There are many ways you can support your child in school.
Here are some links to explore to help support children.
Supporting children in school
Anxiety and emotional wellbeing
It’s normal for children and young people to face emotional challenges, and their mental health is as important as their general physical health and wellbeing.
If your child is struggling with anxiety, stress, or feeling disconnected, it’s important to address the issue early and access the right support. Learn more about how to help your child feel supported at school by visiting Parent Club.
If you have any specific concerns, please contact your child’s school directly.
Useful links
- Emotional wellbeing for children and young people
- Mental health information for parents and carers in Fife
- Mental health information for young people in Fife
- Our Minds Matter – Mental Health Information for Young People in Fife – Wakelet
Child and Teen behaviour
Parent Club has lots of tried and tested tips and expert advice online to help parents and carers understand and support their child or teen. Visit the Parent Club – Behaviour page.
Supporting your teen’s mental health
From exam stress to social media, peer pressure to worries about the future, your teen probably has a lot on their plate. But if they’re struggling, your family isn’t alone. There is support out there for them, and for you. On Parent Club, you can find out more about the different issues that can affect young people. There’s advice on what you can do, and where you can get help.
Visit the Parent Club – Supporting your teen’s mental health page.
Friends and relationships
As your child grows up, their friends become more and more important to them. They may start caring more about what they think than what you think. But they still need your support. Parent Club has advice to help you support your teen through the changes of friendships and relationships at this age.
Visit the Parent Club – Family, Friends, and Relationships page.
Useful local links for families and young people
- Aye Feel (part of Young Scot)
- Young Minds Charity
- Mood Cafe (Fife specific supports)
- Access Therapies Fife
- Childline Toolbox
- NHS Inform Anxiety self-help guide
Additional Support Needs
Additional Support for Learning Strategy
Our Education Service has an Additional Support for Learning Strategy which outlines priority tasks identified to help meet the needs of learners with additional support needs across all education establishments in Fife.
All children in Fife have the right to attend their local school. It’s the role of the school to support all children, including those who may need additional support.
Supporting Learners’ Service
Some children and young people need more support in school to help them to learn. Additional support may be needed for a short time or a longer period; a smaller number of pupils need additional support throughout their time at school. Additional support needs (ASN) can be present from birth or can occur at any point in a young person’s life and may arise for a number of reasons:
- The learning environment
- Family circumstances
- Health and care needs
- Social and emotional factors
The kind of additional support we give is wide and varied and depends on the individual child. The Supporting Learners’ Service can help schools to meet the needs of learners who have an ASN. The Supporting Learners’ Service is made up of multiple teams.
Additional Support Classes (ASCs) and special schools
For a few children with additional support needs it may be that the local school is not the best option for the child. The most appropriate schooling may be within an additional support needs class or a specialist school. Before a decision is made, we will work with families to ensure the best for their child.
Pupil Support Service
The Pupil Support Service is part of a multi-agency support team which help pupils who are experiencing significant challenges in their lives. We want to make sure education is available to these pupils, regardless of their personal circumstances. This includes supporting children for whom inclusion in school and their communities can be problematic.
We have well-developed procedures to identify, assess and respond to the additional support needs of pupils. We encourage both parents and the young person to be involved in any decisions. School staff work in close partnership with a range of other agencies to support children and young people.
We are proud of the quality of the support that we offer to pupils.
If you have concerns about your child’s progress or their additional support needs, please speak to the Headteacher in your child’s school.
You can also contact Enquire – the Scottish advice service for additional support for learning. Operated by Children in Scotland, Enquire offers independent, confidential advice and information on additional support for learning through:
- their website – www.enquire.org.uk
- a telephone helpline – 0345 123 2303
- an email enquiry service – info@enquire.org.uk
Enquire also provide a range of clear and easy-to-read guides and fact sheets explaining everything from ‘additional support in the early years’ to ‘what planning should take place for moving on from school’.
Educational Psychology Service
The Educational Psychology Service is part of the Education Directorate, offering advice and support to all Fife schools. We specialise in Relationships and Behaviour, Learning and Teaching, and Mental Health and Wellbeing.
Educational Psychologists work at different levels:
- Children and families
- School/Establishment
- Local Authority
- National
What is an Educational Psychologist?
We work closely with parents, teachers and other professionals to help children succeed and make the most of their education. Every school in Fife has an Educational Psychologist who links regularly to the school.
When do we become involved?
A school can always contact their link Educational Psychologist for a ‘no name consultation’. This is a consultation around a case-specific issue, where no names are recorded and the pupil is not identified. This can be useful for general advice about additional support needs.
The contact will usually come from the school or nursery themselves. Sometimes, a parent/carer may want to contact us if they need further information or help.
What do we do?
We aim to identify and understand a child’s strengths and areas where they need additional help. This supports the process of identifying any additional support needs. This work may directly involve the child or young person. However, we can often support children without having any face-to-face involvement. Sometimes this is the most effective and best way to help.
The ways that an Educational Psychologist may gather assessment information include:
- Consultation with relevant school/nursery staff
- Observation of the child
- Discussion with families
- Discussion with other agencies
- Direct contact with the child or young person (if appropriate).
Educational Psychologists provide advice and support on strategies and supports for interventions within an educational setting. We also offer training and school development and are involved in research and evaluation work within schools and the Education and Children’s Services Directorate.
What happens to the information gathered?
We will open a file in the child’s name which will contain assessment and planning information. This will contribute to the school’s record keeping and support plans, such as:
- Child’s plans
- Co-ordinated support plan
- Statutory reports (e.g., Children’s Panel)
Getting It Right for Every Child
Getting it Right for Every Child (GIRFEC) is a national approach aiming to improve outcomes for all children and young people.
Fife Education and Children’s Services Directorate have developed a range of GIRFEC related policies and guidance documents to support those working with children, young people and their families. For more information, visit girfec.fife.scot
| Contact: | Psychological Service |
|---|---|
| Tel: | 01592 583 349 |
| Email: | psychological.service@fife.gov.uk |
Related Publications
Emotional wellbeing
The emotional wellbeing of our young people matters.
It’s normal for young people to face emotional challenges growing up, and their mental health is as important as their general physical health and wellbeing.
If you are a young person in Fife struggling with your mental health, check out the Our Minds Matter – Mental Health Information for Young People Wakelet for information on other services that can support you.
If you are a parent or carer in Fife, the Our Minds Matter – Mental Health Information for Parents and Carers in Fife Wakelet has some helpful ideas, websites and information to help you support children and young people’s emotional wellbeing.
There are five key ways of keeping emotionally well. Have a look at the simple things we can all do to make a difference on our ‘Five ways to look after your Wellbeing‘ page.
We recognise that everyone has a role to play in supporting young people to keep emotionally well and thinking about what might help when someone needs additional support with their mental health. We think it’s important to think about what we do flexibly, with different layers of support and action from different people and services. You can find out more about these layers in Our Minds Matter Framework.
