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Early Help & Targeted Family Support
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What is an Early Help Assessment?

An Early Help Assessment is a way of noting down, together with a professional that knows your family, what is going well in your, what the worries are and what needs to happen to help things get better. Together you will agree on the best way to make this happen.


You might need help in one or more of the following areas:
  • School, education or training
  • Home and life relationships
  • Health and emotional wellbeing
  • Work, finances or housing
  • Domestic violence or abuse
  • Crime or anti-social behaviour
If you have worries about your family, then ask a doctor, teacher, health visitor or any professional working with your family, to complete an Early Help assessment. 

How an Early Help Assessment works

You and the professional that knows you will talk about what is going well in your family, what the worries are, and what needs to happen to improve the situation. This will be written into the Early Help Assessment form.


The professional working with you will get a team of people together, to find out how they can all support you, who will do what and by when. 


A lead professional will make sure that everyone working with you, has actions and timescales to complete by, together you will regularly review your early help assessment to make sure that things are improving for your family. 

The whole process will take a little time, but we will only do it with your permission.

You will need an Early Help Assessment in order to get help from a Targeted Early Help Support Practitioner (previously known as a Family Support Worker) 

What if I am not working with a professional?

Early Help is everyone's responsibility so, if your child is of school age speak to their teacher. 

If they attend a nursery speak to their key worker, you can also speak to a childcare professional such as a Childminder or Early Years Practitioner. Midwives, Health Visitors, GPs and Hospital Staff can complete an Early Help Assessment. 

Family Hub Staff can also support you. To find out more about Early Help Assessments ring Families Information Service on 0800 0345340 and select option 2.

Phone lines are open Monday - Thursday from 9am - 5pm and until 4:30pm on Fridays

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