Best Start in Life Services Family Assessment & Safeguarding in Family Hubs

Professionals in Family Hubs, Best Start in Life, Early Help and wider family services are often the first to spot emerging safeguarding concerns. Assessing risk across the whole family can be complex, especially when balancing relationship-based support with safeguarding responsibilities and professional curiosity.

This practical one-day course helps practitioners recognise, assess and respond to safeguarding concerns through a whole-family lens.

Rooted in relational, strengths-based practice, it shows how concerns emerge, how risk can be missed, and how to keep a child-centred focus while building positive relationships.

Through case studies, tools, discussion and reflection, the course strengthens confidence, analysis and critical thinking in safeguarding practice.

Practitioners leave with practical tools and greater confidence to use their learning in day-to-day work with children and families.

The course will cover:

• Recognising early signs of safeguarding concerns, including neglect and disguised compliance
• Understanding safeguarding within Family Hubs, Best Start in Life and Early Help services
• Strengthening whole-family assessment and analysis skills
• Professional curiosity and courageous conversations
• Maintaining a child-centred approach within family work
• Understanding risk, resilience and protective factors
• Thresholds, escalation and safeguarding decision-making
• Improving recording, analysis and multi-agency communication
• Balancing strengths-based practice with safeguarding responsibilities
• Practical tools and approaches to support reflective and analytical practice