What is Early Help? Information for practitioners

Early Help means acting to support a child, young person or their family early in the life of a problem, as soon as it emerges. It can be required at any stage in a child’s life from pre-birth to adulthood and applies to any problem or need that the family cannot deal with or meet on their own. It also applies to all children and young people, with any form of need.

Early Help is provided to prevent or reduce the need for specialist interventions unless they are absolutely the correct response to meet the need and resolve the problem

Early Help in Kensington and Chelsea thinks about the needs of the whole family. Through our Family Hub Model, we aim to work with families to understand their needs and ensure they receive the right support at the right time. Our partnership approach will ensure that families do not have to keep repeating their story. A lead practitioner will bring other professionals around the family as needed.

Early Help is a way of getting extra support when needed. Our integrated 0-19 service aims to help families when difficulties first begin so that we can support them with finding solutions quickly. We will provide support through a variety of community-based settings including children’s centres and schools as well as in the family home.  Early help means responding promptly if a child is at immediate risk of harm (or has other significant or complex needs) as much as it means responding to a need which only requires advice or guidance. 

Please download here the Early Help leaflet or the Early Help model of support guide

For more information, please have a look at sections below: