The Sanctuary The Sanctuary is a student support and wellbeing centre staffed by Caroline Gray and Abigail Speight. Caroline and Abigail work closely together as a team with each having their own individual roles, which are as follows:
Caroline Gray Caroline manages the day to day running of the Sanctuary, looking after the medical needs of our students. The Sanctuary is a place for students who may fall ill during the day, have an accident or injury to be taken care of, or a place where students can access as part of a transitional process in getting back to a class environment after long term sick leave. She also works with students who need targeted wellbeing support through activities and work covering anxiety, stress, social skills and coping strategies. Caroline coordinates the work we do with outside counselling services. Caroline is also a first aider.
The Sanctuary also offers the following various outside Counselling Services during the school day to help and support our students. Below is an overview of these services:
Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH): provide assessments, support and treatment for children experiencing moderate to severe mental health problems. The service works to provide students with a greater knowledge of their condition and improve coping techniques. We have a Community Mental Health Nurse and CAMHs outreach worker who comes into school and carries out assessments on students who have had referrals made about them either through staff or parents. She can then advise on a plan of action for the students to be referred to their services for an assessment and then advises us on which outreach service the student is best suited to and for us to make contact with those services.
Bedford Open Door: committed to offering an accessible, confidential and professional counselling service to young people. Their aim is to enable young people to manage their own lives with confidence and safety. They provide the resources for students to deal with distress, achieve healthy emotional and physical development and sustain education, training and employment.
Aquarius: Aquarius is a young person’s drug and alcohol service covering Bedford Borough and Central Bedfordshire. Aquarius work with young people aged 5-18 years. They are part of CAN, a drug, alcohol and homelessness charity which has services across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire.
Brook/iCash: Provide support and advice regarding all aspects of sexual health, including contraception, STI testing and treatment and psychosexual services. They provide a drop in service once a month.
Mind: A mentoring provision providing support for students with mental health problems or supporting them if they live with someone who does.
Young Carers: A provision for children or young people under 18, who care for someone who has a disability, illness, mental health condition, learning difficulties, sensory impairment, HIV/AIDS or substance misuse. Supporting them in their difficult times to cope with their roles whether at home or school.
School Nursing Service: We have a NHS nurse, Chelsie Shaw, who is available to the students during Wednesday lunchtimes to talk about any concerns they may have such as confidence, relationships, bullying, sexual health, self-harming or exam stress or anxiety issues.
The students, in addition, are allowed to visit the Sanctuary during break times for a chat or if they need a bit of ‘time out’.
If you have any concerns about your child you can contact Caroline Gray by telephone on 01234 342521 or via email at caroline.gray@biddenham.beds.sch.uk
Abigail Speight Abigail is the mental health and wellbeing lead, she works closely with Caroline, and the heads of years to identify students who may need support with their wellbeing. Abigail identifies the needs of students and refers them on for appropriate support. This could be ‘in house’ via wellbeing sessions run by staff in the Sanctuary during tutor time or at other appropriate times in the school day. She may also refer students onto outside agencies such as CAMHS, CHUMS, Bedford Open Door, Aquarius or the school nurse. These referrals may also lead onto the EHA process which will be completed with parents and carers and Abigail Speight.
We recognise that young people do suffer with a variety of wellbeing issues such as exam stress/anxiety, self-harm, depression and other emotional difficulties. We aim to meet the ever changing needs of our young people by adapting and increasing the support available to them.
If you do have any concerns regarding your child’s wellbeing or would like to complete an Early Help Assessment (EHA) please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Speight via email at abigail.speight@biddenham.beds.sch.uk
(EHA) please do not hesitate to contact Mrs Speight via email at abigail.speight@biddenham.beds.sch.uk