Who is the Primary Behaviour Support Team and what does it do?
We are a small, highly skilled team, working across Gateshead, providing advice and support when a child is referred for behavioural, emotional or social difficulties. We work mainly in the school concerned working directly with the children and staff.
Referrals are responded to quickly, assessing the specific needs of the individual child, in order that appropriate action can be taken.
We adopt a multi-agency approach, working closely with both education and health care professionals as well as with parents and carers. We also have effective links with specialist provisions.
The vast majority of children referred are returned to mainstream school where they continue to be successful.
Behaviour Training
A range of training programmes are delivered within schools and bespoke training can be delivered on request.
The following three modules can be delivered to children identified by their school and take the form of six half hour sessions. They can be delivered in school or online.
• Raising self-esteem
• Managing anxiety and building resilience
• Managing anger
Referral
Referral is by the child’s school. To refer a child to us for assessment, you must meet the following criteria:
• The child must be of primary school age (reception and above). If the child is under five years of age (statutory school age) the child will not be deemed a priority referral
• Attend a primary school within Gateshead.
• Permission for the referral has been given by the child’s parent or carer.
• The school can demonstrate that a number of strategies have been tried and a personal behaviour plan or IEP is in place.
• The child does not have a medical diagnosis which may account for many of the difficulties he/she is experiencing (for example they are on the Autistic Spectrum for which there are more appropriate teams/ professionals to offer support).
• Behaviour difficulties have been evident for at least half a term.
• Be referred no later than the autumn of year 6.
• May have been identified by PBS as having more than two fixed term exclusions.
Leaflets
The team have written many leaflets on different aspects of SEMH. These include some leaflets specifically for parents.
All leaflets can be found on the Education Support website as well as the Primary Behaviour Support brochure which gives further detail on the work of the team: