Our Early Help Offer
The aim of Early Help is to clearly identify when and how children will be supported and safeguarded to ensure their needs are met.
Our schools are committed to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. We ensure that children who need additional support are identified at the earliest possible stage and that we work with them, their families and outside agencies, in a collaborative manner, to prevent any risks reaching a crisis point.
Children have different Levels of Need at different times across a range of situations. It is important to take all needs into consideration when determining support required and professionals to be involved.
This table identifies levels of need, how the school provides a service or works with other services and what community provision is available to ensure there is a coordinated, early and effective response:
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Children’s Need |
School Provision |
Community Provision |
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1. Universal: Children making good overall progress in all areas of development. Living in a protective environment where needs are recognised and met. No additional support beyond that which is universally available |
Our curriculum develops the qualities and attributes pupils need to thrive as individuals, family members and members of society. Our vision underpins our commitment to the holistic needs and welfare of all of our children Children can access our Puzzle Room (Pastoral Room) and staff, the Pastoral Lead or the SENco wherever appropriate |
www.glosfamilies.org.uk have a list of services accessible without a referral or an assessment |
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2. Additional: (a) children needing some additional support which may be related to health, educational or social development (b) a coordinated response, through a multi-agency assessment using a Team Around the Child (TAC) or Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting to assess and address these needs
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Attendance Officer monitors attendance/punctuality and refers poor/late attenders to the appropriate body in school Class teacher monitors demeanour, appearance and engagement as well as changes to this, in their pupils and refers their concerns to the SENco or DSL (Designated Safeguarding Lead) Regular and frequent strategy meetings share concerns and decide next steps for our pupils. School have clear procedures to log concerns and respond according to assessed need (CPOMS) The expertise of relevant agencies is sought to provide a coordinated response by convening a TAC/TAF meeting and/or speaking to families |
TO INCLUDE;
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3. Intensive: Needs that are chronic and enduring, where children are highly vulnerable and living in the greatest level of adversity. This will necessitate an integrated assessment and plan with a Lead Professional coordinating the support which, in turn, may necessitate specialist assessment and support from a range of agencies This is needs led, in that a plan is created with all agency involvement led by Social Care. Child Protection or Child in Need plans are regularly reviewed. Child Protection is within 18 days and Child in Need is within 8 weeks |
DSL Designated Safeguarding Lead)requests Social Care involvement through the Multi Agency Service Request Form DSL or representative engages in multi-agency response as led by Social Care Access to MARAC minutes (Multi-Agency Risk Assessment Conferences) detailing how school needs to respond Social Care: Children in Need plans or Child Protection Plans. School is a member of the Core Groups and trained representatives attend these and the conferences. SENco refers to agencies regarding special educational needs (SEN) for further assessment or to request an EHCP assessment |
As above as well as:
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4. Specialist: Children are at immediate risk of significant harm. This is the most urgent category requiring an immediate referral to social care or intensive specialist service as there are serious concerns over health care or development of children. |
DSL Designated Safeguarding Lead ) requests Social Care involvement, through the Multi Agency Service Request Form emailed directly to the Gloucestershire Children’s Safeguarding Board Or complete a Cause for Concern form and email directly to the Worcestershire Children’s Safeguarding Board DSL contacts relevant community provision
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As above as well as
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