (and outside school) an attachment aware and trauma informed approach to some of the behaviours that crop up and challenge us all day, every day in schools of every shape, size and age range.
The app will guide you through the child's needs that might be driving their behaviour: give you insight into the potential attachment pattern associated with each behaviour: and provides a wide-range of instantly usable, highly practical approaches/actions all built on relationship with every pupil.
To access the app, contact wsvs@westsussex.gov.uk. You will be prompted to create an account with CourseWeDo after which you will be able to have unlimited access at no cost to you (the checkout total will show £0 after you have created your account).
-
- Relational practice is not a trend - Theresa Smyth, Executive Headteacher of Boxgrove CofE Primary School and Singleton CofE Primary School (PDF, 211KB)
- Ensuring every child has the best possible start to their day - Kathryn Knab, Designated Teacher and SENCo at Forge Wood Primary School (PDF, 201KB)
-
- Reaching Families - Reaching Families is a parent-carer led, grassroots charity which aims to support parents and families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities in their daily lives, in particular through the delivery of information, training and peer support.
- SEND Under 5s - The SEND under 5s process seeks to establish proactive, practical support for families at an early stage, as well as identification of the support needed throughout their early years and into school. The process will be overseen by the early years and childcare advisers who provide inclusion support within pre-school settings.
- West Sussex Local Offer - The West Sussex Local Offer helps you find information about local services, support and events for children and young people aged 0 - 25 years who have special educational needs or disabilities (SEND).
- West Sussex SEND Strategy 2019 – 2024 - In West Sussex we want all children and young people to the gain the skills and confidence they need to live well in their community. Children and young people should be supported and nurtured through an educational system that responds to their circumstances, learning needs and abilities in order to prepares them for adulthood. To help up to achieve this vision we have co-produced a SEND and inclusion strategy with parent carers, young people, education providers and professionals from social care, health and education.
- West Sussex SEND IAS - West Sussex SEND IAS (SEND Information, Advice and Support) Service provides information, advice and support to children and young people who have special educational needs and/or disabilities and to their parent carers.
- West Sussex Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) – Information, support and advice for parents and carers of children and young people with SEND, and those who may have SEND.
-
- Championing kinship care: national kinship care strategy
- Children’s social care: virtual school head role extension
- Designated teachers for looked-after and previously looked after children (2018)
- Improving looked-after children's attainment in primary schools (2009)
- Improving looked-after children's attainment in secondary schools (2009)
- Promoting the education of looked after children and previously looked after (2018)
- Promoting the health and wellbeing of looked-after children (2015)
- Pupil Premium: allocations and conditions of grant 2024 to 2025 (GOV.UK)
- Pupil Premium: Virtual School Heads responsibilities (2015)
- Pupil Premium Policy (PDF, 120KB)
- West Sussex Virtual School - Ofsted reflective tool (PDF, 700KB)
- West Sussex Virtual School - Ofsted reflective tool (Word, 1.3MB)
- West Sussex Virtual School - who are we and what do we do? (PDF, 421KB)
- West Sussex Virtual School - Early Years Free Entitlement for children we care for (PDF, 235KB)
-
- Admissions - The Pupil Admission Team coordinates the admission of children starting school and junior and secondary transfers in West Sussex. This is part of the national scheme of co-ordination.
It also co-ordinates all in-year admissions for community and controlled schools and many of the academy schools. It advises parents and schools on admissions and applying for a school place, except for children with Education Health Care Plans.
This also includes dedicated information regarding School places for looked after and previously looked after children - WSCC. - Adoption, Fostering and Kinship Care - Information about adopting, fostering or becoming a special guardian for a child. This page includes links to Kinship Care, Fostering West Sussex and adopt a child.
- The Educational Psychology Service (EPS) - Offers the opportunity for school staff and those with parental responsibility for any child or young person to consult with an Educational Psychologist where there are concerns around development, learning and social and emotional wellbeing. This includes the children and young people supported by the Virtual School Advisory Service.
The focus of the telephone consultation can be at a whole school, class, or individual level. The EP does not undertake any follow up work, assessments or ask others to do assessments solely as a result of the consultation.
Education providers, and those with parental responsibility can book a 30 minute consultation.
- Information for childcare providers – West Sussex information and guidance for new or established childcare providers regarding practice and provision.
- Services Supporting Schools and Settings – Contact details for a range of West Sussex services that support schools and settings, including LBAT, ASCT and Fair Access Team.
- Tools for Schools - Resources and information to support the inclusion of all West Sussex children and young people in early years, schools, post 16 and other education settings.
- Your Space - Information and advice portal for post-16 young people covering the following aspects: Life, places to go, support, health, downtime, work, education, youth voice, youth participation and UKYP.
- West Sussex information for families - guidance and information for families in West Sussex.
- Admissions - The Pupil Admission Team coordinates the admission of children starting school and junior and secondary transfers in West Sussex. This is part of the national scheme of co-ordination.