Safeguarding and Wellbeing at Norcot

"They provide a safe and caring environment - a great transition from home to school."

Parent Survey July 2022

The Centre takes safeguarding the welfare of children extremely seriously. Everyone at the Centre has a responsibility to ensure all children are safe and all staff receive safeguarding training every three years. We talk to parents about how we safeguard their children while they are with us. If you ever have any questions or concerns, please come and talk to our Designated Safeguarding Lead or our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads (see below).  Please read our Safeguarding policy below:

Safeguarding Team

Helen Walsh

Centre Development Manager



Designated Safeguarding & Wellbeing Lead

Katarina Bingham

Head of Centre 


Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead


Lisa McCoy

Waterside Daycare Manager/SENDco


Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Kathryn Sykes

SENDCo/Inclusion Lead


Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Faye Turner

Deputy Daycare Manager (Jobshare)


Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Chloe Brown

Early Help Support Worker


Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Jo Hillbourne






Safeguarding Governor

Paige Holt

Deputy Daycare Manager (Jobshare)




Designated Deputy Safeguarding Lead

Wellbeing at Norcot

"Staff are warm, welcoming, attentive and proactive"

Parent Survey July 2022

We believe that everyone working at Norcot Early Years Centre should have the opportunity to enjoy the highest possible standard of wellbeing and mental health.      As part of this, we will follow the guiodance set out int he wellbeing charter below

Staff Wellbeing Charter

Friendly Support

Hello my name is Helen Walsh, 

I am the Centre's Safeguarding and Wellbeing Lead. 


I started working at Norcot in 2004 as the Deputy Manager of Day care, 

I then moved to Norcot Community Centre to be the Outreach Manager.     I managed the Children’s Centre where I worked alongside other professionals to run groups to support families within the local community. When the Children's Centres across Reading merged I moved to the Nursery school where I became Centre Development Manager which has since developed into my current role.


Both of my children attended Waterside Day Care and then moved to the Nursery School, they both loved their time here and it gave them the skills to develop in their futures both emotionally and academically. They still talk fondly about Norcot now.


I am extremely passionate about working with children and their families and am available to offer a listening ear or offer support or signpost to other services. Please feel free to pop in and see me or contact me :


hwalsh@norcot.reading.sch.uk or 07483 416872.

Hello my name is Chloe Brown and I am the Early Help Support Worker.       


I started my role at Norcot in September 2023. I have worked in childcare since 2012 and have had previous roles of Early Years Practitioner, Room Leader and Family group worker. I have a Son who currently attends Norcot and since starting in September has showed a great improvement and is talking about his new experiences he has done whilst there. I enjoy supporting families and providing support, advice and information to the families within our setting. I can help you with any worries that you may have in relation to your child’s development, behaviour and wellbeing. Please speak to me about anything that is worrying you or you need support with. I may not have all the answers, but hopefully I can help you to work out how to find them! 

A few examples of support I can offer:

· Providing information about services in the local area and support to access them if needed

· Potty training/toileting

· Support to improve your child’s attendance

· Sleep routines

· Setting boundaries

· Completing referrals to relevant agencies

· Completing forms/applications

· Advice and support in promoting positive behaviour at home

· Signposting for help with finances and debt, housing, health etc.


You can contact me on- Email- cbrown@norcot.reading.sch.uk

Telephone- 0118 937 5577/ 07483368773

At Norcot, we understand that factors that are occurring at home can have a detrimental impact on the whole family and the child’s learning and development. We aim to support and signpost families in a variety of ways to enable them to provide the best outcomes for their child. Such as:


  • Support with paperwork e.g. DLA forms, school applications, school appeals
  • Liaising with other professionals
  • Helping to provide or source equipment and resources e.g furnishings needed for at home, toys and creative resources, school uniform
  • Sourcing and providing food parcels 
  • Sourcing and providing Christmas hampers and presents  Support and signposting for housing advice
  • Support and signposting for PIP, tax credits etc 
  • Support and signposting for mental health, including well being calls and checking in with families 
  • Looking at finances and support
  • Providing support and advice for various topics including, parenting, behaviour, toilet training, fussy eating
  • Transition support to schools
  • Referrals to Early help, PACT and other agencies to support the family and child


We also offer on site group family support by holding regular SEND coffee mornings, time for tea sessions and Help I'm a parent sessions.

Staff

Wellbeing


We believe that everyone working at Norcot Early Years Centre should have the opportunity to enjoy the highest possible standard of wellbeing and mental health. As part of this, we have set out a staff wellbeing charter see below



Staff Wellbeing Charter

Childrens Wellbeing

At Norcot we use the Leuven Scale for Chidrens wellbeing and Active engagement in learning.


WELLBEING

Wellbeing focuses on the extent to which children feel at ease, act spontaneously, show vitality and confidence. It is a crucial component of emotional intelligence and good mental health.


  See Link below for full Leuven   Scale


Leuven Scales
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