Tracy Tait

After beginning her teaching career as a Religious Studies teacher in a secondary school, Tracy quickly realised her ambitions of holding responsibility around pastoral care, taking the post of Head of Year 7/Transition, one which she very proudly held and developed alongside community links and generations of local families for 10 years. Following a diagnosis of breast cancer in 2014, Tracy was keen to look for a new challenge - a career changing moment, an epiphany.  Working as Equalities Education Team Leader, using child-focussed approaches, Tracy successfully supports both Primary and Secondary school teachers and leaders to ‘get it right’ for young people who may feel they have barriers to their education. Navigating support routes for young people who may be questioning their gender identity, sexual orientation or perhaps have a medical condition or disability, Tracy ensures inclusion and accessibility is at the core of all professional advice and guidance.

In 2016, Tracy formed part of a group of professionals who worked alongside Durham Police Force who secured a £750k Home Office grant around supporting young people who were victims and/or perpetrators of sexual harm. Tracy now delivers training to Designated Safeguarding Leads, Children’s Homes, Foster Carers, Secure Accommodation and Children’s Social Care on this subject. Over the past 10 years Tracy has been a key link between schools, the local authority, local Police and Youth Justice Services when offering support to very vulnerable young people.  Taking the lead on harmful sexual behaviour and child exploitation, Tracy uses her clear understanding of schools’ systems, procedures, teaching strategies and behaviour management of young people to ensure risks are minimised and young people are kept in education wherever possible.

Tracy has participated in AIM (Assessment, Intervention, Moving On) training to support the assessment of young people who display harmful sexual behaviour and, alongside the Youth Justice Service, Tracy offers pragmatic and proportionate safety planning advice and guidance.  In order to support practitioners in this area of work, Tracy has written and developed a ‘Harmful Sexual Behaviour Toolkit’ alongside colleagues from the Youth Justice Service. In her work around child exploitation, Tracy uses her knowledge around additional SEND vulnerabilities to support practitioners and workers in planning effective interventions and liaises closely with multi-agency professionals for all young people within the local authority who are deemed to be at HIGH risk of child exploitation.  

Outside of education, Tracy is married with 2 children, a Mum first and foremost. Tracy has a passion for everything to do with travel planning, always searching for opportunities to make memories with her family. Tracy enjoys interior design, creating a warm atmosphere, good friendships and enjoying the good things in life with good people!