Understanding Early Help
What services form part of the Early Help system?
Early Help systems available to children and families are made up of three types of services:
- Universal services
- Targeted services
- Multi agency targeted services
These services combine in different ways to form a local
area Early Help offer.
- school nurses
- GP surgeries
- health visitors
- maternity services
- post-16 education services
- schools
- nurseries
- Children’s centres and hubs
- Community groups
- libraries
- family and friends
- local places and environments
- online support services
- voluntary, faith and community services
- local members of the community and local businesses
- mental health services
- speech and language services
- Job Centre Plus
- special educational needs services
- community nursing
- accident and emergency
- departments in local hospitals
- children’s social care
- targeted family support services
- alternative educational provision
- housing and homelessness support services
- prison and probation providers
- alcohol and substance misuse services
- fire and rescue services
- youth offending and youth services
- family court and family court advisory services
What is Multi Agency Early Help and Prevention for families?
Multi Agency Early Help and Prevention is a way of working with the whole family. Different teams work together to find and fix issues early, before they get worse and become a crisis.
With multi agencies all working together it helps children, young people, and families to stop issues from getting bigger and it improves the outcomes making it better for families.
Families have shared with us that they need support and encouragement. They want someone to listen to their problems and understand their goals.
Having to deal with problems can become overwhelming. It can be difficult for you and your family to know where to seek help and support. Multi Agency Early Help and Prevention can help you and your family to address unmet needs relating to a range of support areas:
- Education
- Early years development
- Mental health and physical health
- Promoting recovery and reducing harm from substance use
- Family relationships
- Child abuse and exploitation
- Crime
- Domestic abuse
- Housing
- Financial stability
How to access Multi Agency and Early Help Prevention Support
If you and your family would like to be considered for additional support you will need to speak with one of the following professionals and request a referral is made:
- Health professional such as Health Visitor or School nurse
- School, Education or Early Years professional
- Any other professional from a support service known to your family
If you already have an Early Help service, please speak to your lead worker.
If you are not currently being supported by any services, please visit your local Family Hub.
They can help you understand your family needs and provide information, advice and support to families on the Isle of Wight. This service is open to anyone who is expecting a baby or has children aged 0 to19 years.
More information about understanding Early Help Tier 2 and Tier 3 Targeted Early Help assessments/support is found in our Understanding Early Help assessments web page.