What is Early Help?

Early Help is additional support that a family may need to prevent small concerns from growing into more serious issues. It is a proactive, supportive approach that aims to help families before they reach a crisis point and require more intensive statutory services. Early Help provides the right assistance at the right time, ensuring that families in Devon can access the support they need to thrive.

How Does Early Help Work?

• Multi-Agency Support: Early Help involves different professionals—such as schools, health services, and local authorities—working together to provide the support a family needs. This coordinated approach ensures that help is tailored to the specific challenges a family may face.
• Lead Professional: One professional is identified as the Lead Professional. They will work closely with the family and coordinate the support being provided, ensuring that all services involved are working towards the same goals.

Local Support in Devon

In Devon, Early Help is coordinated through the Devon Children and Families Partnership. Their aim is to make sure that children in Devon are safe, healthy, happy, and well-educated. Families can access a range of support services, such as parenting advice, emotional well-being support, financial guidance, and practical day-to-day assistance.

• Early Help in Devon follows the Right for Children (R4C) approach, making it easy for professionals to work together and share relevant information to support a family’s needs.
• The Devon Children and Families Partnership offers a Request for Help (RFH) form, which can be used to request Early Help services for a family.

For more information on Devon’s Early Help services, visit the Devon Children and Families Partnership website.

Step-Down from Social Care

In some cases, Early Help is offered as a step-down from Social Care. This means that when a family no longer requires intensive support from Social Services, Early Help can provide continued assistance to ensure a smooth transition and prevent concerns from re-escalating. In these situations:

• Social Care may complete an R4C (Right for Children) assessment and organise the first Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting.
• At this meeting, a Lead Professional will be appointed to continue coordinating support for the family.

How Can Early Help Benefit Your Family?

Early Help offers families the support they need when challenges arise, helping to prevent more serious issues. It’s about giving families access to guidance, resources, and the right professionals to address concerns early on.

Whether it’s help with parenting, emotional well-being, financial advice, or practical day-to-day challenges, Early Help provides tailored support to meet your family’s needs. In Devon, this collaborative approach ensures that every family can receive the help they need to succeed.

Contact Us

If you think your family could benefit from Early Help or would like to find out more about the support available in Devon, please contact the Designated Safeguarding Lead or Deputy Safeguarding Leads at Pilton Infants'.

You can also learn more about Early Help services in Devon by visiting the Devon Children and Families Partnership.

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Key Points for Devon Families

• Devon Children and Families Partnership coordinates Early Help services.
• Right for Children (R4C) is the approach used for multi-agency support.
• Early Help may include parenting advice, well-being support, and more.
• Request for Help (RFH) forms can be used to access services.