What is an ‘Early Help’?
Early Help is a form of support aimed at improving outcomes for children or preventing escalating concerns. Where we might find barriers that could prevent a child’s development, we look to take quick action to prevent more serious issues further down the line.
Early Helps are part of the “continuum of support” which can be escalted or deescalated depending on the needs of the child and/or family. Due to this, Early Helps are reviewed on a regular basis to assess the impact of actions that have been put in place.
Sometimes is there is a specific need, we will seek the support of external agencies to support. Services can be delivered to parents, children, or whole families. The completion of an Early Help is often vital to access these services.
The importance of helping families early is highlighted in the national safeguarding guidance across the UK. Early Help forms are completed in conjunction with the local authority. In Bury, these will be called ‘The Story So Far’.