Early Help
‘Working together to help Children, Young People and their Families thrive’
Early Help
What is Early Help?
Early Help is taking action early to provide support where problems are emerging for children, young people and their families. Early help support may be provided at any point in a child or young person’s life. The sooner the family receives the support, the sooner they are able to improve their situation and prevent the need for prolonged support.
Early Help is here to find out what is working well for families and what areas they might be worried about; it can help to build on families’ strengths and identify any needs where support might be needed. It is an approach that brings people together from different teams and services who work together with the whole family. The main focus is to improve outcomes for children.
Why would I need Early Help?
The type of things that Early Help can support you with include:
- Worries about your child’s health development or behaviour.
- You might be worried about how they are doing at school.
- You might have worries about money or housing and how that is affecting you.
- Your child and family may be affected by domestic abuse, drugs, alcohol, ill health or crime.
Early Help can give you the tools to solve challenges or problems you are experiencing with help from others where needed.
Who do I ask for help?
At Straits Primary School you can talk with someone who you’re familiar with – the headteacher, deputy head, a teacher or any member of the school staff team.
You can also contact your local Family Centre (Dudley North) and ask to speak to a Duty Worker who will be able to provide lots of advice around Early Help and how it might be able to support you. They offer help in:
- Parenting support
- Information on childcare options eg Time for Twos and Extra Time for threes and fours
- Information on early years, primary, secondary and post 16 education
- Groups including Stay and Plays, breastfeeding buddy groups, baby groups, voluntary groups etc
- Health Visiting Service
- Midwifery Service
- Support and advice on emotional health and wellbeing
Address: Bayer Street, Coseley, BILSTON, West Midlands, WV14 9DS
Telephone Number: 01384 813096
Email: fs.dudleynorth@dudley.gov.uk
Website: https://dudleyci.co.uk/services/local-family-hub-coseley
Dudley family Hubs: https://www.dudley.gov.uk/family-hubs
Reporting a concern
If you are concerned about a child or young person please call the telephone numbers below.
During office hours call the children's services service on 0300 555 0050 selecting option 4 (9am-5pm Mon-Fri).
Out of office hours contact the Emergency Duty Team on 0300 555 8574.
Courses Offered
Family Action Family Line
FamilyLine is a free service available to support parents and carers manage the challenges of parenthood via telephone, text message and email. Whether it’s emotional support or practical advice on any aspect of parenting or broader family life.
Call: 0808 802 6666
Text: 07537 404282
Email: familyline@family-action.org.uk
Operational hours: Monday - Friday: 9am to 9pm
Saturday - Sunday 10am to 1pm
Text outside of these hours at weekends for support.
Helping Hands
A Helping Hand to parents and families of children with Autism/ADHD or on a pathway being assessed, from across the Black Country. We offer support to families of little/young people with or being assessed for AUTISM/ADHD.
The support we offer is workshops, virtual and face to face, where we explore behaviours of little/young people with additional needs.
Our workshops:
TIM: Understanding my behaviours as I have different needs- group sessions to discuss, behaviour, sensory needs, coping strategies and more.
Support is in areas such as learning coping techniques, sharing experiences in a safe space, family sensory sessions, and more.
You can self-refer or be referred by another agency.
Worrying about Money
Strep A and Scarlet Fever
There are currently high rates of Group A strep and scarlet fever in the UK. Scarlet fever, which is caused by the bacteria Group A streptococcus, is usually a mild illness but it is highly infectious.
It much more common in children than in adults; it is important that parents of children with suspected scarlet fever contact NHS 111 or their GP (doctor's surgery) as they may need antibiotics.
This is not only to reduce the chance of their infection becoming more severe but also to stop them spreading the infection to others, especially people at higher risk of severe infections such as the elderly and those with weakened immune systems.
Whilst severe complications of the infection are still uncommon, there has been an increase in cases this year, particularly in children under 10 and sadly, a small number of deaths.
Winter Warmth Scheme
Children living in cold homes are at greater risk from flu and breathing illnesses. They may also suffer mental health problems and underachieve at school. Don’t put their health at risk this winter.
Contact the Winter Warmth Support Service for a free home visit for:
• advice on keeping warm and keeping well
• advice on accessing energy discounts and cheaper tariffs
• energy-saving tips
• help to set temperatures and service heating appliances Insulation
• boilers
• blankets
• heaters
• hot water bottles can also be provided (criteria apply to all).
Call us now on 01384 817086 or email: WinterWarmth@dudley.gov.uk
Barnardo's - See, Hear, Respond
The See, Hear, Respond Partnership has been created specifically to help children and young people in England who are experiencing harm and increased adversity during coronavirus, by providing support to those who are not being seen by schools or other key agencies. There is no minimum threshold for referral. We will support children from pre-birth up to 18 years of age and those with special educational needs under the age of 25.
See, Hear, Respond will contact every referral made to us, so no child gets missed. We’ll then find a partner best placed to support the most isolated and at risk children in your area. They’ll get help in one or more of four ways:
- online counselling and therapy
- face-to-face support for those most affected and at risk of some of today’s most pertinent issues, such as criminal exploitation, and
- helping children and young people reintegrate back into school.
Operation Encompass
Operation Encompass is a police and education early information safeguarding partnership enabling schools to offer immediate support to children experiencing domestic abuse.
Operation Encompass ensures that there is a simple telephone call or notification to a school’s trained Designated Safeguarding Lead /Officer (known as key Adult) prior to the start of the next school day after an incident of police attended domestic abuse where there are children related to either of the adult parties involved.
https://www.operationencompass.org/
CAMHS
Dudley CAMHS is a specialist mental health service commissioned to provide interventions to those children, young people and their families who are experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties. We currently support young people up to the age of 18 with a GP registered in the Dudley area.
https://www.blackcountryhealthcare.nhs.uk/our-services/dudley-camhs
Mental Health
This Mya Help: www.thismayhelp.me
Staying Safe: http://stayingsafe.net/
SANE: 0845 767 800 www.sane.org.uk
Samaritans: 116 123 (24 hour helpline) https://www.samaritans.org/
Rethink Mental Illness: 0300 5000 927 www.rethink.org
Mental Health Foundation www.mentalhealth.org.uk
MIND 0300 123 3393 or text 86463 www.mind.org.uk
Anxiety UK 08444 775 774 https://www.anxietyuk.org.uk/
Happier Minds https://happierminds.org.uk
Budgeting
Managing your money through a budget is a good way to make sure you don't go in to debt, and make your pounds go further. Put simply, a budget helps you see how much money you have coming in and how much you have to spend. The Money Advice Service has lots of advice and budget templates to help you draw up a budget that works for you.
Website: Money Advice Service - Budgeting and managing money (opens in a new window)
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/