Early Help

Early help means providing support as soon as the need emerges, at any point in a child’s life. Staff at Brookfield School recognise that any professional can provide early help. .Any pupil or family may benefit from early help, but staff will be alert to the potential need specifically for early help for pupils who:

  • Are disabled, have certain health conditions, or have specific additional needs
  • Have SEND, regardless of whether they have a statutory EHC plan
  • Have mental health needs
  • Are young carers.
  • Show signs of being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups or county lines
  • Are frequently missing or going missing from care or from home
  • Are at risk of modern slavery, trafficking, or sexual or criminal exploitation
  • Are at risk of being radicalised
  • Is misusing drugs or alcohol
  • Have family members in prison, or are affected by parental offending
  • Are in a family circumstance presenting challenges for them, such as drug and alcohol misuse, adult mental health problems, or domestic abuse
  • Misuse drugs or alcohol.
  • Have returned home to their family from care
  • Are at risk of HBA, such as FGM or forced marriage.
  • Are privately fostered.
  • Are persistently absent from education, including persistent absences for part of the school day
  • Show any other early signs of abuse, neglect any other identified reason not listed above that requires extra support or intervention to improve outcomes for families and children.

The DSL/Pastoral Support Staff will take the lead where early help is appropriate and consent has been gained. This includes liaising with other agencies and setting up an inter-agency assessment as appropriate. The local early help process will be followed as required to help provide the right, effective support at the right time. The child and family wellbeing service have provisions during the school holidays and outside of school hours that provide social opportunities for students.

For further information around your local offer, please click this link.

Staff may be required to support other agencies and professionals in an early help assessment, in some cases acting as the lead practitioner. Any such cases will be kept under constant review assessing the impact of the support. If you require any support/advice about early help, please contact one of our DSL’s who will be happy to help.