Early Help
Early Help Services in Sutton
Information, advice and guidance on Early Help services in Sutton can be found here: sutton.gov.uk/localoffer-early-help.
Helping Early
Helping early is about the right support at the right time. It is for any child or young person, in the context of their family, support network and community, who are experiencing things that are starting to feel difficult. It is about feeling okay to ask for support at the time, and professionals listening and responding in the most helpful way.
If you believe a child may meet tier 2 concerns (additional needs) you should complete an Early Help Assessment (EHAT). The tool will assist you in understanding a child or young person’s needs and developing an effective action plan to address the identified needs.
Completion of an EHAT requires consent and the child and family should be actively involved in the assessment and the development of their plan.
Following completion of an EHAT, you should consider whether support for the child and family requires a single-agency response, a team around the child/ family, or targeted early help support.
Single-agency response
If single-agency support is sufficient, then you will need to provide the help and support through your agency.
Team around the child/ family
If support from other agencies is required to address needs, then you should coordinate a team around the child/ family to ensure an appropriate multi-agency response.
Targeted early help
Where cases are more complex, have persistent or escalating concerns you should make a referral to CFCS. You should provide your completed EHAT and information of any early help support provided prior to the referral.
For information on indicators: LSCP threshold guidance.
Click here for our welcome to Helping Early page.
Completing an EHAT
Before completing an EHAT, contact CFCS to confirm if an EHAT has already been completed, if there is a lead professional, and if Children’s Services are involved.
The EHAT form can be found here.
Supporting documents should be emailed securely to CFCS: childrensfirstcontactservice@sutton.gov.uk
For advice, contact the Early Help Coordinator: 0208 770 6001
Sutton's Helping Early Strategy
Sutton's Helping Early Strategy 2023-27 can be downloaded from the bottom of this page. The strategy, underpinned by Working Together 2023, seeks to address the needs of children and families in Sutton through coordinating the right kind of help and support, at the right time, with the community.
The strategy sets out:
- Sutton's Helping Early approach;
- Learning from evidence and insights: the needs of children, young people and families in Sutton;
- What Helping Early will look like in Sutton; and
- How Sutton will be accountable.
