What is the Material Support Fund?

In some circumstances, Family Early Help is able to provide material support for families open to our service, either on assessment or plan or on an open early help referral decision (EHRD).

Each Family Early Help team (Early Help Coordinators, First Stop Early Help, Families in Focus and Transformation Team) has a fund of £2000 each financial year to support families in need of material assistance.

Our Material Support Fund policy is similar to the 'Providing Services Under Section 17' policy in CSSW (that policy is only for families open to CSSW, and is guided by law; if you are working with a family who are also open to social work and who need material assistance you should talk with the social worker). IEYS also have a similar material support policy which they call their Vulnerable Families Policy. 

What Do We Mean by Material Support?

Material support refers to services, purchased equipment, items or other methods of material assistance. 

Material support might include:

• clothing, utilities and other household items
  
  
• direct work with children
  
  

• transport

• holidays and school trips 

Material support is intended as a short-term solution, and we should always do everything we can to maximise a family's income (for example through a welfare rights income maximisation check) and support a family to feel their finances are stable and secure in the longer-term. 

How Do I Apply for Material Support for a Family I'm Working With? 

If you want to apply for material support for a family you are working with, please:

• Read Family Early Help Material Support Fund Policy here
• check the family are eligible and that you have thought about the 4 things below
• Complete the Family Early Help Material Support Application Form here and submit to your team manager or service manager (depending how much of the fund you are requesting - see section 6 of the policy)

There are four things we ask you to consider before you apply:

• The early help assessment and plan, or EHRD casenote, are explicit in how provision of material assistance will help progress the family’s goals, improve the child/ren’s welfare and/or meet the child/ren’s identified needs
  
  
• The family are receiving, or have applied for, all benefits or tax credits they are entitled to (see Guidebook section here https://ascpractice.camden.gov.uk/early-help-guide/family-early-help-covid-guidebook/legal-debt-welfare-and-other-advice/camden-welfare-rights-team/ )
  
  
• The Council’s Welfare Assistance Fund cannot provide the material assistance required (see Guidebook section here https://ascpractice.camden.gov.uk/early-help-guide/family-early-help-covid-guidebook/finance-bills-and-financial-hardship/welfare-assistance-fund/#main )
  
  
• All other avenues for provision of material assistance (for example grants or charitable foundations) have been explored and exhausted.