Getting Help Early

Welcome to the LSCP parent and carer pages. Here you will find key information about some of the safeguarding challenges facing children, young people and their parents today, along with links to support, advice and guidance on keeping them safe.

Getting help early

Children of any age can experience problems at times, and parents or carers can’t always meet their needs by themselves. When children do require some extra support it’s always best to put help in place before things worse.

Throughout your child’s life there are people around you can go to get advice, guidance and support, for example:

• Midwives
• Health Visitors, GPs
• Children’s Centres, nurseries
• Schools
• Other workers you might be in contact with such as Youth Workers, PSCOs or Housing Officers

Go to the Family Information Service website for more information

If you are worried about the safety of a child go to the  worried about a child page

There are some national organisations that offer support for parents around specific safeguarding issues. You will find links to these in the relevant pages.

Supporting Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, Age 0-25

The Local Offer website is a collaboration between parents and carers of disabled children, young people and Lewisham Council to help you find what is available in the area for those with Special Education Needs or Disabilities (ages 0-25) and how to access a variety of services.  These range from health, social care and education to respite, leisure facilities, support groups and the voluntary sector.

Private Fostering

Private fostering involves an arrangement made without the involvement of the local authority between the carer and the child’s parent/s or person with parental responsibility, regardless of whether money is exchanged and that arrangement is intended to last 28 days or more (the child is not a Looked After Child).