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Family Intervention Service

A Council-run “Early Help” service providing advice and support for families with a wide range of needs.

Referral reason: Family in need of support for any of a wide range of issues including;

  • Improved Family Relationships
  • Positive Parenting Strategies
  • Good Early Years Development
  • Getting a Good Education
  • Improved Mental & Physical Health
  • Promoting recovery and reducing harm from substance misuse
  • Children Safe from Abuse, Exploitation, Crime and Domestic Abuse
  • Improving financial stability and having a safe and stable home environment
  • Engaging in positive activities in the community

Our offer

We work with families to recognise and build on their strengths, and to find solutions that work for the family to meet their needs with support from relevant professionals and the family’s network. This includes working with families who have children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

Depending on the family’s needs, support can vary from a single advice session, support to access group-work or the family may be allocated an Intervention worker to support the family for longer periods using a holistic multi-agency action plan with regular contact and home visits.

Parenting Hub

Our Parenting Hub offers seminars, discussion groups and a wide range of evidence-based parenting group programmes.  Families can self-refer for seminars and discussion groups.

Visit the Parenting Support webpage.

School Engagement Team

Our School Engagement Team offer advice sessions jointly with school or nursery staff in the school setting.  They cover any of the issues in our core offer. If more intensive support than this is needed, then the strengths & needs of the family will be explored by the lead universal service and referred in for more targeted Early Help support using an Early Help Assessment.

Intervention Workers

Our Intervention Workers work with families who are struggling with multiple issues. We intervene for as long as necessary to support positive change.  We end our involvement when the family and their support network can maintain those positive changes.

A multi-agency support plan that meets the needs of the family will be agreed and reviewed at regular Team Around the Family meetings.  This includes direct support and advice provided in the family home, as well as at school and/or in community settings. The family and involved professionals will receive a letter confirming the lead practitioner and their manager, the notes of the Team Around the Family meetings, copies of the Action Plan(s) and the Maintenance plan agreed when our involvement ends.

How to refer

Services - including education settings and health workers - can refer families using an Early Help Assessment.  You can find the form and guidance under links and documents on this page.  Completed forms need to be e-mailed to EarlyHelpAssessment@sheffield.gov.uk.

If families feel unable to speak to their education or health providers about their issues they can also self-refer by calling (0114) 203 7485.

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