Early Help

Early Help is about making sure that children get the right support at the right time. This means all professionals working together to address concerns as soon as they emerge in the life of a child. Early Help begins with us!

Children and Families Newcastle is the name of our collaborative approach across all services working with children, young people and families in Newcastle. It is a ‘system’, not a service that you can refer to. The system brings together universal and targeted services into an integrated support offer. Practitioner support is available by contacting an Early Help Advisor, who are available in each locality area. See contact details below:

‘Early Help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child’s life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years. Early Help can also prevent further problems arising’

— (HM Government: Working Together to Safeguard Children, July 2018:p12).

Useful Documents

Early Help Assessment

Early Help Assessments and Plans allow the family and professionals to develop a shared understanding of the concerns and to collaboratively devise a shared plan to address them.

Early Help Review

Early Help Reviews bring together the professionals and the family to review the Early Help Plan and make sure the support is addressing the concerns.

Early Help Leaflet

Early Help have produced a leaflet providing a brief overview of Early Help

Raise an Enquiry

If you are unsure about what support is available please use this enquiry form.

More Information

Contacts

East Locality: sian.g.hadley@newcastle.gov.uk
07974 114 913

Inner West Locality: Ashley.Kirkland@newcastle.gov.uk
07970 948 509

Outer West Locality: Jenny.Rae@newcastle.gov.uk
07970 610 457

North Locality: Deborah.Hodges@newcastle.gov.uk
07816341262

If you require further support completing the Early Help Assessment and Plans please use this Early Help Guidance document to support you.

A One Minute Guide: Enquiry Form has been produced to answer questions and give guidance on completing the Enquiry Form.

A One Minute Guide: Role of the Lead Practitioner has been produced to support professionals in understanding the role of Lead Practitioner.

A One Minute Guide: Capturing the Voice of the Child has been produced to support professionals in ensuring the voice of the child is included the assessment and plan.

A One Minute Guide: Review Meetings has been produced to support professionals in understanding the purpose of the review meetings and how to ensure they are effective.

A Pocket Guide on Early Help has been produced to provide an overview of Early Help in Newcastle.

The Newcastle Support Directory provides information on the support available in Newcastle for families.

Please click here to download the Fairy

Please click here to download the Wizard

Please click here to download the Three Houses

Please click here to download All About Me

Early Help and Community Offer, training (book via LMS or email wfdadmin@newcastle.gov.uk)

Please follow this link for further information regarding the Early Help for Your Family offer in Newcastle.

To check if a family have ongoing Early Help support or to log an EHAP, Enquiry form or EH review minutes please contact: Early Help Access Point: 0191 2115805 0r earlyhelpplan@newcastle.gov.uk