'The right help, at the right time from the right people' 
Multi-Agency Guidance on supporting Children, Young People and their Families within Barking and Dagenham 

In Barking and Dagenham, we know children and young people need good quality support and help when problems arise that could prevent them from growing up in line with the above. We also know they need that help and support as early as possible to ensure the situation they find themselves in doesn’t get worse. 

Most children grow up without needing any more than our universal services. But some children will have additional needs, at any or all stages of their life journey. These children will require tailored plans of support so that they can grow up successfully, in secure and healthy home environments. Our fundamental aim is to provide an effective continuum of support, across universal, early help and targeted early help, and Children’s Social care. We aim to identify needs as early as possible and to work to prevent needs from escalating across the continuum. To keep children safe in Barking & Dagenham we will work together to ensure that we provide help as early as possible, as outlined in Working Together to Safeguard Children Inter-Agency Guidance 2018. 

This guidance is for everyone who works with children, young people, and their families and carers in Barking and Dagenham. It is built on Barking and Dagenham’s CARES Practice model which encourages all practitioners to work in a way that shows Compassion, demonstrates Accountability, is Respectful, Empowers children and families we work with, and values Sharing and participation – ‘Nothing about you, Without you’. The guidance ensures these values and guidance should underpin everything we do with families so that all children and young people in Barking and Dagenham receive the Right Help, at the Right Time, from the Right Professional. 

Please find a copy of the Barking and Dagenham Continuum of Need Guidance (PDF, 1.62 MB) which is aligned with the Pan London guidance published in 2023.