Early Help

All families go through trying times at some point. Early Help staff can work with you at these times so that small problems don’t get bigger. They work with children, young people and families to offer support and advice when it’s most needed. They can work with you in your local area at one of our centres or even in your home.

They can help you:

  • If you are worried about a child’s health, development or behaviour
  • If you are a child carer or young person looking to find training or further education
  • If you are a child carer or young person looking for advice on employment or benefits

Maybe your child or your family is, or has been, affected by domestic abuse, drugs, alcohol or crime. Or maybe you’ve had a bereavement which has made things harder.

They can provide help in a child’s early years. They also support children who are missing from school or home and give support when children or young people are involved in risky behaviour.

Who Needs Early Help?

Early Help Teams can provide advice and support for the whole family on issues such as:

  • Parenting
  • Teenagers
  • Behaviour
  • Emotional wellbeing
  • Drugs and alcohol
  • Domestic abuse
  • Money, benefits and housing
  • Staying safe – outdoors and online
  • Places to go and things to do
  • Youth offending

Most children, young people and families in Rotherham thrive with access to universal services such as GP or school, but some families may need to access additional short-term support to address a specific problem or may require more intensive, longer-term support when experiencing increasingly complex issues. The Early Help Service recognises that the needs of children, young people and families are not static and can change over time.

  • Providing early help is more effective in promoting the welfare of children than reacting later. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges at any point in a child’s life from pre-birth through to the teenage years.
  • Preventative approaches are also important to stop problems from emerging in the first place.
  • Early help can also support de-escalation and prevent further problems arising following the statutory intervention.

All families go through trying times at some point. Early Help staff will work with you at these times so that small problems don’t get bigger. We work with children, young people and families to offer support and advice when it’s most needed. We can work with you in your local area at one of our centres or even in your home.

More information about Early Help is available in our Leaflet.

Please talk to us if you feel this is something that you would benefit from.

Mrs Streets – Behaviour for Learning Leader