Birmingham Children’s Partnership - Resources
Families are telling us about the many challenges they face, together with their concerns as a result of the aftereffects of the pandemic and the cost of living crisis. So as partners across Birmingham we are connecting together to support families who want early help. These are conversations around initial help and support for things like food, fuel, mental health, loneliness, amongst others.
The following sectors are connecting together in ten localities: community, voluntary and faith sectors, health, family support, social work, police, schools, education, further education, nurseries, children’s centres, health visitors, GPs and West Midlands Police.
Ongoing support in ten localities
Each area has a voluntary sector Locality Lead and staff from a range of services, see our list of the ten Locality Leads.
The ten Locality Leads have close relationships with partners and communities, so they can help the whole family.
For example, provide family support, give advice and guidance including linking to food banks, connect families to the professionals who can support them and coordinate the help, support early help assessments (evidencing what the needs are, identifying the family strengths and finding the right solutions to support the journey of the family), connect families into the local community resources to help families be independent and resilient within their communities.
Family Connect
Some families need support from more than one professional. We no longer make referrals for early help, but connect and work together to support families, continuing to build relationships and supporting a range of needs of all family members.
To get support for a child, young people, or a family, complete the Family Connect Form for Professionals and give as much detail as possible. This will enable us to understand the family needs and provide appropriate support from within the Early Help Partnership.
Family Connect Form - for Professionals
Family Connect Form - for Professionals (If you can not access the form you may need to contact your own IT admin for permission to gain access or remove firewalls).
If you are a parent, complete the Family Connect form.
Family Connect Form - Self Identification
FCF Commissioned Service Specialist Request
Schools and partners can now connect directly to the Early Help commissioned services when a family/child/young person needs a specific intervention.Only use this form if you need support from the two services below:
- Barnardos Autism
- The service provides direct interventions to children and young people with autism and their families. It focuses on developing knowledge around autism and helping families to implement supportive strategies; interventions are tailored to individual needs and can include 1-1 work with parents and/or children and young people.
- Barnardos Mentoring
- Early Help Mentoring offers short-term, direct 1:1 mentoring and befriending support for young people aged 11-19 . It offers support over 6-12 sessions to improve children and young people's emotional wellbeing by focussing on five key themes: Health and Wellbeing, Education and Training, Family and Relationships, Coping Strategies and Aspirations and Interests.
To help you to complete the Family Connect Form, see the guidance and a sample completed form
Making Every Contact Count (MECC)
Making Every Contact Count (MECC) is all about daily conversations that you may already be having with professionals that they can also talk about conversations on how to make positive changes through advice and guidance to their health, wellbeing, debt, housing, adaptations, environment, social needs, etc.
From Birmingham with Love
For a simple list of universal early help that is available from partners for all families go to the From Birmingham with Love page. This includes a flyer or poster that can be handed to families and translated versions.
Government vision for Early Help
The Ministry for Housing, Communities, and Local Government recently published a vision and toolkit for early help.
Page last updated: 31 October 2024
