Targeted Youth Support Team - Early Help

We believe change happens when young people feel safe, listened to, and understood.

Sometimes the pull from unsafe adults or peers outside the home, including online, can feel stronger than family influence. This can lead to risks like exploitation, grooming, or going missing. We step in as trusted adults, helping young people and families find safer paths forward.

Our work includes:

• support around Harm Outside the Home (HOTH), tackling risks from peers, adults, or online influences
• conversations and planning after missing-from-home episodes, to reduce repeat incidents
• help with issues like anti-social behaviour, peer pressure, weapons awareness, and online safety
• building resilience and stronger family relationships through practical, tailored support

Our roles

Targeted Case Workers

Our Targeted Case Workers build strong, lasting relationships with young people who need someone in their corner. They:

• complete detailed Early Help Assessments and create whole-family plans
• use HOTH screening tools to identify risks like exploitation and grooming
• lead Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings, bringing agencies together
• develop family safety plans to keep everyone safe
• act as Lead Professional when needed, ensuring joined-up support
• co-work with Social Care

Youth Support Workers

Our Youth Support Workers focus on prevention and quick, practical help. They:

• carry out Return Home Conversations after missing episodes, listening to what's really going on
• share intelligence with police and partners to help disrupt unsafe networks
• support families to create Missing from Home safety plans and explore ways to stop repeat incidents
• deliver short interventions (up to 12 weeks) on issues like peer pressure, online safety, and family relationships
• provide the Appropriate Adult Service during weekdays
• work flexibly with families and partners to make sure support is timely and effective

How to get support

There's no strict criteria to get support. If a young person or family needs help and we're the right team, we'll step in. Referrals can come from professionals or directly from families. We review requests daily, so support gets to the right place at the right time.

Referral routes include:

• the Family Help Point
• Social Care requests through LCS to complement interventions
• step-downs from Social Care through step-down clinic
• Harm Outside the Home concerns through the Tees HOTH screening tool
• Community Safety referrals for anti-social behaviour
• Missing From Home incidents, triggering early help support

To find out how the Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council Youth Support Team can support young people, please contact us:

• email: YouthSupportAdmin@stockton.gov.uk 
• telephone: 01642 677600