If you would like to make a referral into Children's Services, to help us get the right support at the right time, please consider the family's needs and risks so you can direct them to the most appropriate service.
Children's Centre Services
Children's Centre Services offer family and home learning support, employment skills and a variety of groups for families with children aged pre-birth to 5 years (although some services may support children up to 10 years, depending on capacity and funding.)
If you have concerns that do not meet the threshold for a social care intervention, you can refer directly to the Bright Start Children Centre.
Use the link below to request support from our Children's Centre; we will use your form to help us decide what type of support is most appropriate.
Children's centre services - request for support
Compass (preventing youth offending)
Compass is our preventative service that works with young people aged between 8 and 17 years old, who may be at risk of becoming involved in offending behaviour. We work with young people and their families/carers on a voluntary basis.
Support will be tailored to the level of needs and can range from time-limited involvement of 3-months to 12-months plus.
This service is accessed through referrals from those that work with young people and self-referrals from families. Click here to find out more about Compass, or complete a referral form using the link below.
Other services
We have commissioned these services to support the work that we as a council provide directly. You can refer to them by clicking on the links.
- Mentoring Plus
- Youth Connect
- Compass
- Project 28
- Family Support and Play Service (Southside & BAPP working in partnership)
- Children Centre Services (B&NES Council Bright Start Children Centre or Action for Children)
- CAMHS
- B&NES Council Housing Support
- Southside Domestic Abuse Service
Reporting safeguarding concerns about a child or young person
We commissioned the above services to support the work that we as a council provide directly. In addition to the above services, you can refer directly to us using the link below.
If you have concerns about a child or young person who is in need of protection or at risk of significant harm, or you wish to make a referral to the Disabled Children Team (DCT), you can use the below link. You can also use this link to inform us of a Private Fostering Arrangement.
If you are a member of the public or a designated safeguarding lead and would rather speak to someone, you can phone either 01225 396312 or 01225 396313.
Report a concern about a child or young person
Each of the above forms will require different information, but for all three you should ensure you have the following details ready before you start:
- The name, address, and date of birth (or estimated date of delivery) for each child included in the referral
- The name and contact details of each parent or carer
- Information about what support has already been offered to the family