Early Help
Working with you and your family
At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, we recognise the challenges that families face in bringing up children. Family life can be complicated and sometimes you may need some support. If you have a problem at home, please get in touch – we can support you in lots of ways.
What is Early Help?
Early Help means providing support to our children and families as soon as a problem emerges, or when issues could negatively impact a child’s outcomes, at any point in a child’s life.
· It is for children of all ages and not just the very young,
· Can be very effective in supporting a child, young person and/or their family to step down from statutory services as well as preventing the escalation of issues.
· Is important because there is clear evidence that it results in better outcomes for children.
Early Help can be provided in many ways. At St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School, we follow Lancashire County Council guidance and protocols in terms of the Early Help offer. There are many ways in which we can help as outlined in our offer of early help below.
Lancashire County Council recognises that Early Help is a term that describes much of the everyday work of schools.
https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/practitioners/supporting-children-and-families/
Support for families may include:
Advice and support to promote good attendance
Liaising with external services e.g. Housing and Children Social Care.
Support during appointments and in meetings.
Help to complete paperwork and forms e.g. court appearances, housing, school letters, grant applications and benefits.
Referrals to outside agencies e.g. CANW, Paediatric Learning Disability Team and Speech and Language Therapists.
Emotional support for parents
Information on local specialist training events linked to additional needs through the termly SEND newsletter
SEND parent drop ins with Headteacher/SENDCo
School nurse support
Early Help Assessment which may involve support from external agencies
Children and Family Wellbeing pastoral visits
Providing information and signposting to other services in your local area.
Support for children whilst in school may include:
Sensory circuits
Zones of regulation
Inside out programme run through CFWS (Children and Family Wellbeing Service)
Healthy wellbeing champions
Staff check ins and check outs with children
Lunchtime nurture club
Bespoke learning interventions
Pre-loved uniform
Additional transition support
Extra-curricular clubs
Anti-bullying, online safety and mental health support theme days
Circle Time
School nurse support
Start Talks Programme
Social communication sessions
Why would I request Early Help?
There are lots of reasons why people look for Early Help. It could be that you’re worried about your child’s health, development or behaviour, or how they’re doing at school. It may be that you’re worried about money or housing and how that is affecting your family. Maybe your child or family is affected by domestic abuse, drugs, alcohol, or crime. Perhaps your child is a carer for their SEND sibling, or maybe you’ve had a bereavement in the family that’s made life a challenge. Whatever the concern, it’s okay to ask for help.
Where can I get Early Help?
If you feel you and your family might need support to solve some problems, please do not hesitate to contact Miss Dewhurst via the school office.
What will happen when I ask for Early Help?
Miss Dewhurst will get in touch to either have a telephone conversation or come in to school. We can talk about the problems you’re experiencing and discuss what help and support you think you might need. This is called an Early Help Assessment.
Early Help Assessment is nothing to be worried about. It’s just a conversation to work out how to help you determine what it is you feel you need support with and how this can be done. You can talk about things that are going well and things that you’re proud of, as well as things that you’re finding a challenge.
We will also discuss your child or children in your family to make sure they understand how they are feeling and anything they think they might want some help with.
What happens next will be different for every family. If an Early Help Assessment is carried out and actions are identified we will then call a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting. Again, this is nothing to be worried about. It just ensures we have a regular meeting with all professionals involved to get the best outcome for the family. You have control over what happens next and can say what you want.
Remember, it’s your choice to have Early Help. If you have any questions please contact the Headteacher, Miss Dewhurst
For more information on Early Help please click on the Link below