The Essex Family Support Service (EFSS) is for families with children or young people aged 8 ' 19 with low level needs, who are not already receiving support from specialist or statutory services or where the young person has a medically or clinically diagnosed mental health condition.

By listening to the family and their needs, we will help family members value their existing strengths and build confidence to access the right support and provision. This could be parenting programmes, mental health support groups, local volunteering opportunities or social prescribing, accessible family friendly activities and so on, so that the family can  feel more emotionally resilient, enjoy healthier behaviours, be better socially connected in their communities, have happier family relationships.

We can also provide a volunteer mentor to give up to 10 weeks of support by phone/online during Covid, and face to face thereafter. The mentor will help the family engage with relevant support services or amenities to help build confidence, emotional resilience and social connections.

Families can self refer or be referred by a health professional or other support worker. The EFSS is being delivered by Community 360 as part of the Essex Child & Family Wellbeing Service run by Virgin Care and Barnardo's. EFSS is not available in Southend or Thurrock authority areas.