Early Help
Sometimes families need a little extra support — and that's okay.
At Euxton Primrose Hill Primary School, we recognise that family life can sometimes be challenging.
There may be times when you or your child need a little extra help, advice or someone to talk to. This could be because of worries about behaviour, friendships, attendance, emotional wellbeing, mental health, SEND or wider family circumstances.
Asking for help is a strength, not a weakness.
Our Early Help offer is about working alongside families to provide the right support at the right time, before difficulties become more difficult to manage.
We want every family to know that you don't have to wait until things become a crisis before asking for help.
💬 How can we help?
Our pastoral team is here to listen, offer advice and help you find the right support for your family.
We may be able to offer or help you access:
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A listening ear – someone to talk to when things feel difficult.
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Advice and practical strategies to support behaviour, routines and family life.
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Support with attendance and identifying any barriers that may be making regular school attendance difficult.
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Pastoral and emotional wellbeing support for children.
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Support with friendships, relationships and children's wellbeing.
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Advice about SEND and support to help you understand your child's needs.
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Parenting advice and support, including signposting to appropriate parenting programmes.
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Support with accessing local services and community activities.
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Help with free school meals and other financial support.
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Support with second-hand school uniform where available.
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Signposting to local food banks and charitable organisations where families need practical support.
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Signposting to support with housing, finances, mental health and other family needs.
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Support from other professionals and services where this would benefit your child or family.
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Where appropriate, support to access an Early Help Assessment and Plan.
We will always try to understand the needs of the whole family and work with you to identify what would be most helpful.
Our Pastoral Team
You don't need to wait until a problem becomes serious before asking for help.
Our pastoral team can provide a listening ear, practical advice and support, or help you find the right service for your family's needs.
Mrs Emma Paris-Unsworth
Learning Mentor and Family Support Worker
Mrs Paris-Unsworth supports children and families with a range of pastoral, wellbeing and family support needs.
You can speak to her through calling the school office on 01257 276688 or emailing the school office at:
office@primrosehill-euxton.lancs.sch.uk
Mrs Julia Jotejko
Nurture Teacher
Mrs Jotejko supports children's emotional wellbeing and development through our nurture provision.
You can speak to her through calling the school office on 01257 276688 or emailing the school office at:
office@primrosehill-euxton.lancs.sch.uk
We are always happy to listen.
What is Early Help?
Early Help means providing support as soon as difficulties begin to emerge, rather than waiting until they become more difficult to manage.
Early Help can support children and families of all ages and can help with a wide range of needs.
It might involve support from school, or it may involve working with other services and professionals.
The aim is always to make sure that children and families receive the right support, at the right time.
Early Help can help families to:
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build on their strengths
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understand and manage difficulties
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improve children's wellbeing and outcomes
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access the right services and support
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prevent difficulties from escalating
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develop confidence and resilience.
Asking for Early Help does not mean that you have done anything wrong. It is simply a way of making sure that you and your child receive appropriate support.
Working together with families
We believe that parents and carers know their children best.
Where additional support is needed, we will work with you, not simply do things to you or for you.
We will listen to what is important to your family, identify what is going well as well as what may be difficult, and work together to agree what could help.
Where appropriate, we may work with other professionals or services so that your family receives coordinated support.
We will explain what we are doing and involve you in decisions about support wherever possible.
Early Help Assessment and Plan
Sometimes a child or family may benefit from support from more than one service.
In these circumstances, an Early Help Assessment Plan (EHA) can help everyone understand the family's needs and agree how they can be supported.
The assessment looks at the whole child and family, including strengths, what is working well and any areas where additional support may be helpful.
Where appropriate, a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting may bring together the family and the professionals supporting them.
A lead professional can act as a main point of contact and help coordinate the agreed support.
The purpose is to make sure that everyone is working together towards the same goals and that families do not have to repeatedly tell their story to different professionals.
Early Help is intended to be a strengths-based and supportive process, with the family involved throughout.
Find out more about Lancashire's Early Help Assessment and Plan
Working with our Family Hub
At Euxton Primrose Hill Primary School, we are part of the local Family Hub network and work closely with our Community Support Workers.
This is an important part of our Early Help offer.
When a family needs additional support, we can work with our Community Support Workers to help identify the right support and services at the right time.
Support may include:
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family relationships and parenting
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emotional wellbeing and mental health
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attendance and routines
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financial or practical difficulties
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housing and wider family circumstances
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accessing local activities and community services
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support for children and young people
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signposting to other specialist services where appropriate.
We can work with families to access this support and, where appropriate, make connections with other professionals and services.
You don't have to know which service you need before you talk to us.
If you're not sure where to start, come and speak to us. We can help you explore the options and identify what might be most useful for your family.
Find out more about Lancashire Family Hubs
What support can school provide?
School is often the first place families turn to when they are worried about their child.
Alongside your child's class teacher, our pastoral team and wider staff can help with areas such as:
Emotional wellbeing
Helping children talk about their feelings, develop confidence and build strategies to manage difficulties.
Relationships and friendships
Supporting children with friendship difficulties, social skills and positive relationships.
Attendance
Working with families to understand and address barriers to regular school attendance.
Behaviour
Working with children and families to understand behaviour and develop positive strategies.
SEND
Listening to concerns about your child's development or additional needs and helping you access appropriate advice and support.
Family circumstances
Helping families access appropriate advice, services and practical support when circumstances become difficult.
Our CARE values
Our CARE values are at the heart of our Early Help approach.
C – Courage
We encourage children and families to have the courage to ask for help.
A – Ambition
We help children and families recognise their strengths and believe in positive change.
R – Respect
We listen to families and treat everyone with dignity, understanding and respect.
E – Excellence
We work together to provide the best support we can for every child.
We believe that every child and family has strengths, and our role is to help those strengths grow.
Need some help?
If you are worried about your child or family circumstances, please talk to us.
You can contact the school office on 01257 276688 or speak to a member of our pastoral team.
You do not need to wait until things become a crisis before asking for support.
Sometimes, having someone listen and help you work out the next step is all that is needed.
We're here to help.
Early Help and safeguarding
Early Help is different from safeguarding.
If we have a concern that a child may be at risk of harm, we have a duty to follow our safeguarding procedures and take appropriate action to protect the child.
If you have a safeguarding concern about a child, please visit our Safeguarding page for further information.
Early Help and safeguarding often work alongside each other. Where appropriate, we may work with other agencies to make sure children and families receive the support they need.
Useful links
Lancashire Family Hubs
Find local family support, activities and services.
Lancashire Children and Family Wellbeing Service
Find local support for children, young people and families.
Lancashire Early Help Assessment and Plan
Find out more about Lancashire's Early Help process, including Team Around the Family meetings.
Our Safeguarding Page
Find out more about how we keep children safe.
