An Early Help Assessment (EHA) is a form and process used to understand and support children, young people, and their families.
Understanding the EHA
Based on the provided information, an EHA is specifically defined as:
An Early Help Assessment (EHA) is a form and process you and/or a professional working with your family can complete when:
- something is worrying you or someone else about your child/ young person.
- your child or young person has some unmet needs and early intervention will avoid the problem getting worse.
Essentially, it's a tool used early on to identify and address concerns or unmet needs a child or young person might have, with the goal of preventing issues from escalating. Both families and professionals can initiate and complete this assessment.
When an EHA is Completed
According to the reference, an EHA is completed under specific circumstances. These situations indicate a need for early support and intervention:
- When there is a worry about the child or young person, either felt by the family or by a professional.
- When the child or young person has unmet needs.
- When early intervention is necessary to prevent a problem from worsening.
This assessment helps to gather information, identify the needs of the child or young person and their family, and plan what support might be helpful.