Shropshire Early Help Newsletter – February 2025
Welcome to the latest edition of the Early Help Newsletter. In this edition you can find information on a new youth drop in starting in Ludlow, a new sexual health clinic for anyone over 13 years of age, our community and family hubs, and how there’s still time for parents to tell the Family Information Service about their information needs now and in the future, plus lots more.If you have information on your service area you would like to share in the next early help newsletter, please email [email protected]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.’Shropshire Council’s Children and Young People’s vision statementThe only number you needNew youth drop in session for young peopleCircle of SupportParenting Help and Support LineEarly Help Coffee and Chat Drop InsHealth Visitor Open access clinicsSleep Tight WorkshopsWhat information do you need now, or may need in the future?Community hubs webpages promote wellbeing support for ShropshireEmotionally Based School AvoidanceNew Sexual Health outreach clinicBest Start in LifeNeglect tools and pathwaysFire setting Intervention SchemeTurning the curve workshop– transforming services for children and families in ShropshireDesignated Safeguarding Lead Spring Network SessionShropshire’s young carer support offers vital aid to young carersShropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership (SSCP) website updateChild mental health: anxietyOnline safety: artificial intelligenceOnline child sexual abuseChild mental health: Family ConflictDomestic AbuseChildren’s Social CareHealth VisitingEarly help feedback
The only number you need
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.
New youth drop in session for young people
Our Shropshire Youth team in the south are running a drop in session for young people aged 13 years+The session offers young people the chance to chill out with friends in a safe space while also having the chance to chat with our youth workers Tom and Ian. The sessions are every other Wednesday starting from 26th February from 6pm – 8pm and will be held at the Ludlow Youth Centre Please share this new drop in with any families you are supporting and the partners you work with.
Circle of Support
Following feedback, the Circle of Support document has changed slightly to now include scoring at the end of each of the 10 Supporting Families Criteria.The Circle of Support document is a tool to help you complete the early help assessment by asking 4 simple questions.You can find the updated document on the early help website under tools and forms
Parenting Help and Support Line
The Parenting Help and Support Line is here for parents with a friendly listening ear and practical advice on everything from behaviours that challenge to sleep issues. No judgment, just support.Call 01743 250950 Monday – Thursday, 9.30am – 4.30pm or Friday, 9.30am – 3.30pm or email: [email protected]
Early Help Coffee and Chat Drop Ins
It’s fair to say that all parents from time to time need some help and support with issues that impact on family life. There is help and support available in Shropshire through our Early Help coffee and chat drop ins – some of which are also stay and play sessions.You can get free Information, advice and support on all aspects of family life, at our Family Drop-Ins. You can chat, have a cuppa and see how we can help you with:Family lifeParenting supportDomestic abuse supportMoney worriesHousing supportSpecial Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)and much moreTo find your local drop in please visit the Family Information Directory
Health Visitor Open access clinics
Information on the open access clinics run throughout Shropshire by Health Visitors has been updated. You can find out where they are and when they run by clicking on the Shropshire Family Information Directory.They offer parents the chance to get their baby weighed but also to access information, advice and support on a range of topics, including:Infant feeding and breastfeeding adviceChild developmentEmotional health and wellbeingParenting and local support groupsBehaviourSleepPlease promote these great clinics to parents who may benefit from attending.
Sleep Tight Workshops
There are two Sleep Tight courses starting in March, which aim to support parents and carers to make positive changes to their child’s sleep patterns. Life can be difficult when children have sleep issues. The aim is to support families to get a better night’s sleep by using a behavioural approach to sleep and work in partnership with families, as we know that they are the expert on their children.
Workshops provide parents and carers with the opportunity to meet other families in similar situations and to gain tips on how to support a better night’s sleep for them and their child.
Quotes from parents who have been on the course”Absolutely fabulous workshop. Should be offered to first time parents when their babies are old enough for the skills learned to be applied. I have a disabled daughter and naively thought that the workshop wouldn’t apply to her needs, well I was wrong, I believe it applies to most children and every parent can take massive positives away from this workshop! Awesome!””I have learnt a lot! I was interested to learn about the science behind sleep, melatonin production, sleepy foods. It has been good to know that I’m not alone and to learn things from some of the other Mum’s who were on the course. It was helpful to hear their suggestions!”
To find out the dates and times of the next sessions, please visit the Family Information Service Directory
What information do you need now, or may need in the future?
Shropshire’s Family Information Service (FIS) provides free information, advice and support to families of children and young people aged 0-19 years old.The FIS is always keen to make sure the information it provides, and the way in which it is provided, meets the ever-changing needs of families in Shropshire.We would like to know more about what information you may want now for your family or what you think would be useful in the future. This will help us to provide that information to you.Have your say by clicking on this link Parent information needs survey 2025
The survey will close on 14th March 2025.
Community hubs webpages promote wellbeing support for Shropshire
We have launched new webpages to highlight the community and family support on offer in hubs all over the county, from Shropshire Council and our partners. The community and family hubs are located in Shrewsbury, Oswestry, Bridgnorth, Market Drayton, Highley and Ludlow, with activities and guidance available to help families and residents stay healthy and connected. There is a wide range of support on offer based on feedback from communities, from early help for families, domestic abuse support, help to stop smoking, information and housing and more, for all ages. Whilst much of the support is already ongoing, the new webpages bring the services together to one online space, so people can easily search and find what they need. Find the pages and share with your communities: www.shropshire.gov.uk/communityhubs
Emotionally Based School Avoidance
Persistent absence, a term used by the Department for Education (DfE) to describe children and young people who miss 10% or more of school, is of national and international concern. Children and young people miss school for a variety of reasons that are often complicated and inter-related. Some children and young people want to go to school but struggle to do so because of emotional distress. The term, emotionally based school avoidance (EBSA), is used to describe the emotional difficulties involved with non-attendance.Listening to each other, monitoring attendance data and identifying children and young people early who are starting to show signs of EBSA, gives schools and professionals the best chance to prevent entrenched EBSA and to provide timely support.At the recent Early Help Partnership Board, the EBSA Guidance and Resources were discussed, and which can be used to help and support early intervention, as much as possible, for those children and young people who are ‘at risk’ of EBSA.
New Sexual Health outreach clinic
There’s a new monthly sexual health drop in for people over the age of 13 starting in Ludlow.
The clinic will be held at Ludlow Youth Centre. The next clinic is Wednesday 26th February. No bookings needed, just drop in.
Best Start in Life
Research has shown that the early years of a child’s life are crucial for their development and wellbeing and can have a significant impact on their future.We want every child in Shropshire to have the best possible start in life. This Best Start In Life website is a valuable resource, providing information and guidance to support families and carers with children from pregnancy to 4 years old.
Neglect tools and pathways
A number of Rapid Reviews and Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews have highlighted that not all practitioners are using the Neglect Tools and pathways when working with families and children who may be suffering from Neglect.The purpose of the practitioner guidance and the Neglect Screening Tool is to help practitioners to:
Identify signs of neglect at the earliest point possible
Be clear about what information they have
Help the child/ren and their family understand their concerns about Neglect and what progress has been made
Use their professional judgement to make decisions about the level of harm the child is experiencing and what action they should be taking to prevent the situation becoming worse
Identify any other organisation or team that also needs to be aware of the situation to undertake additional assessment and intervention as needed
Please ensure that the Neglect Tools and Pathway are disseminated to all practitioners and that they familiarise themselves with the documents and that they use them in their practice.
Fire setting Intervention Scheme
Fire poses a threat to life & property.
Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service offer a free ‘Fire setting Intervention Scheme’, designed to educate children and young people about the dangers of fire setting.The scheme is aimed at:children and young people under 17who have displayed fire setting behaviour or have played with fire
For more information visit: https://www.shropshirefire.gov.uk/firesettingTo book email: [email protected]
Turning the curve workshop– transforming services for children and families in Shropshire
Aim of the Workshop:To reflect as a partnership on Shropshire’s approach to supporting and protecting children and families who need help. Sharing understanding on what is working well and what needs to change to achieve consistently good and outstanding outcomes – using the most up to date knowledge and understanding (data analysis and intelligence) to benchmark against high performing Local Authorities.By the end of the workshop there will be:A framework for a draft multi agency whole system transformation plan.
A commitment from all agencies to contribute to a final agreed transformation plan.An agreed set of ‘quick wins’ from all agencies to respond to areas of improvement that need quick impactful solutions.Agreed processes for follow up oversight of the transformation plan.
A commitment to consider the associated resource implications of a whole system transformation.Thursday 6th March 2025 from 10:30 – 2:00pm at the Barnabas Centre, ShrewsburyClick here to book your place on the workshop or share this link to the SSCP website which contains the link to book your place and information on the workshop.
Designated Safeguarding Lead Spring Network Session
You are now able to book onto the Spring DSL session on 19th March from 10-12, through this link Schools DSL Spring Network.
Following our discussions at previous network sessions around key themes we will be focusing on Elective home education EHE, Children missing education CME, emotionally bases school avoidance EBSA and Prevent.Shropshire’s young carer support offers vital aid to young carersShropshire Council’s Young Carer Support team is wanting to highlight the support available to young carers across the county.A young carer could be someone from the ages of 5 to 17 years of age who helps to look after (or ‘care’ for) a family member who has a physical disability, mental illness, or alcohol/drug addiction.Shropshire’s Young Carer Support team offer a variety of initiatives designed to assist young carers. These include:Monthly Young Carer Groups: Held across the county, these groups provide a safe space for young carers to have fun, engage in crafts and games, and connect with others who understand their situation.Holiday Activities: During school holidays, the team hosts various activities to offer respite and enjoyment for young carers.School Project Officer: A dedicated officer works with schools in Shropshire to identify and support young carers, ensuring they receive the help they need within the educational environment.If you are supporting a family where there is a young carer, please contact the young carers support team. Find out more here Shropshire’s young carer support offers vital aid to young carers – Shropshire Council Newsroom
Shropshire Safeguarding Community Partnership (SSCP) website update
The SSCP website has had a refresh. We have created a Safeguarding Children Partnership section of the website where you can find out more about the Childrens Safeguarding Partnership, it’s governance arrangements and quality assurance activity, view our annual reports and find out more about our Local Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and the learning that they have identified about our safeguarding system and practice.We have also updated the Child Safeguarding Practice pages to include information on our work around Child Sexual Exploitation, Neglect, Child Sexual Abuse and more. This is also where you will find links to the multi-agency training and learning events that are available, the safeguarding procedures and current tools and pathways for practitioners to use in their practice with children and families. Please ensure that practitioners and mangers within your agency are aware of the SSCP website and that they familiarise themselves with the revised Childrens sections as soon as possible.We would appreciate your feedback on the website so we can continue to update it further – you can do so through the website feedback form. Could you please also encourage your colleagues to sign up for the mailing list to receive future updates.
Child mental health: anxiety
The NSPCC has published a news story for Children’s Mental Health Week encouraging young people who are experiencing anxiety to reach out.The story reveals that in the first six months of 2024/25, Childline delivered over 6,600 online and phone counselling sessions related to anxiety, representing 24% of all counselling sessions about mental health and wellbeing.The article provides advice for children who may be struggling with anxiety and includes tips to share with parents to help them support their child.
Read the news story: Anxiety the top mental health concern for children contacting our Childline service
Download Childline posters: Childline posters
Online safety: artificial intelligence
The NSPCC has published a news story to help parents and carers learn more about artificial intelligence (AI) content and tools. The article explains what AI-generated content is and offers six tips to support children to use AI safely.
Read the news story: Artificial intelligence safety tips for parents
See also on NSPCC Learning Viewing generative AI and children’s safety in the roundOnline
child sexual abuse
The Home Office has published a press release announcing new measures to address artificial intelligence (AI) generated child sexual abuse images.Under proposed new laws, it will be illegal to possess, create or distribute AI tools designed to generate child sexual abuse material; and to possess ‘manuals’ which teach people how to use AI to sexually abuse children.At the same time, the Home Office will: introduce a specific criminal offence for people who run websites designed to share child sexual abuse content; and give Border Force the power to compel an individual they reasonably suspect poses a sexual risk to children to unlock their digital devices for inspection. These measures will be introduced as part of the Crime and Policing Bill.
Read the press release: Britain’s leading the way protecting children from online predators
See also on NSPCC Learning Protecting children from child sexual abuse
Child mental health: Family Conflict
Coram has published a free Family Harmony Toolkit for professionals working with families to reduce the impact of harmful conflict on children’s mental health. The toolkit offers a framework to help practitioners support families experiencing difficulties in communication and additional pressures on family life such as transitions and supporting a child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) which may exacerbate conflict.It is based on Coram’s Family Harmony Intervention and provides practical resources, including session guides and activities that draw from family therapy, music therapy and art therapy interventions. Session guides and activities can be used as part of a planned programme or in isolation, in groups or with individual families. An evaluation of the Family Harmony Intervention has also been published.
Download the toolkit: Coram launches Family Harmony Toolkit to address harmful impact of family conflict on children’s mental health
Domestic Abuse
Pause and Listen has released a podcast on birth mothers’ experiences of domestic abuse. Pause is a charity which works with women who have had, or are at risk of having, their children removed from their care.The episode features discussion with the CEO of charity For Baby’s Sake and two mothers who have worked with Pause, covering: breaking the intergenerational cycle of domestic abuse; the systemic changes needed to meet the individual needs of families; and the complexities of protecting children whilst also seeking support when experiencing domestic abuse. Listen to the podcast: In a mother’s mind: birth mothers’ experiences of domestic abuse
See also on NSPCC Learning Protecting children from domestic abuse
Children’s Social Care
University College London (UCL) has published new research looking at the number of children requiring social care intervention in England. The study estimates that a quarter of children in England receive services from children’s social care before turning 18-years-old.Researchers analysed data collected for the annual Children in Need Census, but combined information over time rather than looking at one year.This revealed that, when taking a view across children’s lives, the number of children in need is much higher than previous yearly-snapshot estimates.
Read the news story: One in four children receive services from children’s social care services before turning 18
Read the study: Estimated cumulative incidence of intervention by children’s social care services to age 18: a whole-of-England administrative data cohort study using the child in need census
Health Visiting
The Institute of Health Visiting has published a report on the UK health visiting landscape during 2024.
Based on findings from a survey of 1,392 practitioners, the report looks at babies, young children and their families’ needs; the delivery of health visiting services and local disparities; the workforce, including staffing levels and caseloads; and strengthening health visiting.
Findings include: across the UK, the top reason why families needed extra help from health visitors was due to perinatal mental health problems; and in England, practitioners reported that more of their time was being requested to support families struggling with the impacts of child poverty and families with children with safeguarding concerns below the threshold for children’s social care.Recommendations include the need for a realistic and accurate level of funding reflecting the true scale of need for health visiting services.
Read the report: State of health visiting, UK survey report: from disparity to opportunity: the case for rebuilding health visiting
Early help feedback
We wanted to share with you some recent feedback we have received from parents and children and young people who have received support from Shropshire Council’s Early Help Team
Compliment for Donna Jones, Family Support Worker in the north
Honestly Donna has set in place things going forward to help with things like my debt and a Play practitioner and going forward this will really help our family. Our family is on a healing journey and without Donna we wouldn’t be where we are now!Donna has made a big difference to our lives; she was there when no one else was!There is nothing more early help could have done. Donna made sure me and the children got all the support we needed. I would rate Donna a 10 because she has been amazing. Thank you for saving me and the children x
Compliment for Gill Gittins, Family Support Worker in the South, from a parent:Just an update as had a lovely meeting with Gill and on her advice, I have applied for EHCP form, I have rung School for all files they have on X to help.I have asked for letter / fit note from Doctor, and I have applied for DLA for X.It was so nice to have Gill offer her help and advice and really enjoyed her visit.Thank you for your support it actually feels like we could be getting somewhere, I have assessment with BEEU.
Compliment for Emily Parr, Family Support Worker in the Central area
Emily was assigned to my family whilst they were experiencing very many difficulties, myself too. Emily from day dot jumped straight in amongst multiple quite sensitive challenges and started to assist with everything.Emily was first assigned primarily to X, who had experienced multiple suicide attempts and was utterly shut down and in a very dark place. X was at a point where she had given up and would not let anyone near her. X built a lovely relationship and opened up to Emily fully. Emily has helped us with Xs schooling issues which had been a huge issue and trigger for X.Emily arranged multiple meetings with many different people and myself to achieve where we are today. Emily has left no rock unturned and done absolutely everything possible to help us. Not only has Emily helped X overcome many mental health challenges, she has restored Xs faith in people. Without Emily’s and support my family would be stuck and in quite an awful place. Emily had many meetings with my girls she has such an amazing personality, and she has made my girls feel like the sky is the limit approach to life. Emily is relatable, fun, bubbly and kind and absolutely amazing at her job.End result with Emily’s support with X is that now X will restart tmbss school and continue her education this being a huge step as X has not attended school since March last year. We as a family are beyond grateful for all the work Emily has done. X, i must admit is heartbroken that we will no longer see Emily. X words “Emily is not like a support worker; Emily is the best friend everyone should have and needs.”Emily has supported me with many options and approaches and gave me the tools that I didn’t realise that i had. she has given me much confidence when i felt my whole world was falling apart. Again, like X i can honestly say Emily is beyond comparison she is absolutely incredible. Without Emily i dread to imagine what life would be like without her. We because of Emily have achieved more than i could possibly imagine. We will miss her dearly.Emily has supported my x2 pregnant daughters with supporting letters and given lots of advice and support.All my girls love Emily very much. My youngest had support from Emily with regards to schooling too and learning difficulties she experiences. Emily again filtered through options, processes etc and made what felt impossible possible.I cannot emphasise enough how much Emily has done for my family. She is an incredible support worker and a credit to your team. To the point if given the chance we would keep her for life. Over all Xs quote says it all “Emily is not like a support worker! she is the best friend everyone wants and needs.Thank you so much
Shropshire Council, Shirehall, Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury SY2 6ND
Tel: 0345 678 9021
Last modified: 27th February 2025
