Trafford levels of need for social care support

If you think your child needs a bit more help, accessing social care support is based on an assessment of the needs of your child, as well as your wider family circumstances.

There are five levels of need within Trafford's model for children's services. At each level:

• There are different types of assessments that can be carried out by professionals working alongside you and your family to help assess need.  
• There are different services and/or activities available to help you and your family, depending on the needs identified.

This is not a fixed measure. You and your families needs will change, and children can move across the levels depending on their needs at that particular time in their lives.

Please note: if there is any concern that a child may be at risk of harm, or has been harmed, an immediate referral to the Trafford Children's First Response team should be made.

Universal - Level 1

At this level the child or family is thriving without requirement for additional support and all needs are being met by universal services, for example Health Visitor, School Nurse, Dentist or School.

Universal services are sometimes called 'mainstream' services, and include such things as your local school or your GP.

Activities include general sessions and events that are not specifically designed to meet additional needs. E.g. your local stay and play, or general swim sessions.  

Universal activities at level 1 may be suitable for a child with more needs, if they have access to additional support at level 2+ 

You can find out about a wide variety of Universal / Mainstream activites, events and services here on our directory. These can be found at: 

• Things to do for children and families 
• Things to do for young people 
• Things to do for adults and older people (for 18-25+ options)
• Events / What's On Guide 

Early Help/ Prevention - Level 2

At this level the child or family may require or would benefit from additional input or support from an agency/agencies. Some children or young people need more support from services such as speech therapy, physiotherapy or housing. At this level services or activities will be targeted to those particular needs.

When a child begins to display emerging needs requiring additional support, services already working with the child should support the family by undertaking an assessment and developing an Outcome Plan. This will identify support from within the local community or a specific intervention.

Some targeted services or activities can only be accessed after an assessment has been carried out, whilst others do not. You should be able to find out what is needed under the 'Referral' or 'Eligibility' sections of each listing here on the Local Offer.

You can find out about a wide variety of targeted and co-ordinated activites, events and services here on our directory. These can be found in the SEND Local Offer.

Intensive Family Support - Level 3

At this level the child or family are experiencing multiple and/or complex needs. The family is struggling to effect change without the support and intervention of services. There is a need greater level of support including regular home visits. Referral to social services is through Trafford Children's First Response.

If a child or family's issues are more complex and cannot be managed within the community, and the family consent, additional support can be sourced through Intensive Family Support. This would include support in the home, pulling in multi-agency partners who are, or need to be, involved with the child and family in order to achieve a positive outcome.

The services and activities at this level are called Specialist and are there to support children and families with more complex needs. 

Child in Need - Level 4

At this level the child or family is unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable standard of health or development without the provision of services. The child’s health or development is likely to be significantly impaired, or further impaired, without the provision of additional services; or the child is disabled.

As the child and family’s issues continue to escalate, or if interventions are not working, it is felt that the needs cannot be met without the intervention of social care. There should be a sound record of interventions and support offered previously by services to highlight why social intervention is required. The activities and services that are for a child at this level are also called Specialist but can only be accessed as part of social care support, and only after a Statutory or Specialist assessment has been carried out.

Child Protection - Level 5

At this level the child or family is at risk of or suffering significant harm and is in need of help and protection. There is a high level of unmet and complex needs requiring statutory interventions.

These children require immediate social care intervention to ensure continued safety and positive development and to prevent significant harm. This may lead to them becoming subject to a Multi-Agency Child Protection (CP) Plan or becoming Looked After. Any child subject to a CP Plan or Looked After will have social care intervention already in place.

Find out more about the criteria in Trafford levels of need guidance for Professionals.