Who To Talk To
Being a former service child myself, I have first-hand experience of what it feels like to be separated from a parent for months on end and also the worry for their safety. My father served in the Artillery and spent time in Northern Ireland and was deployed during the Bosnian War. We were living in Germany during the Gulf War and I can recall as a child what that was like for the families left behind. My Grandfather was in the Suffolk Regiment and landed on D-Day. He was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. My sister was married to a Green Jacket. My nephew was is the Rifles and was deployed to Afghanistan when he was just 18. I have personal experience of issues commonly affecting service families including PTSD, transitioning out of the military and the additional stress on relationships caused by the service lifestyle. My role is to help support children from military families and to help bridge school, home, and the armed forces community. I can be contacted via email at: inclusion@lynehamprimary.wilts.sch.uk. My working days are Mondays and Tuesdays.
Miss Laura Phillips - Transition & Community Cohesion Co-ordinator
Our Transition Coordinator plays a key role in ensuring that children from service families settle quickly and confidently into school life. Laura is the main point of contact for new families in the first few weeks, offering guidance before arrival, tours of the school, setting pupils up with a buddy and making sure each child's academic and pastoral needs are understood from day one. Laura checks-in with newly arriving pupils throughout their first term to make sure they are settling well. You can reach Laura via the main office number 01249 890413 or email: l.phillips@lynehamprimary.wilts.sch.uk.
Mrs Natalie Evans & Mrs Jackie Barlow - Emotional Literacy Support Assistants (ELSAs)
When a parent is deployed or working away, children may experience anxiety, sleep disruption, anger, or withdrawal. Our ELSAs can offer regular 1:1 time to explore feelings about separation and to help teach coping strategies. Regular check-ins with a trusted adult can provide a sense of security. When families notify us of a period of separation, we can be proactive in the additional pastoral support we offer. For example, children can be provided with a ‘free pass’ to access the Belonging Base Camp at the Nest during break and lunch times. They can be supported to write/ draw messages for the separated parent or to email them pieces of work they are proud of. We have a collection of children’s books on the subject of deployment/ separation as well as wellbeing resources from the Little Troopers charity. To contact Natalie or Jackie, you can email them via: n.evans@lynehamprimary.wilts.sch.uk or elsa@lynehamprimary.wilts.sch.uk.