St Oswald's Catholic Primary SchoolEarly Help
Early Help
Working Together to Support You and Your Family
At St Oswald’s, we understand that family life can sometimes be challenging. Every family faces ups and downs, and at times you may need a little extra support. Please remember, you are never alone. If you are finding things difficult at home or need advice, we are here to help.
What Is Early Help?
Early Help means offering support to children and families as soon as a difficulty arises, at any stage in a child’s life.
Our aim is to work alongside you to strengthen and support your family so that you can move forward positively and confidently. The earlier we can help, the better the outcomes for everyone.
We follow the Working Well with Children and Families Guidance, which you can find here:
🔗 Working Well with Children and Families Guidance (Lancashire)
You can also visit the Lancashire Children’s Safeguarding Assurance Partnership (CSAP) website for further information and resources:
🔗 CSAP Website
The Early Help Assessment
The Early Help Assessment (EHA) helps families and professionals work together to identify what is going well and what areas might need extra support.
Part of the assessment includes a Family Radar, which helps everyone to see where support might make the most difference and how things can improve over time.
How We Can Help
At St Oswald’s, we can offer or coordinate a wide range of support for families, such as:
Support for Families
Guidance and advice to promote good school attendance
Liaising with external services such as Housing or Children’s Social Care
Support with appointments and meetings
Help completing forms and paperwork, including housing, grants, benefits, and school applications
Referrals to outside agencies such as Speech and Language Therapists or Paediatric Teams
Emotional support for parents and carers
SEND parent drop-ins with the Headteacher or SENDCo
Support from the School Nurse
Home visits and wellbeing check-ins
Signposting to other community services
Support for Children in School
Lunchtime games and friendship clubs
Tailored learning interventions
Access to pre-loved uniform
Extra transition support for new starters or leavers
A range of after-school clubs and enrichment opportunities
Emotional and pastoral support
Guidance with uniform or school equipment needs
Why Might I Ask for Early Help?
Families reach out for early help for many different reasons. You might be worried about:
Your child’s behaviour, development, or wellbeing
School attendance or learning progress
Family finances or housing issues
The impact of illness, bereavement, or relationship changes
A child acting as a carer for a sibling or relative
Domestic difficulties, substance misuse, or family stress
Whatever the situation, it is always okay to ask for help.
How to Ask for Early Help
If you feel you or your family might benefit from some extra support, please contact:
bursar@longton-st-oswalds.lancs.sch.uk
Or speak with Mr Hough, Headteacher, via the school office.
What Happens Next
Once you get in touch, we will arrange a convenient time to talk, either at school or in your home. Together, we will chat about what is going well, what has been difficult, and what kind of support you think would help.
This initial conversation forms part of the Early Help Assessment. It is a simple, friendly discussion designed to find practical solutions and the right support network for your family.
If we agree that more ongoing help would be useful, we may arrange a Team Around the Family (TAF) meeting. This brings together any professionals involved so everyone works in partnership with you to achieve the best outcome for your child.
You remain at the centre of all decisions, and your views and wishes always matter most.
More Information
For more about Early Help in Lancashire, please visit:
🔗 Lancashire Early Help Assessment Information