Information regarding Early Help, including training can now be found on Jersey’s Children First
Find Early Help Documents Here
This page will no longer be available from 31st December 2018
On this page you will find:
- Contact details
- Information about the Early Help Approach
- Why we need the Early Help Approach
- Information on the Early Help Assessment
- What happens after the Early Help Assessment
- Early Help Approach briefings
- Additional documents
Contact details:
Email: earlyhelp@gov.je Telephone: 07797 920 571
- Download the Information leaflet for parents or carers:
- English version
- Polish version
- Portuguese version
- Download the information leaflet for Children and Young People
The leaflets will print best with the following printer setting:
- Print both side of the paper
- flip on short edge
- the orientation should be landscape.
About the Early Help Approach
The Early Help Approach is a single way of assessing the needs of children, young people and families that can be used by all agencies working with children, including:
- school staff
- school nurses
- people providing care for babies and very young children
- people providing parenting support services
- health visitors
- youth workers
- police officers
Why we need the Early Help Approach
We know that early help for children, young people and families is best at helping children achieve good outcomes as children and adults. Sometimes families need some help from a range of agencies and services.
The Early Help Approach provides a range of assessment and planning tools that are suitable for children and young people from conception to 18, which can be used by all those who work with families.
The assessment helps to identify emerging additional needs that, with help and support, can prevent things from becoming worse.
The Early Help Approach allows different professionals to co-ordinate their work with families by sharing a single plan.
The Early Help Assessment
You should use the Early Help Assessment when a child or young person (from conception to 18 years) has additional needs that might require more support than one agency can provide.
These needs can occur because of a wide range of life events, eg:
- physical illness
- mental health needs
- job loss
- relationship breakdown
- bereavement
Contact the Early Help Coordinator if you’re if you are thinking about carrying out an Early Help Assessment.
Parents / carers / young people’s consent
Parents/carers and young people, as appropriate, will be asked to agree to an Early Help Assessment and which agencies their information can be shared with to make sure they get the support they need.
After the Early Help Assessment
Contact the relevant agencies and set up a ‘team around the child and family meeting’ if needed. If you work with children and young people, use the templates below.
This meeting should be attended by the agencies/services that are needed and the child/family.
It should decide what kind of support the family needs and agree a plan of how and when this will happen.
This will make sure everyone working to support the child/family knows what actions will be completed, who will complete then and by when.
Supporting the relationship between Early Help and the Children’s Service.
We need to work together to make sure children and families receive the right support and help from the right services.
This protocol supports effective partnership working between the Children’s Service and partner agencies.
Role of the lead worker
The lead worker acts as the main contact for the family. The children and family will be involved in any plans to help them, agreeing on goals to work towards and what steps to take to achieve this.
When these goals have been achieved the process will finish (unless it is stopped for another reason). The family are then asked to share their views to make sure we understand what has helped the most and what we could do better.
- Team Around the Child and Family Audit Tool
- Team Around the Child and Family Review Audit Tool
- Download team around the child and family plan closure template
- Example of completed Closure of Team Around the Child and Family
Early Help Approach briefings
Early Help briefings have been replaced by Jersey’s Children First Newsletter. You can find details on how to subscribe in the last Early Help Briefing below:
Earlier Briefings are available on request from the Early Help Coordinator.
Additional documentation
- Children and Adolescents Mental Health Service referral criteria
- Pre-birth Assessment and Referral Pathway
- Self-harm guide
- APVA Booklet
Letters to Parents / Carers:
- Cancelled TAC Meeting
- Completed Early Help Assessment
- DNA- TAC Meeting
- Early Help Assessment
- Initial TAC Invitation
- Missed Appointment
- TAC Plan
- TAC Review Invite
Letters to Professionals: