Case Study: The Early Help App

In 2017, the strategic, multi-agency Early Help Board at Bath & NE Somerset Council identified an action to improve access to early help information for professionals. BathNES set up an Early Help Improving Access to Information Task and Finish Group, which identified a need for a signposting tool providing details of local early help services and other resources.

Following our previous work together and a survey with local practitioners BathNES decided to develop their Early Help App with focusgov. The Early Help App is used by professionals working with children, young people and families, increasing awareness of the range of support available and how to refer into services and ensuring that residents of BathNES receive the right help at the right time, by the right service.  

The organisation listings can be viewed without an internet connection, which is ideal if you have no Wi-Fi or have run out of mobile data and ensuring the app is accessible to all. 

In 2020, the Early Help App was rebuilt to include surveys, host documents that had previously been hosted on the BathNES website and to improve Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) accessibility and user experience.

When the app launched, initial feedback from professionals was that they “valued having all the information about early help services, referrals and signposting in one place – even when out and about sometimes with limited internet access." 

Bath and NE Somerset Council would recommend that other local authorities engage with focusgov about the Early Help App as “it has been a valuable tool for us.” and “Statistics show that we still have a good number of new users to the App each month and a recent wide-ranging survey on usage of the App showed that it is considered a useful tool.” 

Professionals can access a wide range of different categories, such as money, energy costs and affordable food and housing and homelessness. All include signposting information, documents and resources to support you in Early Help and Early Intervention. 

Over the last year (2022) B&NES Early Help App has seen increases in engagement and usage:

The BathNES Early Help App is available from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. 

Testimonials 

“I use it for signposting and information gathering. With some local authorities, information isn't easy to navigate, but B&NES has worked brilliantly here”
BathNES Early Help App Professional 

“The Early Help App is a helpful mechanism to promote the concept and awareness of early help. It is easy to update the App and we are able to do this ourselves, quickly. focusgov are very responsive and provide us with a breakdown of data which we find helpful in informing the development of the App”
Ellie Weyman, Public Health Development and Commissioning Manager, B&NES Public Health & Prevention. 

 

If you'd like to discuss how an Early Help App could help your Local Authority, please contact us.

For further information how B&NES use and benefit from their Early Help App, please contact B&NES Early Help Commissioning: Earlyhelp_Commissioning@bathnes.gov.uk