Staying Safe – Need to Talk

The following websites are useful for anyone interested in finding out more on staying safe or to access help:

CEOP (Child Exploitation and Online Protection) – If someone has acted inappropriately online towards you or someone you know, you can report it directly to CEOP. Click CEOP  for advice or to report a problem.

Childline: www.childline.org.uk  Free phone number: 0800 1111 National organisation offering online support and telephone support to young people in distress. Top Tip: If you do not get along with the person you speak to over the phone, hang up and re-dial- they don’t mind.

Samaritans: www.samaritans.org.uk call free any time, from any phone on 116 123. The Samaritans is a national organisation which offers 24 hour telephone and face to face emotional support to people in distress. Their website offers useful information about a range of mental health issues.

Young Minds: www.youngminds.org.uk Young Minds promotes good mental health for young people. The website has a wealth of information about different mental health issues which affect young people, including a range of information and leaflets which can be downloaded.

E-Safety: Staying safe online is very important. See the SMART poster for some advice on this: SMART poster

Depression: Ups and downs are a normal part of life for all of us, but for someone who is suffering from depression these ups and downs may be more extreme. Feelings of failure, hopelessness, numbness or sadness may invade their day-to-day life over an extended period of weeks or months, and have a significant impact on their behaviour and ability and motivation to engage in day-to-day activities.

Depression Alliance: www.depressionalliance.org/information/what-depression

Self harm: Self-harm describes any behaviour where a young person causes harm to themselves in order to cope with thoughts, feelings or experiences they are not able to manage in any other way. It most frequently takes the form of cutting, burning or non-lethal overdoses in adolescents, while younger children and young people with special needs are more likely to pick or scratch at wounds, pull out their hair or bang or bruise themselves.

Self Injury: www.selfinjury.org.uk Online user led organisation to raise awareness of self injury and to support young people who self injure (site recommended by Royal College of Psychiatry).

A self harm network: www.nshn.co.uk A self harm network offering online support and information for people who self harm (site recommended by Royal College of Psychiatry).

Drugs and Alcohol: Talk to frank: www.talktofrank.com National drugs helpline for advice, information and support about drugs, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week.

Drug and Alcohol Help Guide: https://www.rehab4addiction.co.uk/article/44/student-addiction-treatment-guide Guide for Students and someone to chat to online.

Royal College of Psychiatrists: www.rcpsych.ac.uk Royal College of Psychiatrists website has information pages to view online and 36 fact sheets available, covering issues around growing up, parental mental illness and mental health difficulties within adolescence. This includes Mind Ed, which is a free e-learning resource to help adults to identify and understand children and young people with mental health issues.

Bullying: Kid Scape: www.kidscape.org.uk Helpline for parents who are worried about their children being bullied.

If you require additional support or information, please contact the school and we will be happy to help. You can also contact one of the DSL team via e-mail at: talkitout@macintyreacademies.org

Worries and Concerns

At Quest we have an open door policy and hope that you will come and talk to us if you have any concerns.

What do I do if I feel a member of staff or learner has treated me unfairly?

If you feel you have been unfairly treated by a member of staff or learners you can speak to any of the people below:

• Your Form Tutor or a member of your class team
• A member of staff in your network of support
• Our Family Footings Team staff member Joan Goodrich 

There are Making a Complaint for learners poster in every classroom to help you know who to speak to.

What will happen to my complaint?

• You will be listened to
• If appropriate, the complaint will be passed on to one of the Assistant Principals: Ryan English or Ben Makins if necessary
• The person you have made the complaint about will be asked what happened

If you wish, we will arrange for you to meet with the member of staff/pupil you have made the complaint about to see if we can sort it out. The person you spoke to first will also be with you at this meeting.

What will happen if I feel things have not been sorted out?

• If you wish to continue with your complaint you can arrange to speak to Laura Thackaberry, who will meet you as soon as possible.
• If you wish, another adult can be invited to this meeting.
• After this meeting Laura Thackaberry will see if any further action is required.

Who else can I speak to about my complaint?

If you still feel that things have not been sorted out, you can contact one of the people below. He or she will listen to your complaint and then let you know as soon as possible whether further action is required.

• Chair of Governors – Brin Linsell contact via the school office
• Group Director – Kevin Rodger contact via the school office and in his absence the Interim CEO Andrew Moran