What is Early Help? 

Early help, also known as early intervention, is support given to a family when a problem first emerges.  It can be provided at any stage in a child or young person’s life. 

Statutory guidance highlights the importance of providing early intervention, rather than waiting until a child or family’s situation escalates (DfE, 2018). 

St Joseph’s RC Primary School acknowledges the importance of providing timely support.  Addressing a child or family’s needs early on can reduce risk factors and increase protective factors in a child’s life.  It is more efficient to provide early help when problems first arise than to intervene later. 

We believe that early help can offer children the support needed to reach their full potential.  It can improve the quality of a child’s home and family life, enable them to perform better at school and support their mental health.

Our staff are always willing to help in any way they can.  Class teachers are often the best people to approach in the first instance as they spend the most time with the children. 

Mrs Imogen Gurney, our SENCo and Senior Mental Health and Well-being Lead, is experienced in signposting families to agencies that can help and making referrals where appropriate. 

Please refer to our offer of early help for detailed information and guidance below.