Early Help
Early Help is all about ensuring that children, young people, and families receive the necessary support as soon as challenges begin to arise, before these issues escalate into more significant problems.
At Water Primary School, we adhere to the guidelines set out by Lancashire County Council regarding the Early Help offer, which aims to provide a safety net for those in need.
So, what does Early Help really mean?
It’s a service designed for children of all ages – it’s not just for the very young. The key is taking action early to support children and families effectively, enabling them to step down from statutory services while preventing the escalation of difficulties. Numerous studies indicate that addressing issues quickly results in significantly better outcomes for children, enhancing their overall wellbeing, educational performance, and social development.
In Lancashire, all partner organisations dedicated to children and families share a profound commitment to improving the lives of youngsters by collaborating to raise aspirations, build achievements, and protect the most vulnerable in our communities.
This vision is anchored in the belief that children, young people, and families develop resilience when there are protective factors in place. These include nurturing relationships with trusted adults, robust literacy and communication skills, consistent school attendance, and engaged parents who are either in employment or actively seeking work.
We understand that children’s needs are best met when help is provided within a universal setting, where diverse social groups interact. This early intervention is crucial; when problems emerge, addressing them promptly ensures a more stable and supportive environment. Additionally, we recognise that children and young people’s needs are most effectively met within the context of the whole family. Our approach is to consider the needs of parents, carers, and siblings with consent, implementing a holistic and integrated Early Help response that addresses familial dynamics.
Ultimately, Early Help services should aim to support and empower families, equipping them with the skills and resources necessary to thrive together. By fostering strong, resilient families, we believe we can create a healthier and more prosperous community for all.
We follow the Working Well with Children and Families Guidance – See below
https://www.lancashiresafeguarding.org.uk/media/19299/wwwcf-part-1-and-2-final.pdf
https://panlancashirescb.proceduresonline.com/pdfs/WWWCF_3_Lancs.pdf
As a school, we also use the Lancashire CSAP (Children’s Safeguarding Assurance Partnership) website:
The CSAP website is full of useful safeguarding and CP information.
https://www.safeguardingpartnership.org.uk/
We use the Continuum of Need to establish the level of support needed. Please see below:
Help and Advice for Parents/ Carers
As parents/carers, you want to make sure that your children develop healthily and thrive. We’re here to help you with advice on how you can build strong relationships with your children and keep them safe. Here is advice and resources for helping parents to keep their children safe, advice for parents on keeping children safe out of school, at home and online, when using the internet, social networking websites and playing online games, help and advice for creating a safe and nurturing environment for your children.
For guidance, further details can be found from:
https://www.nspcc.org.uk/keeping-children-safe/
https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/
https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/44074704 – staying safe online
All staff and governors have a statutory responsibility to refer any safeguarding concerns to the Lancashire Safeguarding Team. Our policy is to ‘Put the child First’ and this means we seek advice if there is even a small amount of doubt or concern.
