Early Help Offer
Staff at Warden Hill Infant Academy are committed to supporting all families in the school. Our early
help offer is a range of support services for children, young people, and families facing challenges,
designed to step in early to prevent problems from worsening, covering things like parenting, mental
health, housing, or school issues.
We offer support, information, advice and sign-posting with the following:
Attendance
Free School Meals
Parenting
Completing Forms
Transition
Behaviour
Referrals to agencies
Uniform
Housing
Benefits
Crisis management
Additional support and services
General advice
The Early Help Offer Contact details:
Headteacher – Lisa Maxted (01582 595150)
Designated Safeguarding Lead- Lisa Maxted (01582 595150)
Deputy Designated Safeguarding Leads: Michelle Nelis (Deputy Head Teacher), Yetunde Otunla
(Assistant Head) and Katie Richards (Family Worker)
We have approximately 279 pupils on roll.
All members of staff update their safeguarding training annually. There are 24 members of staff
trained in First Aid. 7 members of staff are trained in Dynamis positive handling. All training is up to
date and is renewed as necessary.
What is Early Help? (Please remember that Early Help is an approach we use and not a service.)
Our aim is to identify needs early and to signpost and add in appropriate support for the child and
family. All staff understand the meaning of safeguarding and recognise their role in ensuring
safeguarding practices are adhered to at all times.
All staff at Warden Hill Infant Academy believe that all children should get a good start in life and
signposting support services, adding in support within school and sharing information in a way can
be effective to the support that is provided. We recognise that other agencies will be able to support
families based on their specialised work. We understand our responsibilities and as a school we will
carry out our duties in ensuring the effectiveness of Early Help Services for pupils in accordance with
the requirements of the Children Act 2004 and within the statutory guidance “Working Together
2018”.
In summary, these are to:
Identify children and their families who would benefit from Early Help utilising the Luton
Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB) thresholds.
Undertake an assessment of the need for Early Help where this is appropriate.
Ensure signposting of targeted Early Help services to address the assessed needs of a child
and family which focuses on activity to significantly improve the outcomes for the child.
Share information on that provision which is consistent with the child’s welfare and with
recognising and working with confidentiality on a need to know basis.
Staff have daily contact with children and their families throughout term time. All staff recognise
their role in identifying needs of vulnerable children and their families need for early help.
All staff will advise the DSL or DDSL of any concerns they have about a child. The child may then be
referred to MASH or Early Help will be provided by the school. A secure record is maintained as a
chronology of concerns. Where appropriate, the DSL will assess the needs of a family- this will be
with the parents unless it is a matter of Child Protection and the child may be at risk of further harm
if the parents are informed. A referral to MASH may then be made by the DSL or a DDSL.
Our Early Help Approach
1. The Voice of the child.
The school can provide a neutral place where the child feels it is safe to talk. Staff are reminded in
weekly briefings and around staff areas about professional curiosity. Staff are able to listen to the
child, being alert of the child’s lived experience during the conversation and containing how they are
feeling, allowing the child to speak freely without feeling judged. The Theraputive Thinking Policy
that staff work within provide, patience and time for the children to feel heard. Staff speak in to
children in a manner that provides them time to regulate their emotions. We treat what the children
share with us seriously, and value what they say.
2. Hearing what parents/carers have to say and signposting to support agencies:
We understand that there are challenges that come with being a parent and sometimes extra
support may need to be explored. Please speak to us if you need help. The school may be able to
help you or signpost you and your family to other partner agencies such as CAMHS (Child and Adult
Mental Health Service), Parenting Support, The School Nursing Team etc.
3. After speaking to the child and parents a TAF (Team around the Family Meeting) might be called,
This meeting is an opportunity for school staff, parents and any other professional working with your
family to discuss the needs of the child so that both home and school are working together to best
support your child. It aims to:
Help you see what’s going well and not so well for your family
Help you and others to see what support you might need
Create a picture of your family’s circumstances, which can be shared with your permission so you
don’t have to repeat yourself to different workers
Help you to be part of a team of people working together on the same plan to get things going well
again
4. Valuing safeguarding training at all levels:
Our Designated Safeguarding Lead, Lisa Maxted completes regular ongoing training. The Deputy
Safeguarding Leads attend Safeguarding training every 3 years. All staff members receive annual
refresher training. New staff cover safeguarding training as part of their induction. All staff are
provided with the following information:
Keeping Children Safe in Education (updated yearly)
Child Protection and Safeguarding Policy
Staff Handbook
Staff Code of Conduct
Therapeutic Thinking Behaviour Policy.
5. Being knowledgeable and aware:
The DSL and the deputy DSLs receive alerts from the safeguarding partners, attend safeguarding
briefings and keep their knowledge and awareness of safeguarding up-to-date and at the heart of
their practice.
6. Understanding links: Staff understand the correlation between domestic abuse and child
protection – staff are vigilant, listening to the child and making referrals as required
7. Sharing risk management practice: The school is fully engaged with the multi-agency risk
assessment conference process (child in need and child protection), where necessary.
Identifying risks at the earliest opportunity: All staff are aware of the risks which may indicate the
need for early help – this includes children who:
are disabled or have a specific additional need/need,
have Special Educational Needs,
are a young carer,
have a family who are showing signs of being drawn into anti-social or criminal behaviour,
including gang involvement and association with organised crime groups,
are frequently missing or go missing from care or from home,
are at risk of modern slavery, trafficking or exploitation,
are at risk of being radicalised or exploited,
are in a family circumstance presenting challenges for the child, such as drug and alcohol misuse,
adult mental health issues and domestic abuse,
are misusing drugs or alcohol themselves,
are privately fostered,
have returned home to their family from care.
7. Recognising where early help is effective: Staff understand that, where a statutory intervention is
not required, early help may be used to address non-violent harmful sexual behaviour to prevent
escalation of sexual violence.
8. Understanding legal responsibilities: Staff are aware of the extent of Prevent work, FGM and
forced marriages and understand how to fulfil their legal responsibilities.