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Early Help Assessment Team
Herefordshire Early Help Team – Support for Families
At Barrs Court School, we believe early support can make a big difference. The Herefordshire Early Help Team offers families help when small worries begin, to prevent challenges growing. They work with children, young people, parents and carers so that families get the right support, at the right time.
What is Early Help?
Early Help is about identifying and addressing issues early, before they become more serious.
Support is available for children and young people up to age 18. For young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), this may extend up to age 25.
The aim is to provide lasting positive change and make everyday family life easier.
What kind of support does the Early Help Team offer?
Area of Support | What this can include |
Emotional & mental health | Help with stress, anxiety, family relationships and behaviour challenges. |
Practical/family life issues | Housing, finances, and managing day-to-day pressures. |
Child wellbeing & development | Support for children’s growth, wellbeing, and learning; keeping them safe at home, online, and in the community. |
SEND support | Extra help for families of children with SEND, including support accessing services and planning for longer-term needs. |
Advice, guidance & referrals | Linking families with specialist services, helping with assessments, and connecting with local community support. |
How it works
A family member, teacher, or another professional can suggest completing an Early Help Assessment (EHA). This gathers your family’s support needs in one place, with your consent, so you don’t have to repeat your story many times.
Together with you, the Early Help Team creates a plan to address your priorities and may assign a key person who helps co-ordinate support.
Support is reviewed regularly through meetings (often called Team Around the Family meetings) to check progress, adjust support if needed, or close the plan when things have improved.
Home-Start & Vennture support through Early Help
As part of an Early Help plan, families may also be linked with trusted local services:
Home-Start Herefordshire, friendly, trained volunteers visit once a week (usually for 2–3 hours) to provide befriending support for children, young people and families, and can signpost to other services.
Vennture Family Mentors, trained mentors (sometimes called Family Pastors) visit about once a week to listen, encourage, and support positive changes at home.
Contact details & how to start
If you feel your family could benefit from early help, talk to someone you trust, a teacher, school staff member, health visitor, or GP.
Alternatively, you can contact the Early Help Hub directly for advice and guidance:
Phone: 01432 260800
Email: earlyhelp-contacts@herefordshire.gov.uk
Early Help and support for families in Herefordshire - Herefordshire Council