So recently the CYPF team have had the pleasure of spending some time with the Local Authorities Early Help Enablers. We wanted to learn more about their role, how early help supports children, young people and families and how they can support the voluntary sector to be more involved in the Early Help process so we can reach, support and enable more people across the borough.
There are currently five enablers to support professionals and voluntary organisations split across the borough.
What is Early Help?
The enablers explained that Early Help is when action is taken as early as possible to provide support for children, young people and their families where issues or problems are emerging. This can be anything that the family is finding difficult and don’t feel they can deal with on their own. Early Help can be put in place at any time in a child’s or young person’s life.
What is the role of the Early Help enabler?
The role of the Early Help enabler is to support organisations both voluntary and statutory to ensure practitioners are confident with the Early Help process, so they understand how to enable people to access Early Help.
The enablers told us that some people need support with Early Help because they don’t fully understand it benefits. The enablers explained that if concerns are addressed earlier we are more able to bring about change and problems don’t become entrenched. Early Help is about understanding that at times life for many reasons can be hard, it’s about supporting people through these hard times, changing family norms and raising aspirations so that people can meet their full potential.
The enabler’s role is to support the people that work with children young people and families, they can go through the process with professionals so they are fully supported. They also offer different levels of support, they can support both the organisation and the parents. They want people to know that they can always pick up the phone and talk to them about Early Help. They are a great resource to be utilised, and they want people to know that they are out there and that they want to help.
Enablers can help you to undertake an Early Help Assessment and create a support plan, and build a meeting around the family. They can support you by chairing meetings or come out to your organisation and talk about their role, early help and how the thresholds work. They are happy to support the organisation with any part of the process.
What’s key is how Early Help is explained to families and young people, the enablers can support you with having these conversations and help you to explain it fully and put a package of support around the family to protect them.
The process
The Early Help process usually starts with an assessment. This is completely voluntary and parents need to give consent to access Early Help support. The assessment is designed to capture the voice of the family as a whole and in addition on an individual basis so that both parental wishes and needs and those of children and young people are all taken into account and heard.
There are Multi Agency Action Meetings (MAAM) which take place fortnightly where lots of different professionals from a variety of organisations meet and discuss what support can be offered and put in place to support the families’ wishes and needs. At the Multi-Agency Action Meeting it’s decided who will take the lead role, it could be that it’s better for a health colleague to lead if it’s a health need, or a voluntary sector organisation if they are deemed to have the best relationships with the family, or a school if it’s an education need. Whoever has put the referral in is invited to this meeting so they help make the decision as to who the lead officer should be.
The enablers explained that the process can be hard and at times time consuming but these are our families and we need to meet their needs and the needs of their children. It’s so important to get the best package of support for families which we do because they are individually tailored to meet the needs that parents have identified themselves.
Once an Early Help Assessment has been completed there may be a need for a Team Around the Family meeting where both parents and professionals involved are invited to attend. They can share their experiences and have the opportunity if needed to hold the professionals to account. Parents and their children feel at the centre of the process and they can really have a say. There may be a number of Team Around the Family meetings to ensure all actions are met that have been identified on the support plan. If Early Help is done right families are a part of the process, they understand they need support and self-identify what that support looks like. They are fully part of the process and empowered by it.
Early help enablers understand that every family is different and every organisation is different so they can tailor support to the needs of the professional, organisation and the family. The more assessments you do the easier they get, they can look quite daunting but the information is key to helping get the right support in place, otherwise you can repeat what support is already in place or go up the wrong path.
Get to know your Enablers
Rachael Foley – Dudley Central
Racheal is the enabler for Dudley Central, she has worked within Early Help for the past 10 years, before that she worked for Connexions Services in Dudley. Rachael started as an apprentice based within the Education Department at Westox House. In her spare time she enjoys walking her dogs Hank and Marvin who are French Bull Dogs and she has a cocker spaniel called Ellie.
Rachael is passionate about supporting vulnerable families and identifying needs at an earlier stage before they become complex and require support from social care, the best bit about her job is partnership working with people, meeting new people and making a difference for families.
Kaye Pedley – Brierley Hill
Kaye is the enabler for Brierley Hill. She has been working in Dudley since 2007, before that she worked at Walsall Children’s Centre and also worked at Hurst Hill primary in the foundation unit. Kaye enjoys looking after two grandchildren one who is 14 month old and a new-born, she also likes going to see live music and being taken out for meals.
Kaye is passionate about getting the best for children so they have the best start in life. She loves meeting new people and building relationships so that it gets the best for families.
Kulvir Toor – Dudley North
Kulvir has worked in the borough for around 5 years now, and has been in post as an Early Help Enabler since January 2017. She works part time and spends the other days looking after her three children.
Kulvir explained that she feels really feel passionately about Early Help if you can deal with problems early then there is much less chance of those problems getting bigger and unmanageable. Early Help gives parents, families and children the tools they need to make things better. Kulvir also believes that it is a learning tools for parents and children, giving them strategies and tools to cope, helping to encourage better behaviour and making their lives easier and better.
Linda Hartland – Stourbridge and Halesowen
Early Help Enablers offer
If any organisation would like to attend one of the Multi Agency Action Meetings just contact your local family centre and you can get a flavour for what takes place
Early help enablers are really keen to meet the voluntary sector in their communities. The vision for the service is proactive not reactive.
Training is available or you can request bespoke training that they can come out to team meetings or designated sessions to support organisations.
Visit or telephone one of the Early Help enablers within the Family Centres:
Stourbridge Family Centre – Forge Rd, Stourbridge, DY8 1XF, Linda Hartland email: Linda.Hartland@dudley.gov.uk telephone: 01384 818780
Halesowen Family Centre – Lye By-Pass, Stourbridge, DY9 8HT, Linda Hartland email: Linda.Hartland@dudley.gov.uk telephone: 01384 813954
Brierley Hill Family Centre – 18 Parkes Street, Brierley Hill, DY5 3DY, Kaye Pedley email: Kaye.Pedley@dudley.gov.uk telephone: 01384 813322
Dudley North Family Centre – Bayer Street, Bilston, WV14 9DS
Kulvir Toor email: Kulvir.Toor@dudley.gov.uk
Dudley Central Family Centre – Selbourne Road, Dudley DY2 8LJ, Rachael Foley email: Rachael.Foley@dudley.gov.uk telephone: 01384 812440
A video has been developed which explains the Early Help Assessment process in Dudley for practitioners. Please click here to view the Early Help Video
For more information visit https://www.dudley.gov.uk/resident/care-health/children-and-family-care/early-help-for-children-and-families/
Early Help Assessment & The Role of the Lead Practitioner Training
A series of Early Help Training sessions are being held throughout January – March regarding the completion of Early Help Assessments and understanding the role of the Lead Practitioner.
(Please note – If you have already attended the Early Help Assessment & Role of the Lead Professional training sessions hosted by the Centre for Professional Practice in 2018 then they do not need to attend, as course content is the same)
Who is the training for?
Professionals who work with children, young people and families and complete Early Help Assessments.
Learning Outcomes:
The training will provide staff with the skills to:
Complete quality Early Help Assessments.
Understand the planning process required to complete an Early Help Assessment
Understand the role of the Lead Practitioner and the importance of the role in the co-ordination and provision of support to families
Develop practical skills and confidence to undertake quality Early Help Assessments
If you are interested in booking a place, please select the link beside the session you would like to attend:
Training Session Time
Tuesday 15th January 2019
Room 7, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
9:30-12:30 To book a place click here
Tuesday 15th January 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
18:00-21:00 To book a place click here
Thursday 17th January 2019
Room 7, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
13:30-16:30 To book a place click here
Friday 18th January 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
9:30-12:30 To book a place click here
Wednesday 23rd January 2019
Room 7, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
9:30-12:30 To book a place click here
Thursday 7th February 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
13:30-16:30 To book a place click here
Thursday 7th February 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
18:00-21:00 To book a place click here
Tuesday 12th February 2019
Room 6, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
13:30-16:30 To book a place click here
Wednesday 13th February 2019
Room 6, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
14:00-17:00 To book a place click here
Monday 4th March 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
9:30-12:30 To book a place click here
Tuesday 5th March 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
9:30-12:30 To book a place click here
Tuesday 5th March 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
14:00-17:00 To book a place click here
Tuesday 12th March 2019
Room 7, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
18:00-21:00 To book a place click here
Wedesday 27th March 2019
Hall, Saltwells EDC, Bowling Green Road, Netherton, DY2 9LY
13:30-16:30 To book a place click here
If you would like to know more or have any queries about the training, please contact;
Sally Walker
Project Support Officer – Family Solutions
People Directorate, Dudley MBC
T – 01384 (81) 3927
sally.walker@dudley.gov.uk
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