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Family help and support

5.Targeted support

On this page:

    Introduction

    If the challenges you're facing don't get easier with universal or additional support, you may be offered targeted support. This is more personalised and focused on your family's needs.

    What targeted support looks like

    A family help practitioner will work with you and your family. They carry out an assessment to understand your worries. They decide what support will help most. With your agreement, they will work with other services to make sure your child feels safe, supported, and is able to do well.

    Targeted support may include the following:

    • One-to-one or small group sessions in school to build learning or social skills
    • Support from health professionals, such as speech and language therapists, occupational therapists, or educational psychologists
    • Short-term programmes to help with specific challenges, such as anxiety, behaviour, or social skills
    • Extra guidance for you to help your child at home.
    Family group smiling

    “We'll work alongside you to get the targeted support your child and family needs, at the right time.”

    When you may need targeted support

    Some common things you may notice with your child could include:

    Signs that your child may need support

    Learning and development

    • Struggling to keep up with schoolwork or tasks compared with others.
    • Finding it hard to focus or finish tasks, even with extra help in class.

    Health and wellbeing

    • Worrying a lot or lacking confidence.
    • Finding it hard to make or keep friends.
    • Ongoing problems with sleep or eating.
    • Sensitivity to things like noise or touch.
    • Difficulties with hearing, vision, or movement.

    Behaviour and social skills

    • Finding it hard to follow instructions.
    • Struggling to control their feelings.
    • Regularly falling out with other children or adults.
    When home life may be making things harder

    Some things in your family life may raise issues for your child, such as:

    Relationships at home

    • Tension or frequent disagreements between parents or carers.
    • Stress or conflict between family members that is having an impact on your child.
    • Siblings finding it hard to get along with each other.

    Change and uncertainty

    • Moving house or changing schools.
    • A death in the family or serious illness.
    • Financial worries or changes in employment.

    Parental wellbeing

    • Feeling stressed, overwhelmed or exhausted.
    • Struggling with your own mental or physical health.
    • Finding it hard to be there for your child.

    Home environment

    • Not having regular routines at home.
    • Home life that feels busy, unsettled or out of control.
    • Finding it hard to keep things calm and safe for your child.

    How to access targeted support

    Here is a step-by-step guide to help you access targeted support:

    1
    Ask for a referral

    To start the process, your child will need a referral from one of the following:

    • their school
    • a health professional
    • a member of family hub staff
    • another service working with your family.

    They will need to complete the following form:

    2
    We contact you

    Once we receive your referral, a family help practitioner will contact you. They will be your main contact and support you through each step of the process.

    3
    We assess your family’s needs

    Our family help practitioner will talk with you to:

    • understand what is happening and what support could help
    • look at your child's needs and any challenges your family may be facing.

    4
    We create a support plan together

    Our family help practitioner will help you create a plan that:

    • identifies the support you, your child and family will receive
    • shows how different services will work together to help.
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    Guidance for professionals

    To make a referral for targeted support, you will need to complete the early help referral form. There is supporting guidance to help you.

    Read about the early help assessment process

    Find out how to help us shape your services

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