Hampshire early help intervention pathway
Helping professionals to identify the correct level of support for families with needs
- Low or one-off support needs
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What a family might be concerned about
There are some aspects of their child's development which the parent or carer would like to improve, but does not have the confidence or knowledge to do so. This may include parenting at a specific stage of development or managing a specific behaviour or situation.
What this might look like in the family
Things in the family are generally going well, but parents or carers have one or two concerns about their child's behaviour or development. These may include:
- sleep routines
- sibling arguments, fighting or aggression
- managing risk taking in teenagers
- low-level school attendance issues
- toileting
- routines
Support process
You may be able to offer support by signposting the family to relevant services on the Family Information and Services Hub (FISH)
Encourage the family to speak to someone who is already involved, such as the school, nursery, health visitor or GP.
Any professional can send a request (with consent of the parents or carers) to the Family Support Service for a one-off Session of Support (SOS) or referral to a specific parenting course.
For courses in your area, refer to the Level 2 referral form for your district:
- Basingstoke and Deane – Level 2 request for support form
- East Hampshire – Level 2 request for support form
- Eastleigh – Level 2 request for support form
- Fareham and Gosport – Level 2 request for support form
- Hart and Rushmoor – Level 2 request for support form
- Havant – Level 2 request for support form
- New Forest – Level 2 request for support form
- Test Valley – Level 2 request for support form
- Winchester – Level 2 request for support form
- Moderate support needs
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What a family might be concerned about
They are not able to set rules and boundaries that their child will stick to. They are unable to manage their child’s behaviour. They do not feel confident in their knowledge and understanding of child development.
- Children taking risks
- Sudden changes in their child’s behaviour
- Financial difficulties
- Persistent absence or exclusion from school
- Mental health concerns
- No access to core services
What this might look like in the family
- Conflict and argument, particularly around rules, boundaries, behaviour and how people in the home should act
- Some of the behaviour is challenging
- Parents or carers feel unable to change things which are of concern. For example, risk taking behaviour, not attending school
- Behaviour may occur across a variety of settings (home, school, in the community) or with more than one child in same family
- Parental or child mental health issues affecting positive changes
Support process
The professional (for example education or healthcare) should complete an Inter-Agency Referral form with parental consent:
- The case will be discussed at the early help hub. A time slot will be allocated for the professional
- The case may be allocated to a lead professional or Family Support Worker. A TAF (Team Around the Family) may be instigated
The lead professional may need to make a Level 2 referral for parenting course. See Level 2 referral form for your area and courses available in your area:
- Basingstoke and Deane – Level 2 request for support form
- East Hampshire – Level 2 request for support form
- Eastleigh – Level 2 request for support form
- Fareham and Gosport – Level 2 request for support form
- Hart and Rushmoor – Level 2 request for support form
- Havant – Level 2 request for support form
- New Forest – Level 2 request for support form
- Test Valley – Level 2 request for support form
- Winchester – Level 2 request for support form
- High support needs
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What a family might be concerned about
There is a safeguarding concern and need for protection.
What this might look like in the family
The child holds the power and is controlling what happens in the family. They may use abusive language and physical aggression towards people or things.
The child may dismiss or reject adults and others around them, including attempts to help or look after their wellbeing.
The parents feel helpless to set boundaries and maintain a positive, safe relationship. Parents or carers try to overcompensate, or the conflict becomes heated and there is escalation from both adult and child. The parent or carer becomes unable to see the child behind the behaviour. This is a pattern of behaviour and is not a one-off incident.
Support process
Complete an Inter-Agency Referral form:
If there is an immediate safeguarding concern, you should contact the police .
Once the form is received, the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) will decide if the case needs to be escalated to a Section 47 or 17 assessment. If it does, the case will be allocated to a social worker within the Children's Assessment and Safeguarding Team (CAST) for an assessment.
The social worker may either continue with the family on Child in Need (CIN) or Child Protection (CP) plan, or may step down to early help hub, or close the case. The parents or carers may require parenting courses at any of these stages. See Level 2 referral form for your area and courses available in your area.