Early Help means that children, young people, and families receive the right help as soon as a problem emerges. This could be at any age through childhood and adolescence. In Sefton this is known as Helping Families Early to thrive. This is not a separate service; it is an activity undertaken by anyone who is working with families. It relies upon local services (such as Schools, Health, Police and Voluntary Organisations) working together to identify and support children and families who would benefit from extra help.
Sefton Services
The majority of families will be able to access universal services and are encouraged to make use of the Sefton Directory, this provides helpful information and advice, and can be accessed by any practitioner, child, young person or family member.
The Sefton CVS Directory is also available.
These directories provide a detailed list of services that are available in their community, including details of local services and community groups so families can get the advice they need. In addition to build confidence and provide support at an early stage an online digital platform for parents, children, young people and professionals which will provide a front door to families offering a digital one stop shop.
However, sometimes some additional help is needed by families so they can provide consistent and appropriate care for their children. Families can ask for support in finding and getting that help from any practitioner they are involved with. This could be a health visitor, GP, school or voluntary organisation. The support could include, for example, access to a parenting courses or groups.