The 13-year-old 'Cinderella' schoolgirl who took her own life four years ago had regularly tried to strangle herself before her death by hanging, an inquest heard.
Assistant Coroner Laurinda Bower read out statements from classmates, friends and a neighbour during the fifth day of the inquest into the death of Amber Peat, at Nottingham Council House today.
Amber was found dead in bushes three days after running away from home, in an argument over chores, on May 30, 2015. She was only reported missing eight hours later on May 31.
Ms Bower said: 'One of the children said "About five or six months ago after Christmas Amber was in school uniform when she tried to strangle herself but she stopped and went home"'.
Several other classmates also testified to Ms Bower they had seen Amber attempting to strangle herself. One said the incident occurred after the girl had a fight with another girl and was seen ripping up homework.
Amber Peat wrote to her mother Kelly telling her: 'I just wanted to be you little girl again' - but she laughed at it, an inquest heard today
Ms Bower added: 'The neighbour said "One day Amber was out on the grass with both arms straight out in a crucifix position, her step dad told her to keep her arms there.
"I also saw them clean the windows, front and back, when they came back from school until at least 9.30pm at night. I knew that Amber had run away at times.
''I never saw her happy, only maybe only at the beginning, I also saw her cleaning snow from the front once after school".'
Dr Joanne Kennedy, consultant psychologist, from the Derbyshire NHS Healthcare Foundation Trust, said, the trust's staff 'did not look at the case from a family orientated perspective.
She said: 'Mr Peat had mental health issues and had caring responsibilities, he was looking after his biological children and non biological children - this should have triggered an assessment, an assessment of risk.
Daniel Peat, step father of Amber Peat, arrives at Nottingham Coroner's Court today for the fifth day of the inquest
'It also shows there was a need to share, and receive, information from the other agencies involved.
'The fact that she ran away should have raised concerns - they assumed that someone else was dealing with the matter, and we recognise that we had information to share.
She concluded: 'That risk assessment was not completely adequate'.
She said the Trust had since 'had a culture change'.
Amber Peat (pictured) hanged herself after fleeing home after a row with her stepfather - but wasn't reported missing for eight hours
Earlier today it emerged 'Cinderella' schoolgirl Amber Peat wrote a letter to her mother before she was found hanged telling her: 'I just want to be your little girl again' - but her parent laughed at it, an inquest heard today.
The 13-year-old from Mansfield, who was found hanged in a hedgerow three days after she ran away from home following a row about chores, penned the note during a meeting with a youth worker.
The inquest heard today that her letter began 'Dear mum, I just want to be your little girl again'.
But her mother Kelly Peat 'laughed' at it in the spring of 2014 – leaving Amber feeling 'disappointed', Amber's youth worker Sorele Swallow told the inquest into her death today.
Miss Swallow also said that Amber had been told not to talk about her home life and and warned: 'What goes on in this house stays in this house'.
Amber was struggling with the demands of growing up, worried about her place in her family and told a teacher she believed her parents 'cared more for their dog' than her before she died on June 2, 2015, it was claimed.
The schoolgirl's body was discovered three days after she left the home in Mansfield, she shared with mother Kelly, step-father Danny, and two younger siblings.
The inquest at Nottingham Coroner's Court has previously been told Amber's mother and step-father didn't report her missing for almost eight hours after going shopping and having supper.
The coroner was told claims from teachers that she 'didn't get as much attention at home as would be considered normal'.
Youth worker Sorele Swallow told the inquest Amber agreed to write the letter to her mother to improve their relationship and said the teenager was disappointed when her mum laughed
On the fifth day of the Nottingham inquest, the youth support worker who was allocated to Amber, then 11, after the family was referred to their local council by a GP gave evidence.
Miss Swallow, who had a series of one-on-one meetings with Amber in 2014, described her as 'delightful' and a 'lovely, bright little girl with a great sense of humour who was cheeky but not in a naughty way'.
However, she said the youngster was 'struggling a little bit to find
