Early help, also known as early intervention, is support given to a family when a problem first emerges.

It can be provided at any stage in a child or young person’s life.

Early help services can be delivered to parents, children or whole families, but their main focus is to improve outcomes for children. For example, services may help parents who are living in challenging circumstances to provide a safe and loving environment for their child. Or, if a child is displaying risk-taking behaviour, early help practitioners might work with the child and their parents to find out the reasons for the child’s behaviour and put strategies in place to help keep them safe.

Providing timely support is vital. Addressing a child or family’s needs early on can reduce risk factors and increase protective factors in a child’s life (Early Intervention Foundation (EIF), 2018).