Introduction
Everyone knows that a little bit of help at the right time can make all the difference. Early help is all about providing that help to families who, for whatever reason, find that they’re struggling. It’s important that families know that it’s ok to ask for help. Raising a family is a difficult job and it’s a sign of strength, not weakness, to look for help to get back on track.
Providing help as soon as a problem emerges, at any stage of a child or young person’s life, stops that problem from escalating and is much more effective than reacting to it later on.
Early Help can start before a baby is born and go up to age 25. Help can be about anything – like parenting, money, housing, or advice. That help might be sign-posting information and advice. Or, it might be more practical help.
Connecting early help together
Somerset Council, together with the voluntary community has launched Connect Somerset and community champions. They help professionals and local groups work together to support families. Find out more in the video below.
There are all sorts of organisations and agencies involved in early help, including
- Somerset NHS,
- Early Years settings,
- Schools,
- Colleges and
- Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprises.
It works best when all those organisations are working together with families. The first step is often when a professional notices a young person who may need support. But we want families to approach professionals (whether that’s a teacher, a GP or a youth worker) themselves when they think there’s a need.
#Help4All
Everyone goes through tough times, which puts extra pressure on families and residents.
There’s lots that can help, but often people who need help do not know what is available. They don’t know how to connect to their communities. Or how to access support.
#Help4All is a list of services and support that can help. You can find it on the Connect Somerset website.
Early Help Assessments
When early help starts, you only need to tell your story once. All the people helping you will share the same Early Help Assessment form.
It starts with a chat about:
- What’s going well
- What could be better
- What matters most to you and your family
The resulting early help plan should be coordinated across all those involved and help families and communities develop the capabilities to prevent and resolve problems themselves. Early Help is for all children – not just welfare concerns or SEND. It may help shape the SEN Support arrangements for a child as part of a school’s graduated response and review process.
You can find more information on Early Help Assessments and supporting documents here