Family support from early help services

We offer a range of services and support to families living in Rutland through our early help services.  We advise that professionals working with families, where worries are beginning to emerge, complete an Early Help Assessment in the first instance.

The Early Help Assessment (EHA) aims to provide a standardised process for a holistic assessment of children's and young people’s strengths and needs, and takes account of the roles of parents, carers and environmental factors on their development.

It provides a framework to start conversations with parents and children and can be used to identify what agency support may be required at Tier 2. Completing an EHA at an early stage may minimise the need for more specialist intervention.

Download the Thresholds Document

Team around the family (TAF)

Completing an EHA may lead to a family being offered support through a Team Around the Family (TAF) arrangement. Any professional working with the family can act as the Lead Practitioner. TAF is simply a way of getting people together to offer support to ensure everyone is working together to achieve the same goals.

Our early help team offer training, advice and support to partner agencies and professionals around:

• completing early help assessments
• chairing TAF meetings
• developing SMART plans
• completing a good multi-agency referral form (MARF)
• Relationships Matter - Reducing Parental Conflict

For more information, email: earlyhelp@rutland.gov.uk.

Our early help offer

Standard family support (0 to 19 or up to 25 with SEND):

• Aiming High
• young people’s services
• Rutland Family Hub Children’s Centre

These services can be accessed by a professional completing a Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF) on behalf of the family, or a family member can contact our early help front door - email earlyhelp@rutland.gov.uk or call 01572 758 493:

• Group work programmes around parenting support including:
  • Living with Children and Teens’ a 6-week group work programme for parents struggling with their child’s behaviour
  • Family Transitions – Positive Parenting Programme a 5-week group programme for parents who are separating/separated and experiencing high levels of disagreement
• 8 to 12 weeks of one-to-one mentoring support for young people aged 11 to 18. Our mentors are trained and experienced youth workers who can help young people find ways to with situations or feelings that are causing them to be worried or concerned - for example being bullied in school, not getting on with family and friends
• young carers support groups and services for children and young people aged 5 to 19

Enhanced family support (0 to 19):

Some families may face more difficult challenges and have several different issues they are trying to deal with that requires extra early help support.  In these situations, a professional already known to the family may suggest completing a Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF).  This is then sent to the Local Authority’s Early Help Front Door Team to consider and assess what extra support the family may need.

• team around the family support provided by an early help worker who will work with families with more complex needs to help them bring about positive change
• 8 to 12 weeks cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) based support for children aged 8 to 18 delivered by a qualified wellbeing practitioner. Our wellbeing practitioners work with children and young people, who have emerging mental health or emotional wellbeing difficulties, which include anxiety, phobia, and low mood
• youth justice service support for children aged 10-17 for young people who may be or are at risk of being involved with crime.
• Relationships Matter focused support for families living together where arguing has become more frequent and family conflict remains high and unresolved

Contact us

If you have any questions or to find out more, email earlyhelp@rutland.gov.uk or call 01572 758 493.