MORE ABOUT SIGNPOST

Signposting projects for families in Derbyshire were piloted in 2003 with money from the Children’s Fund.  The aim of the projects was to provide a service for the many families who were being referred to social services by schools, health professionals and others but who did not meet the threshold of need. The pilot projects were deemed a success and a useful preventative service to help families and keep their problems from escalating. This began a programme of rolling the projects out across the county.

Referral System

Any family with a child under the age of 19 can refer to Signpost. A parent or young person can phone up Signpost directly themselves on 01629 810 900 for Derbyshire Dales and High Peak (or for Chesterfield on 01246 554699.)  Alternatively anybody working with a family can refer, either on the phone or using Signpost’s referral form as long as the family has been consulted. Signpost is a confidential service, except when it is thought somebody is at risk. Click here for our referral form, and information for referrers. 

What happens next? 

A referral for support tends to mean a family is visited at home (or anywhere they feel comfortable.)  Signpost listens to the problems and needs of a family and together they try to decide what services might be able to help. Further visits and phone calls to the family follow to see how things are.  However Signpost remains a short-term service- as a first port of call for a family contact usually ends once a family is receiving support from another service.  In the majority of cases this takes less than 3 months.