Key points

Nature of early help

It's not limited to a specific team but is an approach that unites professionals from different services to work with the whole family. 

Flexibility in delivery

Early help can be delivered by one agency or multiple agencies, tailored to the specific needs of the child and family for a responsive and individualised approach. 

Principles guiding early help

Principles align with the Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 legislation, emphasising collaboration, a strengths-based approach, considering the whole family, and intervening early. The Working Together document says:  

‘Early help is support for children of all ages that improves a family’s resilience and outcomes or reduces the chance of a problem getting worse. It's not an individual service, but a system of support delivered by local authorities and their partners working together and taking collective responsibility to provide the right provision in their area. Examples of these include parenting support, mental health support, youth services, youth offending teams and housing and employment services.’ 

Inclusive accountability

Early help is everyone's business, promoting shared responsibility for the wellbeing of children and families. 

Safeguarding priority

Early help is an important part of safeguarding children and safeguarding is everyone's responsibility. If, at any point, you feel a child is at risk of significant harm, please follow the Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership procedures.

Difference between early intervention and early help

Early intervention and early help share the common goal of addressing issues at an early stage, but they differ in scope and focus.  

'Early help' refers to support for children and families to help identify and address problems before they arise or escalate. It's not a single service, but a network of non-statutory services and processes delivered by a local authority and partners including the NHS, schools, and voluntary sector organisations. 

On the other hand, early intervention is a way of working with families whose needs require more specific focused support. It involves more targeted services designed to address identified concerns promptly. Early help is a broader concept encompassing various forms of support, while early intervention is a specific approach geared towards preventing escalation to specialist services.  

Early intervention and early help both aim to tackle issues early on, but they have some differences in their focus.

In summary, this guidance encourages a collaborative early help approach, stressing the importance of working together to promote the wellbeing of all children and young people from the early years through to the teenage years, to support and safeguard.