If you have any safeguarding concerns about a young person at Vandyke, please contact Mrs H Sides (Designated Safeguarding Lead), or Mrs C Powell (Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead), on the main school telephone number (01525 636700) or via email: [email protected]. You will find information about the school’s safeguarding team on this poster.
You can also contact Central Bedfordshire’s Children’s Services on 0300 300 8585 or via the Central Bedfordshire website.
Below you will find a range of useful links and helpful sources of advice and information for students and their parents. These cover wellbeing, mental health, relationships and internet safety. You can use these quick links to jump straight to the section you need:
External Agencies which work with Vandyke
Support Services in Leighton Buzzard
CAMHS
The Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) service have recently updated their webpages, which contain information and support details. Follow this link to the main CAMHS website, or click here to visit the webpage for the South Bedfordshire & Luton branch.
CHUMS
Shout
24/7 Text Support For Young People
Shout is a free and confidential mental health assistance through text.
It is a 24/7 text support service, that is specifically designed for young people aged 11 to 18 who may be grappling with issues such as anxiety, stress, loneliness, or depression. They offer a safe and anonymous space for young people to express their feelings. This service is completely free, confidential, provides in-the-moment support, and does not appear on phone bills.
Just text REFLECT to 85258, to connect with trained volunteers.
Find out more on their website: https://giveusashout.org/
External Agencies
Vandyke has links with a number of external agencies which come into school to provide support for our students.
These services are confidential between the counsellor or health professional and the individual young person. No information is shared with school staff, except as defined in the school’s child protection policy and guidance from child protection law. This is essential to maintain the trust needed for these services to meet the needs of our students.
Appointments can be arranged to see Brook Clinic through the year offices or by seeing Mrs Verrier in the Medical Room.
Brook will talk through options and help guide choices. They offer advice about healthy relationships, contraceptives, pregnancy and STIs and can provide contraception, STI testing and pregnancy tests.
Other local Brook Clinics are available at the TACTIC Centre, 17 Hockliffe Street, Leighton Buzzard. Phone: 01525 373838.
Click here to visit Brook’s website.
4YP offers independent advice and guidance to students about careers and future plans and also helps support young people with applications and career planning. Appointments can be made through Mrs Webb, the school co-ordinator.
4YP DROP-INS: Tuesday and Wednesdays, 3-6pm at TACTIC Leighton Buzzard.
Other appointments available: Wendy Millgate on 07780 448599
Phone: 01582 742285 Email: info@4ypuk Facebook: 4YPUK
Click here to visit 4YP’S website.
The school has counsellors who work with any students who are in need of support or counselling. Students can self-refer through their head of year or may have counselling suggested by a member of staff. Counselling sessions take place in school time and may last for a few weeks or longer depending on circumstances.
All counselling is entirely confidential, within normal safeguarding rules.
Aquarius offers a range of support, information and advice to young people aged between 5 and 18 who use drugs and/or alcohol and also supports young people affected by someone else’s use. Aquarius will come into school to work with individuals or groups, if needed. They are not in school on a regular basis, but we can refer students to them. If you would like more information on this, click here for a link to their website.
Health drop-in sessions
The School Nursing Service offers a drop in session once a week on a Thursday lunchtime. The school nurse can give advice, support and help on a range of medical issues, including nutrition, weight loss/gain, sexual health, injuries or information on any health related matters or concerns.
Appointments can be made via the Medical Room.
For advice and information for young carers, click here.
Teenage advice and information from TACTIC – click here.
Support Services in Leighton Buzzard
Student Support Services
In alphabetical order
BEAT eating disorders
www.b-eat.co.uk 0345 634 1414
Campaign Against Living Miserably
https://www.thecalmzone.net/ 0800 58 58 58
Chat Health
https://chathealth.nhs.uk/ 07507 331 450
Childline
To visit the Childline website, click here.
Domestic violence helpline
https://bedsdv.org.uk/ 0808 200 0247
Everything OK?
https://www.everything-ok.co.uk/
Young people face challenges that can feel overwhelming, and knowing where to turn for support is so important. Everything Ok? is a website connecting young people with guidance on emotions, relationships, and life’s ups and downs.
Young people can find:
- Local support, including mental health services to build resilience and wellbeing
- LGBTQ+ support, with access to safe spaces and supportive groups
- Coping with life, help with exam stress, bullying and family conflict
- Staying safe, expert guidance on substance misuse, relationships and online safety
- Taking care, of your mind and body.
There are also dedicated pages to support parents and carers.
Grief Encounter
Mental Health Foundation
www.mentalhealth.org.uk 0207 803 1100
Mind BLMK
National Bullying Helpline
www.nationalbullyinghelpline.co.uk 0300 323 0169 / 0845 225 5787
The OLLIE Foundation
https://theolliefoundation.org/ 07715 311891
Papyrus
For information on the prevention of young suicide, click here.
Samaritans
www.samaritans.org 116 123
Sorted
www.sortedbedfordshire.org.uk 01582 891435
Terence Higgins Trust
The UK’s largest voluntary sector provider of HIV and sexual health services in the UK.
VERU
Young Carers (CHUMS)
www.chums.uk.com/young-carers 01525 863 924
Young Minds
Internet safety information
Information for students and parents about CEOP (the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre) is available by clicking here.
The CEOP thinkuknow website with information for students and parents about internet safety is available by clicking here.
Online safeguarding – The Dark Web – what is it?
Internet Matters – for support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online.
London Grid for Learning – for support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online
Net-aware – for support for parents and careers from the NSPCC
Parent Info – for support for parents and carers to keep their children safe online
Thinkuknow – for advice from the National Crime Agency to stay safe online
UK Safer Internet Centre – advice for parents and carers
