St. Bernard's Primary School cares about the safety and wellbeing of our students and their families.

Sometimes things at home or in a relationship are not OK or families can be worried about the wellbeing of their children or young people.

The Orange Door can help you to get the support you need, quickly and easily. It’s free and you don’t need a referral.

The Orange Door

The Orange Door can help families. They provide support for concerns with parenting, relationships, and family violence.

The Orange Door is a free intake and assessment service for:

• families requiring support for their child or young person’s wellbeing or development

• families needing parenting support

• young, isolated, or unsupported families

• individuals and families experiencing family violence

• adults using family violence

• young people using violence in the home.

If you contact The Orange Door, they can help by:

• working with you to identify the help and support you need

• supporting you with the wellbeing and development of your child or young person

• helping you make a safety plan if someone is making you feel unsafe

• connecting you to services that can help like counselling, accommodation, mental health and drug and alcohol services, parenting support groups, services for children, financial help, or legal assistance

• supporting you to access funding for basic living expenses and some other costs

• supporting you to change abusive or controlling behaviour.

Each Orange Door location across Victoria has their own phone number and email. Students and their families can also visit their local Orange Door in person for support, Monday to Friday, 9am - 5pm for support. No appointment is needed.

To find your local service, see: The Orange Door – Support near you.

How schools connect with The Orange Door

Our school might talk to a student and/or their family about The Orange Door. We might encourage them to contact their local Orange Door to get advice and help if needed. Ideally, a student and/or their family will get in touch with The Orange Door to seek advice and support. Sometimes, schools might make a referral to The Orange Door without the student or their family’s knowledge or consent. Schools will do this if:

• informing a student and/or family increases the risk to their safety or wellbeing

• not linking a student to support increases the risk of their safety and wellbeing.

You can learn more about:

• The Orange Door and how they can help you and your family here.

• how our school keeps our students safe by reading our Child Safeguarding Policy and our Child Safe Code of Conduct Policy and Procedures

Student Absences If your child is absent from school for any reason, it is vital that you notify the school prior to 9am, along with the reason for the absence eg: if your child is ill, attending an appointment, family holiday etc. Families can log into your child's PAM account to record absences.

Attendance

Our whole-school attendance rate is currently 93%, which is an excellent result (Our school-wide goal is 95% attendance and above). Regular attendance is one of the strongest contributors to learner success, helping learners build strong relationships, maintain learning routines, and achieve their best academically and socially. We celebrate the efforts of our learners and families!

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