Welcome to the latest edition of the Early Help Newsletter. In this edition you can find information on a launch event for the new Early Help service in Shropshire and how you can attend, support for families during the summer holidays, a link to the updated Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF), and things to do and places to go this summer holiday, and much more.
If you have information on your service area you would like to share in the next early help newsletter, please email Kate.Bentham@shropshire.gov.uk or if you know of a colleague who would also like to receive this newsletter they can also email Kate to be added to the distribution list.
‘By treating our children and young people with respect, love and trust and with the right amount of encouragement we can inspire them to dream big, build relationships and connections that matter and together with kindness and a sense of belonging we can do great things.’
Children and Young People’s vision statement
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Whether you think a parent or family needs some support, or you are worried a child might be at risk of abuse or neglect, there is only one number you need – 0345 678 9021. From this number you will receive the support you need to get the right help at the right time to support families and safeguard children.
We are excited to announce that following the first part of our Early Help Transformation Programme, we will be holding our Early Help Strategy Launch on the 16th July 2024 at the Council Chamber in Shirehall.
Please join us to hear more about the exciting work we are carrying out in our communities and the plans for the future.
You will also have the chance to talk directly to the services that you can access in Shropshire to help children, young people and their families to get the right help, at the right time.
We will be holding 2 sessions:
Lunchtime Session – 12pm – 1.30pm
Afternoon Session – 3.00pm – 4.30pm
Agenda
- Welcome and Introduction to the Early Help Strategy and Practice Framework
- Team Around the School
- Stepping through the Family Hub
- Shropshire Integrated Place Partnership (SHIPP), Integrated Working and the Community Hubs
- Market place – Getting to know our resources
If you would like to attend as session, please contact Siobhan Hughes – Siobhan.hughes@shropshire.gov.uk or Donna Ward – donna.ward@shropshire.gov.uk for an invite.
For more information on Early Help services, please access our new Early Help website.
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Please note that the Multi-Agency Referral Form (MARF) has been updated and the latest version is available on this website.
The MARF should be used when you make contact with Children’s Social Care when you have a non-urgent safeguarding concern (level 4).
Level 4 - These are children whose needs and care at the present time are likely to be significantly compromised thereby requiring assessment under Section 47 or Section 17 of the Children Act 1989.
If your concerns are urgent, and indicate the child is at immediate risk of harm you must contact FPOC: 03456 789021 without delay, the MARF must then be fully completed and forwarded within 24 hrs to the Compass Team email account (you will need to do this securely) Compass.Referrals@shropshire.gov.uk
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The new Early Help website is now live and details the wider early help offer for families in Shropshire, you can see the new website here.
Please link to this website from your own website and also promote through your social media channels.
There is a Professionals' section which has information on the practice guidance, tools, forms, and resources
We are keen to ensure the website has the information you would expect to see, and the tools and resources you need to support families, so please feedback your thoughts on the website by emailing kate.bentham@shropshire.gov.uk with your views on how it can be improved or if there are any gaps in information.
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It’s fair to say that all parents from time to time need some help and support with issues that impact on family life, and the long school summer holidays can certainly be one of those times. There is help and support available in Shropshire and here’s just a few ways in which parents can get support
Early Help Family Drop Ins
You can get free Information, advice and support on all aspects of family life, at our Family Drop-In. You can chat, have a cuppa and see how we can help you with:
- Family life
- Parenting support
- Domestic abuse support
- Money worries
- Housing support
- and much more
To find your local drop in please visit the Family Information Directory
Parenting Help and Support Line
The Parenting Help and Support Line are here for parents with a friendly listening ear and practical advice on everything from behaviours that challenge to sleep issues. No judgment, just support, through this anonymous and confidential service.
Call 01743 250950 Monday - Thursday, 9.30am - 4.30pm or Friday, 9.30am - 3.30pm or email: parenting.team@shropshire.gov.uk
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There’s another school holiday just round the corner, and we know how some families can find the holidays a challenge with the juggle of work and keeping the children entertained.
If parent carers are looking for thinks to do and places to go, then the Shropshire Family Information Service Directory is the place to visit. Click here for fun during the school holidays.
For children and young people with SEND, there’s also the Actio activity offer for those who are registered for All In Programme and Autism West Midlands have events for teens and the whole family, you can find out more about and book on Autism West Midlands events page.
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We are delighted to announce that bookings for the Shropshire Summer HAF (Holiday Activities & Food) Programme are now open. Shropshire Council are working in partnership with local schools, voluntary and community organisations, and childcare providers to run exciting holiday clubs this summer. During 22nd July to 30th August 2024, eligible children and young people are invited to take part in a range of fun free activities, happening at over 40 holiday clubs from across the county.
All the bookings are being made direct with the organisations running the clubs.
A list of clubs and timetable is available in the Summer what’s on guide and online here.
Each eligible child and young person is able to attend 16 x sessions over the Summer holidays. A typical session tends to be 4 x hours in length, which is funded by the department for education. Some organisations run longer sessions which they subsidise.
Lots more information about the programme is available on the Shropshire HAF webpages Holiday Activities and Food Programme (HAF) any questions please email HAF.programme@shropshire.gov.uk
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For some families, the end of the school summer term might also mean the end of primary school. Time really does go quickly! If your child is starting secondary school in September, there will be lots to think about.
There is a new free online course for parent carers of children and young people with SEND who are transitioning to secondary school. You can find out more, and sign up to the course here, for families living in Shropshire, the code to access the course for free is DARWIN18
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We hope you have heard of the SEND Local Offer – a single place for parent carers of children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, to access information.
We have also been working with young people to develop a Local Offer specifically for young people themselves. Their website would contain information about having fun, keeping healthy, staying safe, as well as information on preparing for adulthood, such as work and where to live.
We are keen for young people to continue to have a voice on the final design of the site, and wondered if you would be able to help us to gather their views?
We have developed a simple form for them to be able to feedback comments on what they think of the homepage, which has been designed based on their comments. This is the link https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/New_Web_Young_People
We are also keen for them to have a say on what the site should be called – because Local Offer doesn’t really mean anything.
If you are working with groups of young people with SEND, I wondered if you would be able to look at this together, or instead, if you are able to send them the link and ask them to share their feedback that would be great.
Thanks for your help with this, we really appreciate it.
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If you work in the voluntary sector and deliver drop in low level social, emotional mental health support to secondary school aged young people, then Shropshire Youth Association would like to hear from you. They have funding to support a discovery year to support the delivery of a future offer to support young people’s mental health.
To find out more email Richard@SYA.org.uk or call him on 01743 730005
When children and young people have needs related to neurodiversity they may require support from a range of services.
There are a range of local support providers that parent carers and children and young people can access, the majority of which do not require your child to have a diagnosis.
The Healthier Together website has information on the support available for 0-5 years, 5-18 years and a newly launched section for 18-25 years
Click to find out more about the Support for neurodivergent children and their families.
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Please find below a link to the latest news from Autism West Midlands, which includes information on support for parent carers with face to face meetings, training, one to one advice sessions and also information on events for teens and the whole family.
Remember no formal diagnosis is needed to be able to access support from Autism West Midlands.
Read their latest news on the SEND Local Offer.
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Shropshire Council’s Welfare Support Team has funds available to help people with their essential living costs through the Household Support Fund.
They may be able to help people with things like:
- Food
- Energy and water costs (including payment towards arrears)
- Essential white goods
- Essential furniture items
- Essential bills
If you aren’t sure whether they can help with an item, please contact them on 0345 678 9078, selecting option 1 to speak to an adviser.
To apply, people should call them on 0345 678 9078, selecting option 2.
For more information on the Household Support Fund at Shropshire Council, see here
For more information on the Welfare Support Team, see here
Please also familiarise yourself with the following web pages, Cost of living help and Unclaimed benefits
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The drop-in clinics for health advice, information and support for parents and their baby/child run by health visitors have been extended around the county.
A list of the clinics is on the Family Information Directory
There is no appointment needed for these clinics, so please make parents aware of them.
Autism Central have launched a new podcast, bringing together autistic people, parents, carers and professionals to talk about different aspects of autism. Their first series focuses on sensory processing and is hosted by Holly Sprake-Hill, a neurodivergent occupational therapist. There are 6 episodes, which look at:-
- Sensory processing
- Supporting sensory needs of non-speaking children
- Experiencing sensory differences as an autistic person
- Sensory differences as a non-speaking autistic person
- Sensory differences as a semi-speaking autistic person
- Being a sensory supporter for your child
Click to access the Sensory processing podcast
The latest edition of the Family Information Service (FIS) newsletter is now available on the news section of the Early help website.
The newsletter is just another way in which the FIS give parents the info and resources they need to help family life run a little smoother
Please encourage any families you are working with to sign up – and don’t forget to sign up yourself! Sign up to the Family Information Service newsletter or scan the QR code
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The latest edition of the newsletter for parent carers of children and young people with SEND has been issued and is available on the news section of the Local Offer
This newsletter is aimed at keeping parent carers up to date with all things SEND. Please share with any families you are working with who may benefit.
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The UK Safer Internet Centre has published a blog post about online chats in games, highlighting some of the risks to children and young people. The blog provides practical suggestions for keeping children safe when using online chats. Click to read the blog post My child is gaming with strangers – what should I do?
The Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership has published a Domestic Homicide Review following the death of Mr. C. You can find the review on the website on the published Domestic Homicide Review page and the Learning Briefing on the relevant page on the website.
Please share this learning briefing with your teams and use it as a learning tool in supervision. The recommendations from the review have been formulated into an action plan which is being monitored through the Adult Statutory Case Review Group.
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