DSPL 5 and Howe Dell School are delighted to be re-launching the Primary Outreach Service supporting primary settings across Welwyn and Hatfield.  The Primary Outreach Team sit amongst a wider team of support available to children, families and school s in DSPL 5.  Please see the flow chart on this webpage. Experienced Primary Outreach Workers will work within primary settings, supporting children with behaviour needs. 

Please bring your child to the DSPL 5 triage to discuss them so that all the professionals can agree a way forward using the best services available to meet the needs of that child.  If we are the best service to support the child then:

After attending triage and it has been agreed that the Primary Outreach Service is the best service: 

• Complete the referral form (this is available on this web page) in full with as much detail as possible.
•  Schools may be asked to provide evidence of what approaches have been taken so far.
• Referral forms must be sent to Faye Ewen (Primary Behaviour Outreach Lead) via schools fx at outreachlead@howedell.herts.sch.uk. 
• We will work with other service providers if they are supporting the family but this will be determined on individual cases.
• Schools will then be contacted by an outreach worker to start the piece of work. 

If you have any queries regarding the above, please contact us.

Contact details: 

Sheryl Wall - Primary Behaviour Outreach Lead and Assistant Headteacher for Inclusion (Howe Dell Primary School) - outreachlead@howedell.herts.sch.uk / 01707 263291

Tracy Prickett - Executive Headteacher (Howe Dell Primary School) - head@howedell.herts.sch.uk / 01707 263291

Hannah Mann-Smith - DSPL 5 Manager and Area SEND Lead (Green Lanes Primary School) - hmann-smith@greenlanes.herts.sch.uk / 01707 262556.

Who we are

We support schools in promoting the positive behaviour of learners. 

The aim of the team is to enable children and young people to experience success in all elements of their school life, particularly where challenging behaviour is preventing them from accessing learning or places them at risk of suspension or exclusion from school. Challenging behaviours may include refusal to follow instructions, defiance, verbal or physical aggression, attention seeking behaviours and persistent disruption to learning.

We provide early intervention support for children and young people who are experiencing social, emotional, mental health and behaviour difficulties, through planned interventions and training for staff.  We deliver targeted interventions for children and young people which are personalised to their particular needs. We work closely with schools and families to provide support to enable the children and young people the best possible outlook.

Emotional wellbeing is a key component of our interventions; we work therapeutically to explore, identify, and improve children’s and young people’s sense of self which includes self-esteem, self-worth, anxiety, and withdrawal.

What we offer

Each intervention is personalised for the learner and may include:

• Individual behaviour programme with a specific focus – this may include Protective Behaviours, Drawing and talking, or is tailored around a particular concern, anxiety, self-esteem etc.
• Group work: social skills, friendship groups etc – Our team can work with a group of children and young people who may all be experiencing the same concern or who need to work on their co-operation skills.
• Transition support – we support those children in Y2 and Y6 who may find the transition up more emotionally challenging than their peers.
• Staff training – We can provide training with a specific approach in mind, class management, Therapeutic Thinking etc.
• Behaviour/Pastoral Lead support meetings – We can meet with behaviour leads, SENCo etc to devise behaviour plans or generate strategies in supporting some of the most challenging children and young people.
• Reintegration support - Sometimes children who have attended the Welhat Hub can find reintegrating back into their host school challenging, staff can also find this complex. Initially the Hub will provide support –and then if needed, we will support. We also offer support for children and young people who have may have unfortunately been permanent excluded from a school setting and are reintegrating into another, this may be support for you as a school or the child or young person directly.
• Managed move support – We work closely with the integration and inclusion officers. Normally we are aware of a child or young person that maybe looking to move schools – however when this may not happen, we offer support to the schools and individuals involved through the process.  This process will happen in consultation with Hannah Mann-Smith.
• Signposting / advice and strategies – On occasions where we are unable to support, or we have provided the necessary level of advice/support. We may provide information or guidance on where schools can obtain further support or information in providing the right provision or service for our children and young people.
• Support with statutory assessment paperwork - We can provide advice and guidance for these and may also provide a report based on the Outreach support given. This may also include support for EHCP/EHMs.
• Observation, advice, and strategies for school staff – On occasions, schools may only require some advice on how to approach a particular situation or may require a whole class observation to determine a consistent approach or strategy to class behaviour management.
• Support for school staff – We offer support and advice through regular communication, planning and discussions.  We will communicate via email, phone or in person, we will always arrange and confirm appointments and will do our best to accommodate times and days.  Our team will share their contact details with the schools.
• Training / delivery of specific approaches – e.g., Protective behaviours, Zones of Regulation and Drawing and Talking, Nurture and Boxall profiles.  Our team have a vast amount of knowledge and training in many areas of behaviour, SEMH and emotional literacy and are Therapeutic Thinking  tutor trained. We can offer training and/or support in a specific area that may benefit individuals or whole school.

What we need

• An open and honest approach!
• Schools will be asked to complete a referral form, an assessment and progress form and may also be required to complete Therapeutic Thinking resources.