Early Help

What is Early Help?

Early Help is taking action early to provide support where problems are emerging for children, young people and their families. Early help support may be provided at any point in a child or young person’s life. The sooner the family receives the support, the sooner they are able to improve their situation and prevent the need for prolonged support.

Early Help is here to find out what is working well for families and what areas they might be worried about; it can help to build on families’ strengths and identify any needs where support might be needed. It is an approach that brings people together from different teams and services who work together with the whole family. The main focus is to improve outcomes for children.

Why would I need Early Help?

The type of things that Early Help can support you with include:

Worries about your child’s health development or behaviour
You might be worried about how they are doing at school
You might have worries about money or housing and how that is affecting you
Your child and family may be affected by domestic abuse, drugs, alcohol, ill health or crime.

Early Help can give you the tools to solve challenges or problems you are experiencing with help from others where needed.

St. John Bosco’s Universal Pledge for all Pupils

Here at St. John Bosco, we offer a range of responses to families who from time to time need extra support. These include:

Children are greeted each morning by senior leadership team, pastoral team and class teacher. From this initial point of contact we can assess if a child needs time in the Rainbow Room to help them get ready for the school day.
School opens for all children from 8.30am, which allows time for children to settle and prepare for teaching and learning.
Time to complete early morning activities so that they settle and prepare themselves for the school day.
A bagel is available for all children so that no child has to start the day without breakfast.
Senior Mental Health Lead.
Breakfast Club.
After School Care.
Extra-curricular Clubs including homework club for KS1 and KS2, sporting clubs, creative clubs, gardening, specialised sports coach.
Lunchtime Play Leaders.
Safeguarding Champions.
Prefects.
Bespoke learning interventions, e.g. reading, maths, phonics.
Individual Learning Plans and provision mapping.
Filtered water available throughout the day for hydration.
A trauma informed approach to supporting children who are struggling. A trained mentor is available on request to talk to children who need time out during the school day.
Visual timetables reinforcing routines enabling continuity and familiarity.
Quiet spaces in school such as the prayer area, the Rainbow Room. In the playground we have the prayer garden, the shelter for any child who wishes to spend some time away from the busy playground.
An outdoor classroom to support teaching and learning in an outdoor environment.
A broad and balanced curriculum with experiences to enhance learning and after school provision in sport, arts and education.
Parent workshops (academic and pastoral).
Adapted teaching to meet the needs of all pupils.
Each Friday during Congrats we hold a celebration of each child’s unique characteristics and their successes.
We reward children for good behaviour and who follow the St John Bosco Way behaviour curriculum by offering termly trips to the park, the cinema, a local play area etc.
Enhancement days where we offer specific information on a topical subject to meet the interest and needs of children.
SEND half termly parent drop ins with class teachers and SENCO.
Early Years, KS1 and KS2 all have specific playground equipment, gym trails, etc.
Pre-loved uniform swap shop.
School trips and residentials planned at the start of the academic year so parents can plan finances, reduced rates offered.
PE kit and uniform supplied upon request.
English Hub status to support with phonics and early reading.

Who might the school refer to?

The Early Help Team.
Children and Young People’s Services.
Inclusion Support referrals for Social, Emotional and Mental Health, Special Educational Needs Advisory Teachers.
Speech and Language Therapy.
Communication and Complex Autism Team support.
School nurse.
Educational Psychologist.
Local Authority Family Services.
Community Police Officer.

Our Approach at St John Bosco to Early Help

Staff have daily contact with children and families throughout term time. All staff recognise their role in identifying needs of vulnerable children and their families need for early help. All staff have a duty of care to report any concerns that they have regarding all children in their care.

We offer a range of strategies that children can use in order to speak confidentially to an adult at a time of their choosing:

Trusted Adult – children name an adult that they wish to speak to should concerns arise.
Rainbow Room – a dedicated nurture room which all children can access when they need to speak to an adult in confidence or when they simply need a space to go when they find situations overwhelming.
Prayer and reflection space – this allows children to spend time alone in reflection and communicating with God.
Safeguarding Champions – a number of Y5 and Y6 children are trained to support their peers in discussing any safeguarding concerns they may have. It allows the child to talk to another child before approaching an adult.

Staff use a range of processes to identify children who may be vulnerable and will need additional support from time to time.

Pupil Premium response – this document allows staff to identify specific interventions and support to aid pupil learning. Staff consider how to increase self-confidence, support wellbeing; staff are able to identify pupils’ interests and use this information to provide specific after school clubs, roles and responsibilities, and key interests in school so that curriculum areas can be adapted to meet their areas of interest.
Vulnerable Registers – to identify and track the needs of vulnerable children across school.

Hearing what children have to say and using the voice of the child

St John Bosco offers a neutral place where the child feels it is safe to talk. Sensitivity to the child’s conversation is vital. Staff listen carefully to what the child is saying, validate that feeling (being alert to the child’s lived experience) and soothing and calming then so that they are able to regulate their emotions. We treat what the children share with us seriously and confidentially and value what they say.

Hearing what parents/carers have to say and signposting support agencies

Being a parent is the hardest job and there is no manual. Sometimes you or your children may need extra support. This may be before your children are born, when they are very young, or throughout their school years. We encourage all parents to ask for help, if required. The school will be able to help you or signpost you and your family to other partner agencies such as your GP, CAMHS (Child and adult mental health service), PCSOs (police community support officers), school health etc. Hillingdon Children’s Services, including Early Help Offer Guide to Children & Family Services – provides a directory of support that families can be signposted to.

Using the Early Help Assessment

This starts with an Early Help conversation. As a parent or carer, you will chat with the Head of School or a member of the safeguarding team about what’s going well and what’s not going well for you and your family, and they will let you know what sort of help is available. This conversation might lead to an Early Help Assessment (EHA). This is how we get a full picture about the whole family. We use it to help you see what is working well and identify the areas you could do with a bit of extra support. It’s your choice to take part in the assessment and you can choose who else should be involved. Every person and family is different, but an Early Help Assessment (EHA) will: • Help you see what’s going well and not so well for your family • Help you and others to see what support you might need • Create a picture of your family’s circumstances, which can be shared with your permission so you don’t have to repeat yourself to different workers • Help you to be part of a team of people working together on the same plan to get things going well again.

What happens after the Early Help Assessment?

With your permission, people from different organisations working with your family will share information and work together to help support you and your children. This could be school, health visitors, nursery staff, school health, etc. This may then be followed by a ‘Team Around the Family’ meeting. You need to give your consent as your personal information belongs to you. Agencies can’t share your information unless you agree because your information is protected by law under the Data Protection Regulations.

What is a ‘Team Around the Family’ meeting?

The family and workers involved come together to make a support plan. This is reviewed at regular intervals to ensure that progress is being made for your family and that the right support is in place. At these meetings a ‘lead worker’ is selected- it may be the person the family see most frequently, the one most involved or the most approachable. The lead worker arranges the review meetings and is someone you can speak to at any point about concerns or issues you or your family are facing.

Valuing safeguarding training at all levels

ur Designated Safeguarding Lead and our Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads undergo training every two years. All other staff members receive annual refresher training at the start of the new school year. New staff cover safeguarding training as part of their induction.

All staff are provided with the following information:

Keeping Children Safe in Education
Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
Pupil Behaviour Policies
Staff Code of Conduct

Keeping Children Safe

For the best interests of all our children we use the following safeguarding measures:

Cause for Concern: To ensure the safety of all children, the school and its staff have an obligation to pass on any concerns related to child protection issues to the appropriate agencies.

Identifying risks at the earliest opportunity: All staff are aware of the risks which may indicate the need for early help – this includes children who:

Are disabled or have a specific additional need/needs.
Have SEND.
Are young carers.
Are showing signs of being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour, including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups.
Are frequently missing or go missing from care or from home.
Are at risk of modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation.
Are at risk of being radicalised or exploited.
Are in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as drug and alcohol misuse, adult mental health issues and domestic abuse.
Are misusing drugs or alcohol themselves.
Are privately fostered.
Have returned home to their family from care.
Regular school absence.
Staff are also aware of FGM and forced marriages.

Disclosure of Criminal Background of those with access to children: All new employees to posts which involve access to children are informed that, if they are offered the post, a check on their criminal background will be made.

The procedure applies to all maintained schools, and to all posts as teachers, ancillary staff, caretaking staff. The procedure also applies to external providers who are not employed directly in school, but who have access to children.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is also obtained for all voluntary helpers and members of the governing body.

Safe Collection of Children: For our children’s safety, no child is allowed out of school during the school day unless they are collected by a parent, authorised guardian or by a representative who has been authorised and specific instructions have been received by the school. If, at the end of the school day, no-one has arrived to collect a child, the child will remain with the class teacher or with the school secretary until an authorised person does arrive. For more information see our Late Collection Policy on the Policies and Documents page.

Under NO circumstances will we allow a child to be taken home by another parent without your express permission. Children may only walk home unaccompanied when they are in Year 6 and only when a written request has been received from their parent/guardian.

Online Safety: See our dedicated Online Safety page for help, advice and links relating to keeping children safe online.

Who do I ask for help?

At St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School, you can talk with the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Briscoe, or a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs Grubham, Mrs Hill and Mr Ginder.

You can talk with someone who you’re familiar with – a teacher, health professional or support worker who might be able to help.

You can also contact your local Family Hub who can offer support for all families in Sandwell with children aged 0-19 (or 25 with SEND) and extra support is available for families during pregnancy and in your baby’s first years. Contact Family Hubs at: Family_HubsTeam@sandwell.gov.uk

Local Family Centres

There are currently seven local family hubs around the borough that can offer support to you and your family. They are open Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm. They are located at:

Smethwick and Oldbury:
Smethwick Family Hub, Corbett Street, Smethwick, B66 3PX, 0121 555 6756
Burnt Tree Children’s Centre, 20-25 Tividale Street, Tipton, DY4 7SD, 0121 557 0740
Tipton and Rowley:
Tipton Children’s Centre, 24 Ridgeway Road, Glebefields, Tipton, DY4 0TB, 0121 552 5150
Rowley Children’s Centre, Dudley Road, Rowley Regis, B65 8JY, 0121 559 9916
Wednesbury and West Bromwich:
Friar Park Children’s Centre, Dorset Road, Wednesbury, WS10 0JG, 0121 556 5405
Greets Green Children’s Centre, Off Claypit Lane, West Bromwich, B70 9EZ, 0121 500 4011
Hillside Children’s Centre, Connor Road, West Bromwich, B71 3DJ, 0121 588 5431

At St. John Bosco Catholic Primary School, you can talk with the Designated Safeguarding Lead, Mrs Briscoe, or a Deputy Designated Safeguarding Lead: Mrs Grubham, Mrs Hill and Mr Ginder.

You can talk with someone who you’re familiar with – a teacher, health professional or support worker who might be able to help.

For further information and the most up to date procedure for Early Help Assessments in Sandwell, please visit: