In accordance with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2026) and the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Act (2026), prevention activity and Section 17 support should be delivered through a Family Help approach. This brings together early help, targeted support and statutory Child in Need services into a coordinated, multi-agency response, enabling families and young people to receive timely and proportionate support.
Where homelessness is linked to family conflict or breakdown, Family Help should focus on:
- Supporting safe and sustainable family relationships
- Engaging wider family networks or trusted adults
- Preventing unnecessary homelessness or escalation into care where it is safe to do so.
Family Group Decision Making and wider network-based approaches should be actively considered.
Prevention activity must not delay safeguarding action where a young person cannot remain safely at home and requires accommodation.
