MAST

Our Multi Agency Support Team (MAST), can help you with all aspects of the school day that might require. Please visit our community and support site for full details of the multi-agency offering.

Wellbeing resources

• The Children and Young People’s Mental Health Service (CYPMHS) provides emotional wellbeing and mental health advice and support for young people and their families across Kent. The service is open to young people between the ages of 0-18, or up to 25 in some instances, for example those with special educational needs. CYPMHS offers advice and support for stress, low mood and depression, anxiety, self-harm or difficult to manage behaviours.
• The Kent Resilience Hub has pulled together a variety resources that will help parents and carers support their children and young people’s emotional growth and mental health.
• NSPCC – if you’re worried a child may be struggling with their mental health or has anxiety about COVID, they’ve got advice to help you support them.
• Kooth.com is commissioned by the NHS, Local Authorities, charities and businesses to provide anonymous and personalised mental health support for Children and Young People. With over 4000 logins per day, we provide end to end support whatever the need. 1 in 5 children and young people suffer from mental illness in any given year. Kooth believes every young person has the right to thrive and to access high quality mental health care.
• Young Minds have lots of practical advice and tips on supporting your child – from how to encourage your child to open up about their feelings to dealing with mental health services. No matter what you and your child are going through, things can get better. They also have their Parents Helpline who can provide advice and support if you’re worried about a child or young person. Call the Parents Helpline for detailed advice, emotional support and signposting about a child or young person up to the age of 25. Call 0808 802 5544 from 9.30am – 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Financial and family welfare support

• Cost of living support from the Government
• Help for Households
• Check benefits and financial support you can get
• Home essentials in a crisis
• Household Support Fund for food and energy
• Find a food bank
• Apply for free school meals
• The Trussell Trust
• Community Fridge – visit Wood Avenue Library during opening hours to collect free food that would otherwise go to waste.
• Help through Hardship – Citizens Advice and the Trussell Trust have come together to develop a free helpline for people struggling to afford the basics. Operating in England and Wales, the helpline offers personalised advice and support to help address the underlying causes of the hardship, as well as a quick and seamless referral to a food bank for people if required. If you need assistance, the national helpline is open 24 hours a day: 0808 208 2138.
• Christians Against Poverty UK
• Family Fund  – helping disabled children

School holiday activities

• Reconnect: Kent children and young people
• Leisure centre offers
• Things to do
• My Kent Family
• Folkestone & Hythe Children’s Centres Facebook page
• Dover District Children’s Centres Facebook page