Learning Mentor & Early Help

ST WILFRID’S EARLY HELP OFFER

A big part of our Early Help Offer is through our Learning Mentor, Mrs Alison Ward.

At St Wilfrid’s School we work hard to support children and families, offering early help by providing help as soon as a problem emerges. This may include working in partnership with other agencies to ensure the right support is put in place.

Our aim is always to ensure an issue does not escalate and children and families have access to the help they need, when they need it.
Our early help offer is for children of all ages and can be provided at any point. It can be very effective in supporting a child and their family to step down from statutory services as well as preventing the escalation of issues.

The Role of St Wilfrid’s in Early Help

Day to Day Support
Most families, most of the time, can get on with their lives quite happily with little or no outside help. If they need help it is usually provided by universal services, such as our school. This can include day-to-day support provided to pupils and their families by any staff and include things such as doorstop conversations and low-level interventions such as reward systems.

Focused Support
All families can have times, however, when difficulties arise and they either may not recognise it or may not know how to start putting things right. Without the right support early on, situations can easily get worse very quickly. Our school can play a role in supporting families to address these difficulties through more focused support, which might include a meeting with school some more direct work with your child and family or by bringing in support via an external agency and signposting to relevant information sources.

Early Help Assessment and Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings
For those children and families whose needs and circumstances make them more vulnerable, or where we need the support of other agencies to meet the needs of a family, a coordinated multi-agency approach is usually best. In Lancashire this is achieved through undertaking an Early Help Assessment and assigning a Lead Practitioner to work closely with the family to ensure they receive the support they require. Schools are a key partner in any multi-agency work and school will complete an Early Help Assessment with parents/carers to initiate this support and process.
When an Early Help Assessment is completed, the family and workers involved come together for TAF meetings and 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. EHAs can remain open for as long as necessary, until families feel that their circumstances have improved.

Who else might the school refer or signpost to?

Bereavement counselling services – Cancercare & Seasons for Growth
Domestic Abuse Support – Nest and The Freedom Project
Special Educational Needs Support- Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS/ADHD), The Children’s Neurodisability Team (ASD Pathway), ADHD North West
Parenting Support – Triple P and The Incredible Years
Therapeutic Support – Child Action North West
Financial Support – Citizens Advice or Lancashire Support Fund
Carer Support – Barnardo’s Young Carers
Anxiety Support – Barnardo’s My time to Thrive
Food parcels – Morecambe Bay Food Bank and The Olive Branch
Community Hub Support – The Children and Family Wellbeing Service
School Uniform – The Uniform Project
Health support – School Nurse/Health Visitor & Paediatric Occupational Therapy/Physiotherapy/Speech and Language Therapy/Eating, Drinking and Swallowing Service, Community Nursing, Continence Team and Audiology
Adult Physical/Mental Health Support – Minds Matter & Adult Social Care