Early Help and Family Support  

Norton Road Primary is committed to supporting families early, so children get the help they need as soon as concerns arise. Our Early Help and Family Support aims to strengthen support at home and in school, helping children feel safe, settled and ready to learn. If you have worries about your child’s wellbeing, behaviour, friendships, attendance, learning, or emotional health, you can speak with school staff so we can understand what is going on and agree the next steps.

We work closely with you and, where appropriate, other professionals to provide the right level of support. This may include advice and signposting to local services, targeted help for specific needs, or additional in-school support. Early intervention can make a real difference—addressing challenges sooner can reduce stress for families and help children build confidence and resilience.

What is Early Help?

Firstly, it should be recognised that our Early Help Offer is an approach that we use not a service.

At Norton Road, we understand that family life can sometimes be challenging. There may be times when you or your child need a little extra help, advice or support. Our primary aim is to identify needs early and to ensure that appropriate support is put into place.

Early Help is about providing the right support at the right time, before difficulties become harder to manage.

It is a way of working together with families to identify any worries or difficulties and find practical ways to make things better. It is not about judging families or suggesting that parents are doing something wrong. It is about listening, understanding and working together to find solutions.

All staff understand the meaning of safeguarding and recognise their role in ensuring
safeguarding practices are adhered to at all times.

Early Help is voluntary and family-centred. Parents and carers are involved in decisions about the support offered, and we will always aim to work in partnership with you.

The purpose of early help is to prevent issues and problems becoming serious and harmful to a child or young person, their family and community. When children and families need this extra support, they often need it quickly.

How can we help?

Our school can offer support and guidance with a range of issues that may affect children and families, including:

• Emotional wellbeing and mental health: Supporting children who may be anxious, worried, experiencing low self-esteem or finding it difficult to manage their emotions.

• Behaviour and relationships: Advice and strategies to support behaviour, friendships, family relationships and difficulties at home or school.

• Attendance and punctuality: Helping families overcome barriers to regular school attendance.

• Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND): Signposting and supporting families to access advice, guidance and appropriate services.

• Family circumstances: Support during periods of change, separation, bereavement or other challenging family situations.

• Financial and practical difficulties: Signposting families to organisations that can help with food, clothing, housing, benefits and other practical needs.

• Parenting support: Helping parents access advice, guidance, workshops and parenting programmes.

Our Early Help Approach

 Hearing what parents/carers have to say and signposting support agencies. Remember being a parent is hard work and there are no instructions. 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. There is nothing to be ashamed of in asking for help. The school may be able to help you or signpost you and your family to other partner agencies such as CAMHS (Child and Adult Mental Health Service), PCSOs (Police Community Support Officers), school health etc. The Luton Children’s Services – Early Help Offer Guide to Children & Family Services – provides a directory of support that families can be signposted to.

What happens if I ask for Early Help?

If you feel that you or your child would benefit from additional support, the first step is simply to talk to us.  

 Contact the school office and ask to speak to a member of the safeguarding team.

Our school team will help you identify the right person to speak to, depending on your family's needs

A member of our team will:

1. Listen to your concerns and give you the opportunity to explain what is happening.

2. Talk with you about the support that may be helpful.

3. Work with you to identify what is going well and what you would like to change.

4. With your agreement, help you access appropriate support within school or from external services.

5. Review how things are going and make changes to the support if needed.

Sometimes, this may involve a meeting with other professionals who can offer additional advice and support. We will explain this process and discuss it with you.

Please see our School's Early Help Offer document for more information.

Early Help is not an emergency service. If a child is in immediate danger, call 999. If you have a safeguarding concern, contact the school Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) Mrs Burling 01582 571169  or your local authority children's social care service (MASH 01582 547653). The school may need to share information or make a safeguarding referral without parental consent where necessary to protect a child.