Professionals who want to make an early help referral

If you are working in a health, childcare setting or a school outside of Barking and Dagenham, you can refer a child or family to us. Before you do you must get the parent or carer to agree to the referral and sign a consent form.

If you are a professional who is qualified to carry out a full Early Help assessment you should make your assessment through the usual process and not complete the form below.

Important information before you make a referral 

Before making a referral to us, you need to consider whether the child or young person's needs can be met by services within your own organisation, or by other organisations already known to them such as their school, health visitor, school nurse, GP or local or national organisations and support groups. Please go to our Early help and support for families page for more advice and information.

If you do decide to make a referral, you should know that we may decide that the needs of the child or young person may be best met by other organisations outside of the council's Early Help team. 

Completing the online referral

The online referral will take around 15 to 20 mins to complete although this does depend on the circumstances of the child/family you are referring. You can't save and return to the form at a later time so make sure you give yourself enough time. You can return to previous sections of the form and each section will be saved as long as you don't close the window.    

You might find it useful to type your detailed assessment in a word or other document type and save it, so you can just cut and paste it into the on line form when you are ready.

You will be asked to give your views on the following areas, but you don't have to complete them all if they are not relevant. You can tell us about strengths as well as needs or issues. Please give us as much information as you can, so that we don't have to delay making a decision. 

Child development needs

• Their health and physical development
• Their speech and communication
• Their emotional and behavioural development 
• Their education
• Their family and social relationships

Parenting 

• Basic care and stability 
• Ensuring safety
• Emotional warmth
• Guidance and boundaries  

Family environment 

• Money and home 
• Family history 

You will also need to tell us details about the child and their family, including where they live and their date(s) of birth, so make sure you have these to hand before you start. 

You will also be able to upload documents which may help the Early Help team with their assessment such as a CAF or pre-CAF report or previous early help assessment, so have these ready to upload too.

If you have any questions on completing a referral you can contact the team at targetedreferrals@lbbd.gov.uk 

Once you submit the online form the Early Help team will receive it immediately. A copy of the form will be sent back to you (and your organisation if you request it) straightaway by email. We will normally contact you within 48 hours.  

If you believe a child is being sexually exploited or abused, radicalised, is at risk from gangs, or county lines, please  use our Report a serious concern about a child online form.  

If you are a professional who is qualified to carry out a full Early Help assessment you should make your assessment through the usual process and not complete the form below. 

Make an Early Help Referral