The Family Support Service

This can include support available to families from universal services like schools, community health teams, family hubs and local voluntary and community services, through to targeted services such as social care and youth justice.

What does Suffolk County Council’s Family Support Service include?

• A Family Support Team who work with children, young people and their families to enable positive change which can be sustained, maintains safety, and builds resilience in the whole family.
• A Parenting Team, who deliver parenting programmes and individual parental support across the county.
• Young Person’s Workers and Young Person’s Coaches who work with young people aged in year 11 and 12 who are either not in employment, education or training or who are at risk of this. They provide support around employment and training choices where possible. They also support young people with an Education, Health and Care plan, a Youth Justice plan and/or children in care.
• The Suffolk Family Focus Attendance Service, who provide support to reduce any barriers to school attendance and reduce the need for enforcement action.

Family Support teams can also signpost families to access support from other organisations for assessments and advice including benefits assessments, school support, counselling and more.

How do I access the Family Support Service?

Access to the Family Support Service is via something called an Early Help Assessment or EHA.