Early Support
What is an Early Help Assessment?
The Early Help Assessment is a way of working with children and young people. It involves listening to you and your child to find out your child’s needs, and what is working well in your child’s life. An action plan, agreed with you and your child, is also put in place to make sure your child gets the right sort of help. The Early Help Assessment is voluntary – you and your child can choose to be involved.
How will The Early Help Assessment help my family?
The Early Help Assessment exists to help you support your child. It can lead to a quick solution or help to identify extra support if needed. The Early Help Assessment will ensure that everyone involved with your child – such as teachers and health visitors – works together to support your child. The Early Help Assessment will help your child receive the right support at an early stage before their needs increase which can be much more difficult to help you with. As The Early Help Assessment is a shared assessment, you and your child will not have to repeat the same story to different workers.
When is The Early Help Assessment used?
The Early Help Assessment can be used if you or someone who works with your child would like your child to receive extra support. It will help to identify your child’s additional needs, and other workers required to support your family.
How does it work?
With agreement a professional will ask you and your child some questions to find out what help and support your child might need. This information is recorded on a simple form. You and your child will agree what is put on the form and submit the for to Early Help. Typical outcomes of the Early Help assessment is looking for a Family Support Worker, Parenting Programmes to upskill or potentially Family Group Conferencing. When a number of agencies potentially get involved such as School, Health Care, Early Support the professionals look to create a Team around the Family meeting which supports the family and ensures the correct support is being provided to the families needs.
See the below attached document for Early Support Partnership for further information.
