Overview of Prevention and Early Help

In the Bradford district we believe that the best way to protect children is to ensure that they are loved, cared for and nurtured by their parents and carers; we must do all that we can to ensure that children thrive and are given the opportunity to learn and grow their aspirations.

Many children in the Bradford District have that opportunity. For those that do not, we need to make sure that we help to prevent problems from occurring in the first place and provide early help when it is needed.

A critical factor in supporting and safeguarding is the skill, effectiveness, and professionalism of the people who work with children and their families. No single professional can have a full picture of a child’s needs and circumstances and, if children and families are to receive the right help, at the right time and for the right duration, everyone who comes into contact with them has a role to play in identifying concerns, sharing information and taking prompt action.

We can never entirely eliminate risk to children, but we need to be confident that every child has support when they need it so that they can live in safety, free from abuse and neglect.

Prevention and Early Help is about recognising the strengths in children and families, walking alongside them, and ensuring that they have the right help at the right time, so that they can thrive.

The Prevention and Early Help System is not defined by a single service or department; it represents a shared responsibility across our entire partnership.

The Prevention and Early Help System Board is responsible for delivery of an effective and mature system. Together, we are committed to offering quality universal advice and support, as well as the early identification of additional needs, proactive engagement, and the coordinated delivery of a network of support services that respond as challenges begin to emerge. We will always work together to see the signs, listen with empathy, and act with purpose.

A wide range of agencies make up the system and children and families are at the heart of this:

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