How can I access early help support?

Families are able to access a directory of local family services and provision via the Family Information Directory. Families can also access information via the local offer about specific services and groups to support their child or young person who has a special educational need or disability.

Families can also talk to someone they know, such as their children’s nursery, school, college, school nurse or health visitor. This person, who already knows the family, can then co-ordinate support for the family focusing on the child, young person and parent carers assessed needs. They'll also have a direct link into the Early Help Family Hub, and with the family’s consent may submit a referral to the hub to access more targeted support. This will be planned and agreed with the family. Referrals for support coming into the hubs will be received by the local early help team manager, and will be recorded on our case recording system.

All referrals will be discussed at an early help triage and review meeting in the local hub, ensuring that work is allocated to the right worker with the right skills and knowledge. Any appropriate local, or specialist services, for example Bee-U (0-25 emotional health and wellbeing service), Autism West Midlands and Shropshire IASS (Information Advice and Support Service) will also be considered in supporting the ongoing work with the family. This will encourage and enable families, as cases are stepped out of targeted early help, to continue to access support from wider early help and universal provision available in the local community.

Once assessed, a family might receive targeted family support in their home, they may be supported to access a group or a clinic provided at their local hub or local community venue, or may receive a combination of appropriate support coordinated by their allocated early help family practitioner.

Hubs can be contacted for consultation and guidance via Shropshire Council’s First Point of Contact on 0345 6789021, who will gather and forward information to an appropriate worker who will then make contact.