Family support
We provide information about family support and can arrange services for children and families who have been assessed as being 'in need'.
What is family support?
Lots of different people offer family support; it could be a grandparent, next door neighbour or a friend.
Your health visitor, teacher or community group can also offer other forms of family support.
Bringing up children is exciting and enjoyable but it is also demanding, tiring and stressful.
We all need help at times as none of us are trained to be parents.
Social Services can offer support and services to your children and you as parents and carers and we will work alongside others offering you support in your community.
The Family Support and Child Protection Service
This service is made up of social workers and their support staff.
The aims of the service are to support parents and carers in:
- Safeguarding children
- Helping children in need get a good education and good health and social care
Who is the service for?
The service is for children and families who live in Lambeth who have been assessed as being 'in need' by social services.
Under the Children Act 1989, children are considered as being in need if:
- they are unlikely to be able to reach or keep up a reasonable standard of health or physical or mental development without receiving services from the council
- their health or development would be harmed if they didn't receive services
- they are disabled
This would include children who:
- are the subject of a child protection plan
- are subject to a police child protection order
- might need to be accommodated and looked after by the council
- Children with disabilities and their families are likely to receive their support services from a specialist team.
What does the service do?
The Family Support and Child Protection teams:
- provide or arrange support services for children and their families
- work with other organisations to plan the provision of similar support services
Contact us
Contact the Referral and Assessment Team if you'd like to talk about arranging support for your family.
Referral and Assessment
4th Floor, International House
6 Canterbury Crescent
Brixton SW9 7QE
Tel: 020 7926 6508
Fax: 020 7926 6874
If your family is already receiving a service from us, you should contact our Family Support and Child Protection Team.
Family Support and Child Protection
5th Floor
International House
6 Canterbury Crescent
SW9 7QE
Tel: 020 7926 5451
Fax: 020 7926 5480
If your family is already receiving a service from the Children with Disability Team, you should contact this team.
Children with Disability Team
Hopton House,
243a Streatham High Road,
SW16 6EY
Tel: 020 7926 6915/16
Other services
Parentline Plus
A free helpline offering help and information to anyone caring for children.
Telephone: 0808 800 2222
Telephone: 0800 783 6783 for people with hearing or speech impairment
Childline
A free helpline for children/young people to talk to someone about any problems.
Telephone: 0800 1111