Patcham Junior School

Community Resources

At Patcham Junior School, as well as working hard to support children's educational needs, we also work hard to support the emotional wellbeing of our pupils both in school and at home. Here we have compiled a page of useful resources, including free school meals, local food banks, COVID information and wellbeing services.

If you have any concerns or queries, please don't hesitate to contact us on 01273 087513 or email office@patchamjun.brighton-hove.sch.uk

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 HAF

HAF is funded by the Department for Education. It provides a programme of free activities during the school Easter, summer, and winter holidays, for people who receive benefits-related free school meals. Activities include sports, arts, music, personal development, and more.

Children and young people also receive a free balanced meal as part of their day.

Who's eligible for HAF

HAF is for children and young people in reception to year 11 who receive benefits-related free school meals. 

Apply for benefits-related free school meals.

Limited time offer – get FREE lifetime membership to FiveDinners.com! 

We know how hard times are at the moment so the folks at FiveDinners.com – online meal planning service - have decided to give away FREE lifetime memberships to try and help you save money on food shopping and reduce the mental load of deciding what to eat every night. There’s no catch or restrictions, simply full access to our meal plans to make your dinnertimes a little easier and cheaper.  

FiveDinners.com is an online meal planning service co-founded by author and TV chef Theo Michaels. To help with the cost of living crisis so many families and individuals are facing Theo has decided to offer their meal planning service for FREE (usually £49.99 per year); every week they publish a new meal plan with an automatically generated shopping list; set to your serving size so you know exactly what you need for the week ahead. It saves you time, money on food shopping and ultimately takes away the headache of deciding what to cook every night. You can even create and save your own meal plans choosing from hundreds of recipes.  

Simply head to https://FiveDinners.com and click green Join button now. 

Supporting Families with Healthy Food 

The last 2 years have been a difficult time and we know that many families are struggling with money and affording healthy food for their family. However, there is support available. You may be eligible for free school meals for your child Apply online for free school meals 

The Brighton and Hove Food Partnership has lots of useful information on how to access emergency food-meals parcels https://bhfood.org.uk/resources/accessing-emergency-food-parcels/ 

Everyone across the City can buy low-cost shopping if they need to. More information is available here: https://bhfood.org.uk/how-to-hub/low-cost-and-free-community-shopping/

If you are pregnant or have a child under 4 you may also be able to get help to buy milk, fruit and vegetables. Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start). 

If you would like any more information on any of the above, please talk to  (named person at the school, with contact details).

Winter Recipe Booklet

The Public Health Schools Team teamed up with our Healthy Nutrition Project Officer and Gems Wholesome Kitchen to create a Winter Recipe Booklet. It contains a range of affordable and nutritious meals, including breakfast, hearty main meals, excellent snack ideas as well as top tips for winter.

PACE    Providing Access to Childcare and Employment

UNIFORM

In a bid to become more environmentally friendly, we are currently looking into ways of recycling used uniform to make it an affordable alternative to buying new items. Keep an eye on this page for more information in the near future.

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SCHOOL SUPPORT

We know that this year, and last, have been very difficult for everyone. Whether you  have lost a loved one, are struggling financially or emotionally, we want all of our families to know that we are here to help.  We can assist in applying for financial aid, finding wellbeing support or just for some reassurance around your child’s academic and/or emotional progress.

Please do not hesitate in contacting Mark Rodericks, Deputy Headteacher at the school, on 01273 087513 or email office@patchamjun.brighton-hove.sch.uk

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Brighton and Hove City Council- Emergency Help

If you need help with food, energy bills and other essentials the Local Discretionary Social Fund could help. For more information and online applications please go to the BHCC Emergency Help page. If you need any support at all- to discover your eligibility, assistance with applications or any other help please don’t hesitate to contact the Inclusion team via phone or email.

The Fund can provide help with:

• buying food and groceries
• paying for gas and electricity if you pay for it by key card or meter
• essential items you need to live in your home such as beds, cookers or fridges
• other support you may need in an emergency  

We will be prioritising help for people affected by Covid-19 who need emergency food and fuel assistance.

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Claiming support under the Test and Trace Support Payment scheme – parents/guardians of children told to self-isolate

If you’re not legally required to self-isolate, but you are the parent or guardian of a child who has been told to self-isolate, you could be eligible for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment or discretionary payment if all the following apply:

• you’re the parent or guardian of a child in your household who is self-isolating, and you need to take time off work to care for them
•  your child is aged 15 or under, or aged 25 or under with an Education, Health and Care (EHC) Plan, normally attends an education or childcare setting, and has been told to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace or by their education or childcare setting
• you’re unable to work from home and will lose income because you have to care for your child while they are self-isolating
• you meet all the other eligibility criteria for a Test and Trace Support Payment or discretionary payment

Please visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/sips for further information and to apply for a payment.

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Worried about a child or young person? Contact the Parents Helpline for free, confidential advice via the phone, email or webchat.

We offer three different services to parents and carers who are concerned about their child’s mental health, up to the age of 25.

Go to: https://youngminds.org.uk/find-help/for-parents/parents-helpline/

OR for children specifically concerned about Coronavirus see the NSPCC website: Talking to a child worried about coronavirus (COVID-19)

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Brighton and Hove Wellbeing Service

Who are we?

The CYP Wellbeing Service is the hub for all mental health referrals for young people in Brighton & Hove, including CAMHS. It is delivered by YMCA DownsLink Group.

What do we do?

We offer a range of short-term support options for children and young people with mild to moderate mental health needs. All referrals are looked at on a case-by-case basis.

Resources:

Trainline

Please follow the link for a guide to booking family train tickets to help you find out how to get to your place and ways you can save money on train tickets and child fare information.

https://www.thetrainline.com/trains/great-britain/family-train-tickets