Early Help Strategy 2022

Wigan Council have put together their Early Help Strategy for 2022 which is detailed below, along with some downloadable PDF files.

Early Help Strategy 2022

Our Vision

We want all children in Wigan borough to be happy, healthy and safe; to feel listened to and to have the maximum opportunities to be ambitious. Early Help is everyone’s business. If children or their families need help and support it should be at the right time, by the right person and in the right place for them.

We are listening

What we will do in 2022

• Revise our Early Help Assessments to identify needs of your whole family and improve outcomes.
• Improve referral, recording processes and information sharing so you tell your story once.
• Create opportunities for services to be based together so communication between services is better.
• Develop our online offer so that your family can see the services available and how to access them.
• Increase our understanding of families needs in different neighbourhoods.

You have also told us…

You benefit from positive relationships with individual workers. We will create more roles that coordinate your support (Lead Professionals) across the workforce.

You value the support from voluntary and community organisations and we will work closely with them to build on existing relationships and strengthen the wider support offer.

You want to help shape future support. We will be involving families in a variety of ways to progress this.

We will

Create a number of family hubs (One Stop Shops) in your local community that will offer a range of services and support to meet the needs of your whole family. For example access to financial advice and support, mental health services, parenting support. Online support will be accessible 24/7.

Building on the strengths of communities, Voluntary and Community Sector organisations we will work with families to develop local services that meet your needs.

Develop our support offer so you only need to tell your story once to receive the right support at the right time.

Ensure that services are located within your community and work together with you to make a positive difference to your whole family.

You said

“Better referrals between services to avoid dropping through the cracks and helping to avoid having to repeat the story countless times.”

“Every part of a child’s negative behaviour communicates a need, a need that is often unmet by their parents/carers. This means that the family needs to analyse their issues as well as their child.”

“Community Interest Companies and charities are amazing, local authority level good but patchy and disjointed.”

“Going through homelessness, drug addiction, and Lyndsey dragged me out of a hole I never thought I’d come out of. She gave me hope for the future and helped me change to a person I didn’t feel I was capable of.”

“It would be good to have guidance on what services are available and how to access them.”

“Service is not easy to navigate, been difficult to get agencies to communicate with each other.”

“Coordinated approach with named key worker that can support with health, social and education needs.”

What we hope to achieve

• Children, and their families are physically and emotionally healthier.
• Children’s development in early years is good and children are ‘school ready’.
• Parent and young people’s involvement in crime and/or anti-social behaviour is reduced.
• Substance misuse is managed or ceased.
• School attendance is good.
• Suspensions and permanent exclusions and educational inequalities are reduced.
• Children are safe from abuse and exploitation.
• Children and their families live in secure homes.
• There is a reduction in domestic abuse.
• More children grow up in families with financial stability and employment.
• Adults and young people are supported to access employment, education and training.
• Children and their families have positive relationships.