If you are worried about flooding, you can find help and guidance on our flooding information and advice page.
You can also find the latest flooding news on our Somerset Newsroom

Social care roles

Key people who may be working with you within social care

Part of
What SEND professionals do: Step by step

Click "navigate this page" to see the page contents, as well as a full list of the What SEND professionals do step by step pages.

Navigate this page

Part of
What SEND professionals do: Step by step

These are some of the people who may be working with you

1Key roles in SEND

An overview of key professionals supporting you

  1. Education roles
  2. Health roles
  3. Social care roles

    2Other professionals

    More people who may be involved

    1. A to Z of people working within SEND

      3Professionals working together

      Understanding the meetings that people who support you may attend

      1. Multi-agency meetings

        Family Intervention Worker

        Family Intervention Workers are part of the Children with Disabilities Team. Family Intervention Workers visit the family and use information from the Early Help Assessment (EHA) to complete a Children With Disabilities Early Support Record and Children With Disabilities Early Support Plan to provide the support and services which have been identified as being required to meet outcomes. This could include practical help at home, parenting advice, support to find activities and learning opportunities, help with charity applications for activities, and support for young people to join in activities.

        Front Door Family Practitioner

        Family Front Door Practitioners work in Children’s Social Care at the Avon and Somerset Police Centre, alongside social workers. They look at all Early Help Assessments sent in by professionals who work with children and families and are asking for support from the Family Intervention Service (FIS). They will speak to parents and children and professionals to explore the difficulties and concerns. They will give clear advice and suggest other support available, either through FIS or other services.

        Family Intervention Service (FIS) workers

        The Family Intervention Service (FIS) workers support children and young people aged 0 to 18 years and their families with complex needs. They use a bespoke intervention package to prevent families needing a statutory social care service or when stepping down from children’s social care. They do lots of different work, such as helping to reduce substance misuse, crime and anti-social behaviour. They support better school attendance and outcomes, reduce or stop abusive situations, or missing children, and provide mediation between young people and their families. They also help young carers and foster carers.

        Social Worker

        Social workers support individuals and their families through difficult times and help to find solutions to their problems. They assess people’s needs, strengths and wishes, working with individuals and families directly to help them make changes and solve problems, organising support, making recommendations or referrals to other services and agencies, and keeping detailed records. This is done by working with parents, the wider family network and other professionals in a strengths-based way to support change for the children or reduce the impact the disability, condition or illness has on daily life.

        Social workers will have a special interest in:

        Occupational Therapists

        Occupational Therapists (OTs) help children develop everyday skills, such as feeding themselves, getting dressed and playing. In particular by changes to the child’s environment by adaptations or specialist equipment. They are supported by Occupational Therapy Assistants.

        Last updated: January 8, 2026

        Next review due: July 8, 2026

        Back to top