What is early help?
Early Help and early intervention are ways to support children and families before problems become too serious. They are also known as prevention services.
These services are part of a continuum of support, which means they can be provided at any stage of a child or young person's life, from the early years right through to adolescence. They can be delivered to parents, carers and significant adults, children, or whole families.
The phrase Early Help means supplying support at the earliest possible time in a child’s life to help improve their outcomes and prevent escalating of need or risk of harm.
Early Help can be given to families and children by many organisations including schools and some authorities have an Early Help service, which families can be referred to.
Early Help support is voluntary so a referral is usually carried out with the family and families can self refer. If a professional makes an inter-agency referral then Social Services may suggest Early Help support for the family.
- protect children from harm
- reduce the need for a referral to child protection services
- improve children's long-term outcomes
- improve children’s home and family life support children to develop strengths and skills to prepare them for adult life
- has mental health needs
- is a young carer
- has a SEND
- has returned home from care
- is persistently absent from school or with patterns of absence
- lives in a home with alcohol or drugs misuse
- is living with domestic violence
