Early Help Assessments (EHA)

An Early Help Assessment is a voluntary process and therefore parents, and children, (where appropriate), should be fully engaged in the process and their voices central to the assessment an action plan to identify what is working well, what the worries are and what wellbeing will look like?  A clear plan will be developed with the family which will be SMART and focused on what success will look like for the child/ren. Consent must be given.

Any professional from a service that supports families can initiate an Early Help Assessment and can be carried out with any child or young person from pre-birth up to age 19 and up to the age of 25 if the young person has a learning difficulty or disability, (SEND). The completion of an EHA would bring various agencies and the family network together.  

Early Help Assessment Processes:

For support that cannot be provided by universal service or single agency, where agency is an External Partner to Cumberland Council. E.g. Education, Health and Voluntary Organisations. 

The following processes are outlined below:

1. External partner agency unsure of the best person/agency to coordinate Early Help Assessment and are unsure of thresholds of family needs.
2. External Partner agency feels they are the best person/agency to coordinate and are confident of thresholds of family needs.
3. Early Help Assessment not progressing.
4. Change of Early Help Assessment Lead Practitioner. 

Consent is key and must be recorded. Informed consent must be sought from the outset. Lead Practitioner will explain consent and complete the Consent Form with the family. 

External agency unsure of the best person/agency to coordinate Early Help Assessment and are unsure of thresholds of family needs: 

Consult with Early Help Area Officer, (Partnership and Assurance), to discuss thresholds of family need. 

• If after consultation it is agreed needs can be met at Early Help level, complete the Early Help Assessment with family (EHA) and follow steps in the next flow chart.
• If after consultation it is agreed needs cannot be met at Early Help level, complete the Single Contact Form to request support at the appropriate level of need.

External Partner agency feels they are the best person/agency to coordinate and are confident of thresholds of family needs:

• Complete Early Help Registration.
• Consult with Early Help Area Officer if support is needed to complete the EHA.
• Complete EHA with child and family and upload a copy via this link.
• Hold first TAF and agree Family Action Plan.
• Provide copy of agreed Family Action Plan to family and members of the TAF.
• Continue with TAF meetings until family needs are met.
• Complete closure paperwork including Family Outcomes 

Early Help Assessment is not progressing:

If the Early Help Area Officer (EHAO) cannot resolve support needs, they may recommend you complete a Single Contact Form to request support at the appropriate level of need.

Change of Early Help Assessment Lead Practitioner:

Consult with Early Help Area Officer (Partnership and Assurance), who will advise of most appropriate new Lead Practitioner where current Lead Practitioner is not the most suitable.  

If Early Help Area Officer cannot resolve support needs, they may recommend you complete a Single Contact Form to request support at the appropriate level of need.