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Early Intervention and Community Teams (EI&CTs) - find out more

Earlier help, connected support, stronger communities

Early Intervention and Community Teams bring together expertise in education, community work, social work, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), inclusion and early intervention.

We work alongside children, young people, families, schools, early years settings and community partners to understand needs early and help put support in place before difficulties become harder to manage.

What can the teams help with?

  • Getting help early: understanding what is going well, identifying worries and building on family strengths
  • Inclusion and attendance: helping families and settings address barriers to learning, attendance and taking part
  • Advice and consultation: supporting schools, early years settings and other professionals to think through emerging or complex needs
  • Community connections: helping families find local services, Youth and Family Hubs, voluntary organisations and support groups
  • Joined-up support: bringing partners together so support is coordinated around the child and family

Who is in the team?

  • Early Intervention and Community Team leads and service managers: lead the team’s work and build local partnerships and community networks
  • Family, community and education advisors: work alongside families, schools and communities to provide early support
  • Senior family, community and education advisors: provide advice, guidance and coordination where needs are more complex
  • Community social workers: bring social work expertise into community support and help practitioners identify appropriate next steps
  • Best Start in Life SEND and inclusion practitioners: support early years settings and families to promote inclusion and respond to children’s additional needs

What can families expect?

We will listen to what matters to you, recognise your family’s strengths and involve you in decisions. We will explain our role clearly and work with you and the people already supporting your family.
Our approach is relationship-based, strengths-focused, inclusive, trauma-informed and community-focused.

How do EI&CTs work with Family Help?

EI&CTs strengthen early support in schools, early years settings and communities. They work closely with Family Help teams so children and families can receive coordinated support when more help is needed.

Finding support

Families can speak to their school, early years setting or a professional already supporting them about early support and local services.

Professionals should use the published advice and consultation arrangements for their locality. Requests for Family Help and safeguarding concerns should continue through the Front Door for Children.