What is an Early Help Assessment?
Early Help Assessment form (Microsoft Word format, 1.1mb)
An Early Help Assessment is a form completed in partnership with a family to identify strengths and needs. An Early Help Assessment can help practitioners to identify what a family would like to change and to develop an action plan.
Early Help Assessments are used at level 2 on the threshold of need (early help).
Why an Early Help Assessment?
Early help is about receiving the right help at the earliest possible stage.
An Early Help Assessment can empower families to achieve change, recognising the family’s knowledge and expertise and including them as active participants in the process of identifying their strengths, needs and desired changes. Each stage of the assessment process, including the final action plan, is negotiated and completed in partnership between the family and practitioners.
An Early Help Assessment can prevent family members from having to repeat information to different professionals by recording this in a single document which, with consent, can be shared. Different practitioners working with a family can be requested to contribute to an assessment. Having an action plan brings clarity to who will be doing what to address the desired changes.
An Early Help Assessments consists of seven areas to be explored; Health, Education, Behaviour and Routines, Family and Community, Finances, Housing and Safety.
If a family no longer feel that their Early Help Assessment is needed, they can let the practitioners who are working with them know.
Early Help Assessment tool
Scoring
| How you feel | Score |
|---|---|
| I feel very confident that I can manage in this area | 9-10 |
| I feel confident that I can manage in this area | 7-8 |
| I feel unsure about my confidence that I can manage in this area | 5-6 |
| I feel I have very little confidence that I can manage in this area | 3-4 |
| I feel I have no confidence that I can manage in this area | 1-2 |
Lead professional
Whilst a family is receiving support, one of the professionals working with them will act as their lead professional. The family should be asked who they think this should be. The lead professional will coordinate support and act as the family’s main point of contact. Guidance for practitioners on role of the Lead Professional can be found in the handbook developed by the Salford Safeguarding Children’s Partnership (Adobe PDF format, 640kb).
Early Help in Salford
A wide range of support is available to you and your family, please go to our Early help for families section.
Early Help Assessment Training
Practitioners can access training on the Early Help Assessment and TAF process on the Salford Safeguarding Children Partnership website.
Advice and guidance
Early Help Assessment Coordinators can offer advice and support to families and practitioners regarding the Early Help Assessment and TAF processes. To contact email EHAT@salford.gov.uk or call 0161 603 7229.
Consent and privacy notice
An Early Help Assessment will be completed with you and/or your family. An Early Help Assessment cannot be completed without consent, for more information on what you be consenting to please see page six on the Early Help Assessment Form (Microsoft Word format, 1.1mb).
All information that is shared is kept confidential unless there is a Safeguarding concern (Adobe PDF format, 2.3mb).
Personal information will be shared to provide support to you and your family, more information on this is in the Privacy Notice.