External Support Links for Parents and Children
Support for Children and Families - Disley Primary School Early Help Offer
Disley Primary School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Early Help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child’s life, beginning in the early years and continuing throughout their time in school. We endeavour to create a school ethos built on trust and strong relationships so that all children know who they can talk to if they have any concerns or worries.
Providing Early Help to our children and families means we are better able to respond quickly, effectively and sensitively to emerging needs. We believe that safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility and that working in partnership with families is essential in ensuring the best possible outcomes for every child.
Our Early Help Offer
Early Help is a pathway of support for children and families who may require additional guidance or assistance at different points in life. At Disley Primary School, we aim to provide this support as early as possible, recognising that timely intervention can prevent concerns from escalating and can enable children and families to thrive.
Early help can support families experiencing a wide range of challenges, including concerns around emotional wellbeing, behaviour, attendance, learning, relationships or financial pressures. At times, families may need advice, reassurance or practical support, and at other times more targeted support or external agency involvement may be appropriate. Whatever the level of need, we are committed to listening, understanding and working alongside families to find the right support.
How We Support Children and Families
At Disley Primary School, we operate a strong and genuine open-door policy. Senior leaders are available on the school gates at the beginning of the day wherever possible, and parents and carers are encouraged to speak to us at any time if they have concerns. Class teachers will always make time to respond and can be contacted via Dojo and Tapestry and can request to arrange meetings for more detailed discussions. We believe that strong home–school communication is key to supporting children effectively.
We provide a wide range of pastoral support to promote children’s emotional wellbeing. This includes access to Emotional Literacy Support (ELSA) within school, as well as trained Mental Health First Aiders who can offer advice, guidance and support to both children and families. We also work in partnership with the Mental Health Support Team (MHST), allowing us to access more specialist support where needed. Through our nurturing and relational approach, we support children to develop resilience, manage their emotions and build positive relationships.
We are committed to inclusion and to supporting children with special educational needs and disabilities. Our experienced staff work closely with families to identify needs early and to put appropriate support in place. We can access consultation from the Cheshire East Autism Team (CEAT) and other specialist services where appropriate, ensuring that support is well matched to individual needs. Parents and carers are always welcome to contact school to discuss any concerns regarding their child’s development, learning or wellbeing.
We recognise that, at times, families may require practical or financial support. We are able to offer assistance with the cost of school trips and visits, support with purchasing school uniform, and help in accessing before and after school provision. In addition, we can support children to participate in paid extra-curricular activities where cost may otherwise be a barrier. All requests for support are handled sensitively and confidentially.
We also work closely with families to support attendance and engagement with school. Where there are concerns about attendance or wider family circumstances, we will work in partnership with parents and, where appropriate, external services to provide joined-up support and remove barriers to learning.
Disley Primary School is an Operation Encompass school, meaning we work closely with the police to support children who may have been affected by domestic abuse. This enables us to provide timely and sensitive support when it is most needed. Safeguarding is at the heart of everything we do, and all staff are trained to recognise and respond to concerns. Any member of staff can be approached for support, and concerns will always be taken seriously.
Working with External Services
In order to provide the best possible support, we work in partnership with a range of external agencies and services. These include Cheshire East Family Hubs, health services, Early Help teams and other specialist professionals. These partnerships ensure that families can access the right support at the right time and that any additional needs are addressed in a coordinated and effective way.
Accessing Support
If you have any worries or concerns about your child or family situation, we encourage you to get in touch with school. You may wish to speak to your child’s class teacher, contact the school office or arrange a meeting with a member of the leadership or SEND team. We are here to listen, to support and to work together with you to ensure the best outcomes for your child.
Our Commitment
At Disley Primary School, we are committed to identifying need early, responding with care and professionalism, and ensuring that every child feels safe, supported and ready to learn. We value strong relationships with our families and believe that by working together, we can provide the best possible care and support for all members of our school community.
Appendix:
Parenting Support from Children's Mental Health Experts
Useful advice to help with a range of scenarios.
https://parentingsmart.place2be.org.uk/
Addiction and Dependency Support
Support for alcohol dependency:
https://alcoholchange.org.uk/help-and-support/get-help-now
Signposts to support for a range of addictions and for family members of those with addictions and dependencies:
Grow Beyond Centre in Cheshire, a website that offers guidance and support for people experiencing problems with substance misuse and co-occurring mental health problems:
https://www.alcoholrehabcheshire.co.uk/
Rehab 4 Addiction offers a wealth of resources and information about addiction and mental health, which could be invaluable to those in need. They provide a helpline that offers immediate assistance to those struggling with addiction in Stockport, a service that could be life-saving for some of your readers. They offer a comprehensive directory of treatment centres throughout the UK, making it easier for those in need to find help near them.
https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/country-wide/drug-alcohol-rehab-stockport
Bereavement
At a Loss
The UK's signposting website for the bereaved. They can help you find bereavement services and counselling. They also have resources on coronavirus pandemic bereavement.
Widowed and Young (WAY)
https://www.widowedandyoung.org.uk/
Offers a peer-to-peer support network to anyone who was aged 50 or under when their partner died.
Dying Matters
dyingmatters.org
Coalition of individual and organisational members across England and Wales, aiming to help people talk more openly about dying, death and bereavement, and to make plans for the end of life.
Mind
Offers a wide range of links to support people who are grieving
Bullying
https://www.counselling-directory.org.uk/bullying-advice-parents.html
Mental Health
If you're experiencing mental health problems or need urgent support, there are lots of places you can go to for help. This link provides signposts to a range of support services.
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/a-z-guide/getting-help-for-your-child/
Sleep Charity
Our free helpline is run by trained sleep advisors, many of whom are specialists in working with SEND. We can talk to young people directly, or parents (we can also talk to adults, including older people, about their sleep issues).
The helpline is open 5 times a week, Monday, Tuesday, Thursday evenings 7-9pm, and Monday, Wednesday mornings 9-11am. The number is 03303 530 541.
You can read more here: https://thesleepcharity.org.uk/national-sleep-helpline/
Support with challenging Behaviour
https://www.family-action.org.uk/family-monsters/support/challenging-behaviour/
Stress
Self-help leaflet for common ailments:
Wellbeing for Every School Parent
Helpful resources for parents experiencing all the big emotions of growing children (togetherness February 2026 leaflet)