We are here to help you!
Early Help is intervention that is offered to all our pupils to prevent problems developing and it targets support to particular children and families with additional needs.
The purpose of Early Help is to support the well-being of children and families by tackling emerging needs at the earliest opportunity and prevent them from getting worse. This means working with you to identify any support you may need and gain access to additional services that can promote positive outcomes.
Effective Early Help may be delivered at any point in your child’s life about any issue which is impacting or could affect their development and well-being, including education and health.
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018 (a guide to Inter-agency working) identifies that supporting children to achieve positive outcomes is more effective when local agencies work together to:
· Identify children and families who would benefit from Early Help.
· Undertake an assessment with you (known in Bolton as the Early Help Assessment)
· Provide Early Help services to address the assessed needs of a child and their family to improve outcomes.
We will ensure that we:
· Gain your consent and are open and honest.
· Seek your views and opinions.
· With your consent, work jointly with other professionals and services already working with your family.
· Empower you to gain positive outcomes.
· Allocate a lead person to help co-ordinate any support put in place.
· Consider the age and stage of your child’s development to make sure that actions are appropriate and inform our expectations and concerns.
· Keep you and your child involved and informed.
Factors which may indicate a student may benefit from early help |
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| Misusing drugs or alcohol | Young carers | Frequent missing from home |
| Family circumstances presenting challenging for the student such as parental drug, alcohol, mental health issues and domestic abuse | Is at risk of modern slavery trafficking or exploitation | Showing signs of being drawn unto anti-social behaviour, criminal behaviour including gangs/OCG |
| Has Mental health needs | Persistent absence from education | Is privately fostered |
| At risk or being radicalised or exploited | Fixed term exclusions and at risk of permanent exclusion | Returned to family from care or stepped down from social care involvement |
| A family member in prison or affected by parental offending | Has medical conditions or special educational needs | Honour based abuse such as FGM or forced marriage |
We are committed to early help and the identification of unmet needs and vulnerabilities of our students. Our staff are aware of the early help process and understand their role in identifying emerging problems, sharing information with other agencies and for some staff acting as the lead professional in undertaking early help assessments and co-ordinating support. We support the wellbeing of children, young people and families by tackling emerging needs at the earliest opportunity and prevent them from getting worse.
Where Early Help level is no longer effective and concerns are escalating a consultation with the Early Help Access Point will take place to determine if a referral to Targetted Early Help Services is required.
Bolton’s new Integrated Front Door has aligned Children’s Social Care and Early Help. Contact details- 01204 331500 Option 1 Early Help, Option 2 Social Care, Option 3 Professional consultation line.
The Early help Assessment and review form can be found here
To refer to the Targeted Early Help Team an online referral form can be found here
All Early Help Assessments and reviews are sent to ISA@bolton.gov.uk
Examples of early help provided by St. Peter’s School.
Bolton Early Help Strategy 2022-2025
Click on the image to open the document.
