Health, Care and Wellbeing

Looked After Children (LAC)

Togetherall

Could you benefit from a little support right now?

We have a dedicated Student Support Team at College, who offer help and support to students who may be experiencing difficult/challenging times in their personal worlds.

People seek our team’s support for many reasons such as experiencing:

• Anxiety, stress and panic attacks
• Feeling overwhelmed in public settings
• Low mood
• Loss and bereavement
• Disturbing and unwanted thoughts and images
• Poor sleep
• Relationship difficulties
• Identity and Self-image issues
• Abuse/bullying
• Addictive behaviours (including substance abuse)
• Past trauma
• Troublesome repetitive behaviours
• Self harming
• Frequent or troublesome issues with anger
• Concerns about living with physical illness/conditions
• Housing difficulties/problems at home
• Financial worries

Our Student Support Team offers Mentoring, Counselling and Safeguarding.

Mentoring

Mentoring tends to be the first point of contact normally when accessing our team.

Mentoring offers:

• A safe space to offload, puzzle over, and work positively toward managing life issues and emotionally upsetting times
• Links to Health Support, Social Support and Primary/Secondary Care
• Practical support with housing and financial applications, and travelling to college issues
• Appropriate advocacy – when a learner may need support linking with other teams/organisations within college and sometimes with external agencies
• A place to discuss the possibility of a referral to counselling, if counselling has been requested or advised
• Safety: Mentors and Welfare Officers will always work to keep students and the community safe and are all fully trained safeguarding staff
• Wellbeing advice including sexual health, self-care themes and self-help information

To access Mentoring at Dearne Valley College, please contact:

Katie Mitchell – Mentor
01709 513333 – Ext 1025
kmitchell@rnngroup.ac.uk

Or, call in to Room HE207, where Katie is based. Appointments booked through email first tend to avoid the disappointment of turning up when Katie is too busy and cannot attend to ‘drop ins’

Or if Katie is not available contact:

James Davenport – Student Support Officer
01709 513333 – Ext 1035
jdavenport@rnngroup.ac.uk

Safeguarding

Safeguarding is the action that is taken to promote the welfare of children and protect them from harm. To know more about Safeguarding at Rotherham, visit: Dearne Valley College Safeguarding Information

The first contact for Safeguarding at Rotherham College is:

James Davenport – Student Support Officer
01709 513333 – Ext 1035
jdavenport@rnngroup.ac.uk

The safeguarding team can also be contactable by:

• Email: safeguarding@rnngroup.ac.uk
• or ask for Safeguarding at the College reception desk
• or call reception on 01709 513333 and ask for Safeguarding

Counselling

Counselling offers:

• Professional Counselling – all counsellors have professional membership and follow an ethical code of practice
• A safe, private and confidential space to explore often deeper, complex or more troublesome issues in a more methodical and structured way
• Various choices for the student/client to make in how their counselling process progresses and which methods/models work best for each individual (Tailored approach)
• The chance of developing a useful, positive and supportive relationship whilst working through concerns

To access Counselling at Dearne Valley College, please contact:

Katie Mitchell – Mentor
01709 513333 – Ext 1025
kmitchell@rnngroup.ac.uk

Katie manages our counselling waiting list and is a great first contact point. Katie will help to make the decision whether counselling, mentoring or both would be most appropriate and beneficial.

Other referrers for counselling:

If unsure about how to make a mentoring or counselling referral, have a chat with any PT, tutor, or any other support staff including simply enquiring at main reception, and the staff member will refer on your behalf.

Important!

In a mental health crisis, at any time, day or night, you can:

Contact the NHS Crisis Team:

• Doncaster – Freephone 0800 804 8999
• Rotherham – Freephone 0800 652 9571

You can also contact:

• Call 111 (call 999 directly if emergency)
• Contact GP
• Go directly to the nearest A&E (Emergency Department)

You can also contact the College Safeguarding Team (in college open hours only if requiring a timely response) by:

– Contacting James directly, on: 01709 513333 – Ext 1035 or jdavenport@rnngroup.ac.uk
– Emailing Safeguarding: safeguarding@rnngroup.ac.uk
– Ask for Safeguarding at the College reception desk
– Or call reception on 01709 513333 and ask for Safeguarding

Try to find a supportive and trusted person to stay with you if possible. Keep talking – talking is good!

Let someone know what is ‘going on’ for you… right now.

National free Counselling Services and Talking Services

Access to external counselling services and other local services outside of college can be found in the RNN Group Welfare Guide to Local & National Services