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Early Help

Team Around the Family (TAF)

A Prevention and Early Help Partnership Strategy for Children and Families: https://www.safernel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Early-Intervention-strategy-2023-1.pdf

Early Help Assessment: https://www.safernel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/NELC-Revised-Early-Health-Assessment-Oct-2023.docx

Review form for Team Around the Family (TAF): https://www.safernel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Child-and-Family-Progress-Review-1.docx

Closure Form Team Around the Family (TAF): https://www.safernel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Team-Around-the-Family-Closure-Summary-NELINCS-1.docx

Team Around the Family (TAF) Guidance: https://www.safernel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/12839-TAF-Project-handbook-1.pdf

Team Around the Family (TAF) Leaflet: https://www.safernel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/12834-TAF-Trifold-leaflet-1.pdf

Locality Family Hubs

Family Hubs – external site  bring together support from services including Surestart Children’s Centres, Health Visiting, School Nursing, Families First Practitioners, Early Help and some young people services. They work with partners in the community across North East Lincolnshire to identify and offer services for children, young people, and families from pre-birth to adulthood. Locality Family Hubs are for everyone, including support for children with additional needs.

Integrated Front Door

We have now re set our Integrated Front door which is to assist all partners and public to contact us if they are worried or concerned regarding Children. We can provide advice and guidance and where appropriate support with the necessary completion of the early help assessment tool. This will allow for a better, more focused response for all as we ensure we get the right support to children and families first time.

Consultation Line

The purpose of the professional consultation line is to support practitioners to identify the next steps, in a timely way through quality conversations. The consultation line is not replacing the current safeguarding process, or referral route, and usual safeguarding processes must be followed. The consultation line is also for professionals only. The professional’s consultation line is 01472 323145. Your call will be answered by a Senior Social Worker in the IFD where your query will be discussed.

We have updated and revised our threshold criteria.

Threshold of Need 2020 (PDF, 845KB) 

North East Lincolnshire Council has a single point of access for all enquiries relating to immediate concerns for the welfare of a child. We also get involved if it hasn’t been possible to improve life for a child with an Early Help plan.

When a worry or concern about a child or family has been identified, we give information, advice and guidance to the public and professionals. We make sure that the right level of support is established first time, across all levels of the threshold of concern model.

If you are concerned that a child is being abused, or they may be at risk of harm, you should contact our Integrated Front Door Service (IFD) to make a referral:

Members of the public and professionals can call the IFD on 01472 326292 (option 2, option 2) (Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Friday 8.30am – 4.30pm).

Please see: SaferNEL | Report a concern – SaferNEL

Professionals who have concerns or worries around a child or family, that are not of a safeguarding nature, should complete an Early Help Assessment. https://www.safernel.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Early-Help-Assessment-Tool.docx

Professionals can use the Early Help Assessment to request a service or single piece of intervention from the Locality Family Hubs in line with the Locality Family Hub Offer (PDF, 143KB)  and the Threshold of Need (PDF, 845KB) .

If you have concerns around a child or family, where you feel they need a Multi-Agency response and/or more that a single piece of intervention, you must complete the Early Help Assessment Tool with the family.

Once you have completed either the Early Help Assessment and have consent from the family to submit the information, you need to send this to NELCChildrensFrontDoor@nelincs.gov.uk.

All Early Help Assessments will initially be screened by a Senior Social Worker so that they have a safeguarding oversight. If there are no safeguarding concerns the Early Help Assessment will go to the Locality Family Hubs Team based within the Integrated Front Door for information gathering and decision making.

Remember if a child is in immediate danger call 999.

Together for All – Thresholds of Need

The thresholds of need details how we work together to support and safeguard children and families including:

The thresholds for access to services to support actions required to improve outcomes for children
How the partnership ensures that children and families get the right support at the right time
Identifies the crossing points between early help, safeguarding and child protection

Relationship Matters

Relationship Matters  is a partnership between 14 Local Authorities across Yorkshire and the Humber Region helping families who may be having relationship difficulties. North East Lincolnshire Council and its partners are heavily involved in this partnership.

Whether couples together or separated the way they communicate can impact on their relationship and their children. The Relationship Matters webpage can help everyone recognise the signs such as:

  • Arguing or shouting all the time with each other about things like, money, how you parent and housework.
  • Are they worried about splitting up?
  • Is there sulking, silent treatment, slamming doors or walking away from each other?
  • Are they anxious or worried which gets in the way of managing everyday life?