Joint Strategic Needs Assessment Chapter: Early Help

Available to all families, provided by a range of different agencies, including health and education. Examples include family centres, health visitors, GPs, and school nurses, as well as leisure centres and parks in the community.

For children who may need additional support to access services or may need groups or services that are specifically designed to meet their needs, targeted services are available. Most targeted services can be accessed directly without being referred by a professional. These include behaviour change programmes, relationship support for parents, mentoring schemes for young people.

Available to those families who have been assessed as having a need for this provision. Specialist services also extend to specialist health provision.

The Buckinghamshire Family Information Service (BFIS) is an online self-service, self-help information source for families which provides guidance on over 1,300 services available to support our children, young people and their families and how to access. The website includes information on:

• Universal Provision
• Early Years (aged 0-5)
• Support for Education
• Services for Children and Young People (aged 0-25)
• Preparing for Adulthood
• SEND Policies and services including the Local Offer
• Financial and wellbeing support
• Services for parents, carers, and families
• Mental Health

Within the council, the Early Help offer is delivered via our Family Workers based in our network of Family Centres and within Locality Support & Safeguarding teams.

Families can refer themselves or can ask for help from a school, health or other professional who will make a referral on their behalf. Family support workers help with:

• domestic abuse
• parental conflict
• family routines or relationships
• parenting
• mental health
• difficulties with housing or home conditions
• risk-taking behaviour
• the impact of substance misuse
• financial problems and debt
• information and support for children with caring responsibilities
• those vulnerable to exploitation
• children excluded from school or having difficulties going to school

Advice and support is provided through various mediums including:

• Family Centres
• Youth groups
• Parenting courses
• Open access “drop-in” sessions
• The Family Information Service, BFIS Support line
• Targeted 1 to 1 work

Alongside the council a wide range of partners deliver early help. These include health services, voluntary and community sector providers, the police and community safety services, fire and rescue services. The range of expertise and support ensure a comprehensive Early Help offer.