Skip to content

Hampshire's Family Support Service

It might be that your family is struggling at the moment and needs some help. A professional who knows your family can refer you to get support from Children's Services if your family needs support. When a referral is made it goes to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)MASH is a multi agency assessment team. They look at all the information they have and make a decision on the best course of action. 

They may decide that your family does not meet the threshold for their intervention. If this happens you may still be offered advice and signposting.  

If they decide your family meets the threshold, the MASH team will then have to decide at what level help needs to be delivered at. It may be that you need help at the early help level, the Child in Need Level or the Child Protection Level. 

There are different teams in children services. The Family Help Team coordinates multiple services, including the early help offering for Hampshire families with children and young people in need. They work to ensure that families receive the right support at right time, from the right professional.

The Family Help Team is usually the team that carry out Section 17(Child in Need) and Section 47 (Child Protection) assessments. This support is available to all families who meet the criteria.

Parents can also be referred to parenting courses run by the Family Help Teams. These include;

  • Family Links Nurture Programme - 10 week course
  • Tots Talking - 8 week virtual course
  • Talking Teens - 4 week course
  • Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) - 8 week course
  • Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PAACE) - Child PAACE is an 8 week course, Adult PAACE is a 10 week course

More information about these courses

If you would like to do one of these courses you or a professional who knows you can complete the right form for your area:

Parents can also be referred to parenting courses run by the Family Help Teams. These include;

  • Family Links Nurture Programme - 10 week course
  • Tots Talking - 8 week virtual course
  • Talking Teens - 4 week course
  • Non-Violent Resistance (NVR) - 8 week course
  • Positive and Adverse Childhood Experiences (PAACE) - Child PAACE is an 8 week course, Adult PAACE is a 10 week course

More information about these courses

If you would like to do one of these courses you or a professional who knows you can complete the right form for your area:

If your child has a disability

There is a special team called the Children with Disabilities Team. They support families of children who have the most severe and complex disabilities, such as children who:

  • Attend special educational needs (SEN) schools
  • Need constant care and supervision
  • Have needs their family cannot meet without extra help

You can be referred to this team by MASH or the Family Help Team. You should be given a copy of this criteria.

More information

If your child has a disability

There is a special team called the Children with Disabilities Team. They support families of children who have the most severe and complex disabilities, such as children who:

  • Attend special educational needs (SEN) schools
  • Need constant care and supervision
  • Have needs their family cannot meet without extra help

You can be referred to this team by MASH or the Family Help Team. You should be given a copy of this criteria.

More information

Social services must apply their thresholds to decide who gets support.

If they decide your child does not meet these thresholds:

1. You can ask for the decision to be checked again

If you think the decision was unfair or something important was missed, ask the social worker for a review.

A different manager will look at the decision. You will get a letter with the new decision within 21 days.

2. You can ask for a meeting

If you still disagree, you can ask to meet with a Children’s Services manager to talk through your worries.

3. You can make a complaint

If you still aren’t happy, you can make a complaint to the Children’s Services Complaints Team.

Social services must apply their thresholds to decide who gets support.

If they decide your child does not meet these thresholds:

1. You can ask for the decision to be checked again

If you think the decision was unfair or something important was missed, ask the social worker for a review.

A different manager will look at the decision. You will get a letter with the new decision within 21 days.

2. You can ask for a meeting

If you still disagree, you can ask to meet with a Children’s Services manager to talk through your worries.

3. You can make a complaint

If you still aren’t happy, you can make a complaint to the Children’s Services Complaints Team.

An advocate is a person who supports you and helps you to explain and say what you want. They help you to ensure that your views are heard, so that your problems can be sorted out. They can: help you to put your views and feelings across about decisions that are being made about your life, speak on your behalf if that’s what you want, help you make a complaint and give you information and advice about your rights and any worries you have as well as help you make choices about what is best for you. All advocacy services are independent and are there to represent you. You can find advocacy groups on the Solent Minds, Voice Ability, Carers Together and Speakeasy websites. 

To find out about advocacy which can be paid for by us and which you need to self fund please see here. 

An advocate is a person who supports you and helps you to explain and say what you want. They help you to ensure that your views are heard, so that your problems can be sorted out. They can: help you to put your views and feelings across about decisions that are being made about your life, speak on your behalf if that’s what you want, help you make a complaint and give you information and advice about your rights and any worries you have as well as help you make choices about what is best for you. All advocacy services are independent and are there to represent you. You can find advocacy groups on the Solent Minds, Voice Ability, Carers Together and Speakeasy websites. 

To find out about advocacy which can be paid for by us and which you need to self fund please see here. 

Add to My Favorites

Useful links