Before making a referral
Your safeguarding concerns may not always need a contact. There could be services or professionals already involved with the child who can help.
You can discuss your concerns with your agency’s safeguarding lead or your line manager.
Please consider these spectrum descriptors to find the appropriate service before making contact. There are services available to help meet the child or young person’s needs:
Universal help
Children and young people have needs that are met within universal provision (such as through their GP or school). Parents or carers can decide how their children will access these services.
Early Support
Children and young people with extra needs that can be met through a single agency response and/or partnership working. Children with additional needs are best supported by those already working with them, e.g. a Children and Family Centre, school or health partner. The organisation will help arrange additional support from local partners as needed.
If there are a number of services involved it would be best to assess the child or young person’s need. This would be done through an Early Support Assessment with a lead professional.
Family Help
Children and young people with complex needs may require a targeted, coordinated response with a Family Help Lead Professional (FHLP).
As well as having additional support in place some children and young people and their families have more complex needs. This could require targeted services to support them. The child or young person’s needs would be identified from a Family Help Assessment.
Family Help Lead Professionals can come from a range of professions, from different agencies and services. This brings together targeted early help and child in need support provided Under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
Family Help - immediate support (Child Protection)
Children and young people with acute or severe needs or is a child in need of protection. This will usually include:
- Children’s social care
- Tier 3 and 4 - Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS) or
- the Youth Offending Service
Spectrum of Support (PDF, 466 KB) - guidance for all practitioners in working together with children and families to provide early help and specialist support.