What is Early Help?

You’re Not Alone: How KNSB Can Support Your Family Early

Every family faces challenges from time to time—and that’s completely normal. Whether it’s to do with school, behaviour, routines at home, or just needing someone to talk to, you don’t have to go through it alone. Schools are here to help, and early support can make a big difference for both you and your child.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Common Challenges Families May Face

  • Arguments or tension between parents or carers
  • Money worries or financial strain
  • A child or parent living with a disability
  • Children struggling to attend school regularly
  • Emotional or behavioural challenges in children
  • Concerns about a child’s development or progress
  • Ongoing conflict or stress within the family
  • Children not getting enough chances to interact socially
  • Lack of positive role models 
  • Worries about mental health and general wellbeing for any family member that may be impacting your son

💬 What Is Early Help?

Early help is support offered to families as soon as a concern arises—before things become more difficult. It’s not about judging or blaming anyone. It’s about working together to find the right support at the right time. Its aim is to support healthy development and prevent harm. By intervening early, as a school we can help families overcome challenges, build resilience, and reduce the need for more intensive services in the future.

Early Help offer from BCC

Early Help explanation by NSPCC

🤝 What Can KNSB Help your child with?

Your child’s school is often the first place to spot when something might not be quite right. That could be:

Struggling with learning or concentration

Changes in behaviour or mood

Difficulties with friendships or confidence

Worries at home that affect your child

By picking up on these things early, we can offer support before the problem grows.

🏡 Support for You as a Parent

Early help isn’t just for your child—it’s for your whole family. Maybe you’re:

Finding routines hard to manage

Worried about your son’s behaviour at home

Feeling stressed or overwhelmed

Unsure where to turn for advice

We can listen, support you, and link you to people who can help—like family support workers, parenting advice services, or mental health support.

✅ Why Early Help Matters

Getting support early can:

Help your child feel happier and more confident

Make school a more positive experience

Ease stress at home

Stop small problems from turning into bigger ones

📣 Talk to Us

If you ever feel unsure, overwhelmed, or just want to talk something through, reach out to your child’s teacher or the school’s pastoral team. We’re here to listen, support, and help you find the best way forward. Remember: You’re not alone—and together, we can give your child the best chance to thrive.

🤲 We Listen Without Judgement

Support for pupils can include:

  • Encouraging good attendance and punctuality
  • Building self-esteem and confidence
  • Promoting positive behaviour and a positive attitude towards learning
  • Offering individualised support tailored to each pupil’s needs

Support for families, including:

  • Providing information and signposting to local services
  • Coordinating with external agencies such as housing services and Family Support Workers
  • Assisting with completing paperwork and forms (e.g., housing applications & signposting to foodbanks)
  • Supporting attendance and participation in school and other agency meetings
  • Offering advice on promoting positive behaviour at home
  • Providing guidance on career and personal development, plus access to support within school

How will we know if Early Help is needed?

Early Help may be identified in several ways. Parents, carers, children, or staff may raise concerns or request support. Alternatively, practitioners may notice signs that a child or family is beginning to experience difficulties and may benefit from additional help.

To determine the level of need, we use the Right Help, Right Time guidance – Right Help, Right Time support. This may identify that an school can provide early help, family connect can support or that an Early Help Assessment is needed and the subsequent action needs to be taken. This helps us decide the appropriate next steps. These might include:

  • Support provided directly by the school
  • Involvement from Family Connect
  • A more formal Early Help Assessment to coordinate further support

🧩 Every Family Is Unique

There is no “one-size-fits-all” solution. We’ll take the time to understand your situation and work with you to find the right kind of support that fits your family’s needs.

What might we be able to offer?

What might we offer in response to your concerns?

  • The school’s mental well-being hub – triage system of support through daily conversations between the Pastoral Team, DSL and SENDCO 
  • Family Support Worker Referrals
  •  Courses lead by Learning Support and Student Support i.e., (ELSA) Emotional Literacy courses 
  • Senior Mental Health Lead
  • Social time ambassadors
  • Signs of Safety toolkit
  • In house safeguarding protocols 
  • Bespoke learning interventions e.g. reading and maths
  • Speech and Language Therapy
  • Parent Forum and Information Sessions (academic and pastoral 
  • Biweekly Parent Drop ins with staff 
  • A plethora of after school extra-curricular activities
  • Pupil Voice Opportunities 
  • Educational Welfare Officer support
  • Curriculum provision and additional work from outside agencies

Who might the school refer to?

Tailored courses to support individual needs 

The Early Help Team

Children and Young People’s Services

County Inclusive Support Service

Counselling Services

Behaviour specialist i.e., Ben Dunlop (COBS)

Speech and Language Therapist 

Educational Psychologist

Young Carers

SENDIAS

Local Authority Family Services team

Educational Welfare Officer

Student Support and Learning Support mentoring teams

What external support is available?

Birmingham Children’s Trust

Offers a range of Early Help services, including support for mental health, parenting, domestic abuse, and financial difficulties. Families can access assistance through the trust’s programs and referrals. birminghamchildrenstrust.co.uk

🤝 Family Action – Early Help Programme

Provides short-term, hands-on support for families over a period of 4–6 weeks. Services include home visits and community-based assistance, working in partnership with other agencies to ensure families receive timely help. Family Action

🧭 Compass Support

As one of Birmingham’s Early Help lead agencies, Compass Support offers practical assistance focused on building family strengths and managing challenges. They coordinate support in local neighbourhoods. Compass Support

🏥 Birmingham Forward Steps – Family Hubs

Provides a range of services for families with children aged 0–19 (or up to 25 with special educational needs and disabilities). Services include parenting courses, health visitor access, play sessions, and support for children with additional needs. spurgeons.org

🧠 Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)

Offers mental health support for children and young people experiencing emotional or behavioral difficulties. Services include assessments, therapy, and support for families. Guide to CAMHS | Mental Health Services | YoungMinds

📞 Childline

A confidential helpline for children and young people under 19, offering counselling and support on issues such as abuse, bullying, mental health, and family problems. Available 24/7 via phone and online chat. Childline | Childline

🧒 NSPCC

Provides child protection services, including a helpline for adults concerned about a child, and resources for families to prevent abuse and neglect. They also offer therapeutic services for children and families. NSPCC | The UK children’s charity | NSPCC

👩‍👧 Gingerbread

Supports single-parent families with expert advice on topics like child maintenance, benefits, employment, and family law. They offer a free helpline and online resources. Home | Gingerbread

  Kooth– Emotional Support for young people: Home – Kooth

🧩 Contact (for families with disabled children)

Provides support, advice, and information to families with disabled children, regardless of the child’s condition. They offer guidance on education, health, and social care services. Contact: the charity for families with disabled children

Support for Families 

BCHC – C&F School Nursing Drop-In Service

  • Are you eligible for free school meals?

Free school meals | Free school meals | Birmingham City Council

For additional information on any of the following, please click on the link below:

the-waitingroom.org

              🌱 We Focus on Moving Forward

Early help is all about finding positive ways to move forward. We’re here to help your child thrive in school, support your well-being as a parent, and reduce stress at home.

Remember: If something’s worrying you—even if it seems small—please don’t wait. 

Further Information