Early Help Thresholds

Thresholds for Accessing Support

Anyone who interacts with children, young people, families, or vulnerable adults can be part of Early Help.

The people who know a family best are often in the best position to identify potential challenges early on. We want to support people to recognise these signs and find resources to guide families towards the right support.

Knowing when to help

Children, young people and family needs are unlikely to fit into a simple threshold. However, levels or thresholds help practitioners and professionals identify key needs so that they can respond appropriately. These Early Help Thresholds are based on the pan-London Threshold Document: Continuum of Help and Support. It is also aligned to the iTHRIVE conceptual framework to help us understand need and the level of offer in response to need. We have slightly adapted this to fit into the Islington context.

The Thresholds Guide can help you identify and categorise levels and thresholds of need, so you can connect families with the right support.

The Early Help levels 

The image below gives an overview of the different levels and thresholds in Early Help. 

Level 1: No / low levels of need 

• No additional needs. These children/young people have no additional needs. You can continue routine monitoring and support their strengths. 
• Emerging needs. These children/young people have a low level of vulnerability. Their additional needs can be met by a single Universal Services Agency. Multi-agency early help begins here. 

Level 2: Early Help in response to emerging challenges.

These children have additional needs, may be vulnerable, and might show early signs of abuse or neglect. Their needs are unclear, unknown, or unmet, and they may be subject to adult-focused care giving.

This situation meets the threshold for starting a multi-agency early help assessment. These children need a lead professional to coordinate additional services like family support, parenting programs, and children's centers. These services are provided through universal or targeted services and do not include children's social care.

Level 3: Children with complex and multiple needs. 

These children are at risk of harm, though not immediately. They need support from specialist services to remain healthy and meet their developmental goals. This may require longer-term interventions and an assessment by Children’s Social Care.

Level 4: Children with acute needs.

These children are suffering or are likely to suffer significant harm. They need acute services or specialist care. Immediate action is needed, get in touch with emergency services (999) and refer to Children’s Services, read more here. 

The continuum can be broken down accordingly: 

Islington Partnership's role 

Those who know the family well are in a great position to help. Many people can help, and we value collaboration between professionals, families, and the community.

Here's what that means: 

• Empowering professionals: Professionals can get free training to identify children and families' strengths and needs. 
• Promoting teamwork: Different agencies should work together to support families, including shared responsibility and mutual challenges between partners to keep children safe. However complex a child's needs, universal services (e.g., education and health), will always be offered alongside specialist additional services. You can read more in the Working Together 2023 resource.
• Building relationships: Professionals, families, and support teams should have clear and open conversations about any concerns.
• Child and family-centred care: All services must be based on a clear understanding of the needs and views of the individual child in their family and community context. Involve, value and respond to our diverse local community. 
• Uphold good practices: Be courageous in making a positive difference in children's and young people’s lives. Ensure to advocate and show professional curiosity. 
• Share learning to continuously improve: Work together in partnership to reflect and learn from other’s experiences. 

Here is a guidance document for identifying and categorising levels of need.