The Nu Start One Support Service provides flexible, practice-led solutions to a wide range of complex and fast-moving situations faced by Local Authorities.

Local Authorities often manage multiple, compounding pressures where risks escalate quickly and existing services are stretched or unsuitable. Nu Start One is designed to step into these gaps, providing immediate, proportionate support that stabilises situations and creates space for clearer assessment and planning.

  • Supporting children and young people within their existing family environment, including those on the edge of care
  • Providing stabilisation and additional support alongside existing placements, including fostering and residential provision
  • Offering targeted, time-limited support or respite to reduce escalation and placement breakdown

Where a bespoke response is required, Nu Start One works collaboratively with the placing authority to design and deliver a tailored package of support aligned to the child’s needs, risks and circumstances.

Nu Start One – Specialist Support Options

Crisis Intervention & Short-Notice Support

This support option is designed for situations where immediate action is required to manage escalating risk, instability or potential placement breakdown. Nu Start One can be mobilised at short notice to provide experienced, consistent practitioners who step in to stabilise situations, reduce escalation and restore a sense of safety and structure. Support is delivered alongside existing placements, family arrangements or interim solutions where urgent capacity or specialist input is required. The focus is on containment, safeguarding and emotional regulation, while creating space for professionals to assess risk, reflect and make clearer, more proportionate decisions about next steps.
Crisis Intervention & Short-Notice Support

  • Rapid mobilisation during periods of acute risk or escalating concern

  • Experienced practitioners providing immediate structure, supervision and containment

  • Focused on stabilisation, safeguarding and reducing escalation

  • Creates space for assessment, reflection and proportionate decision-making

Bespoke & Complex Support

Bespoke & Complex Support is designed for children and young people whose needs, risks or circumstances fall outside standard service pathways. Nu Start One works in partnership with Local Authorities to design tailored, proportionate support packages that respond to complexity, uncertainty and heightened risk. This may include layered interventions, flexible staffing models or specialist input delivered alongside existing placements, family arrangements or interim solutions. Support is clearly planned, outcome-focused and regularly reviewed to ensure it remains lawful, ethical and aligned with the child’s best interests, while providing professionals with confidence in decision-making.
Bespoke & Complex Support

  • Individually designed support packages for complex or atypical presentations

  • Flexible staffing and intervention models tailored to risk and need

  • Delivered alongside existing placements, families or interim arrangements

  • Regular review to ensure proportionality, safeguarding and positive outcomes

Support for Foster Placements

This support option is designed to strengthen and stabilise foster placements during periods of increased pressure, uncertainty or emerging risk. Nu Start One works alongside foster carers, supervising social workers and placing authorities to provide additional capacity, consistency and specialist input where placements may be at risk of breakdown. Support is delivered in a respectful, collaborative way that recognises the central role of foster carers while helping to reduce stress and restore balance within the placement. Interventions focus on emotional containment, routine, relationship-building and practical support, enabling placements to stabilise and continue safely wherever possible.
Support for Foster Placements

  • Additional support to stabilise foster placements during periods of strain or uncertainty

  • Delivered collaboratively alongside foster carers and fostering teams

  • Focused on reducing placement disruption and preventing breakdown

  • Time-limited, proportionate interventions aligned with care planning and safeguarding

Leaving Care & Transition Support

Leaving care and transition periods are times of increased vulnerability, uncertainty and risk for many young people. Nu Start One provides structured, supportive interventions to help young people navigate transitions safely and with greater confidence. Support may be provided alongside existing placements, semi-independent arrangements or during key transition points, including moves toward independence or changes in care status. Interventions focus on emotional stability, practical support and maintaining engagement with services, helping young people to feel supported rather than overwhelmed while plans are clarified and next steps are agreed.
Leaving Care & Transition Support

  • Support during key leaving care and transition periods

  • Focused on emotional stability, engagement and risk reduction

  • Delivered alongside pathway planning and existing arrangements

  • Aimed at supporting safer, more sustainable transitions

Family Intervention & Outreach

Nu Start One can provide intensive Family Intervention & Outreach within the family home or community setting. We focus on stabilising risk, strengthening routines and boundaries, and improving communication to reduce escalation and prevent placement breakdown.

Support is relationship-based, practical and time-limited — delivered alongside statutory services, with safeguarding and multi-agency working at the centre.

Family Intervention & Outreach

  • Intensive outreach support delivered within the family home

  • Focused on reducing escalation and strengthening family relationships

  • Practical, relationship-based interventions tailored to need

  • Delivered alongside statutory services with safeguarding at the centre

Innovative & Emerging Solutions

Local Authorities are increasingly required to respond to complex, evolving challenges that do not always align with traditional service models or existing provision. Nu Start One offers the flexibility to develop innovative, responsive solutions where standard pathways may be unavailable, unsuitable or require adaptation. Working in partnership with Local Authorities, we design and deliver bespoke interventions that respond to specific pressures, emerging risks or system gaps. All innovative support is carefully planned, risk-assessed and reviewed, ensuring safeguarding, accountability and learning remain central while enabling creative, proportionate responses to complex situations.
Innovative & Emerging Solutions

  • Flexible responses to emerging or unmet needs within the local system

  • Co-designed solutions developed in partnership with Local Authorities

  • Carefully planned, risk-assessed and reviewed interventions

  • Focused on safeguarding, learning and sustainable outcomes

How Nu Start One Works

Nu Start One is designed to provide rapid, flexible specialist support when existing services are under pressure or when situations require a more tailored response. Support can be mobilised quickly to stabilise risk, reduce escalation and create space for assessment, planning and longer-term decision-making.

All interventions are delivered within clear parameters, with agreed objectives, safeguarding oversight and defined review points. We work in close partnership with Local Authorities, families, placements and professionals to ensure support is proportionate, purposeful and time-limited.

  • Rapid mobilisation of experienced and consistent staff teams

  • Clear safeguarding oversight and risk management

  • Defined aims, review points and exit planning

  • Support delivered alongside existing placements or family arrangements

  • Close partnership working with Local Authorities and professionals



How We Partner With You

Nu Start One is built for fast-moving situations — when risk escalates, capacity is stretched, or a placement is close to breakdown. We work alongside the placing authority to stabilise, reduce escalation and create space for safe, confident planning.

Discuss a referral / staffing enquiry
Call: 07742 427171 | Email: referrals@nustart.org.uk
1) Rapid triage & mobilisation (same day / short notice)

We gather the essentials quickly, agree immediate priorities, and mobilise an experienced team with clear lines of oversight.

  • Immediate information capture: risk, triggers, key contacts, legal status
  • Clear parameters agreed: aims, boundaries, reporting and escalation routes
  • Staff deployed quickly with consistency and a stabilisation focus
2) Stabilisation & risk reduction (first 72 hours)

We prioritise safety, reduce volatility, and re-establish predictable routines and professional grip around the child.

  • Daily structure that reduces chaos and increases safety
  • Proportionate responses aligned to safeguarding and the care plan
  • Frequent updates to the LA to support decision-making
3) Bespoke support plan & multi-agency coordination (day 4 onwards)

We build a tailored package around the child’s risks and needs — integrating family, placement and professional networks.

  • SMART objectives agreed with measurable progress markers
  • Joined-up working with social care, education, health and providers
  • Evidence-informed interventions to reduce repeat crisis cycles
4) Review, handover & exit planning (planned, safe move-on)

Nu Start One is designed to create stability and a clearer pathway — not dependency. We review outcomes and support safe handover.

  • Review points set from the start (weekly or as agreed)
  • Clear handover notes, risk picture and recommended next steps
  • Support transition planning to prevent re-escalation

Where This Service Fits

Nu Start One is designed to complement — not replace — existing care arrangements. It can sit alongside family care, supported accommodation, residential placements, foster care, or other local authority arrangements when additional stability, structure or crisis capacity is required.

Support is delivered within agreed parameters, with clear reporting and review points, to help reduce escalation and support safer longer-term planning.

  • Used to stabilise risk and reduce placement breakdown

  • Can sit alongside family arrangements or existing placements

  • Provides additional capacity during high-risk periods

  • Improves multi-agency grip through clear reporting and review points



Work With Us

If you would like to discuss a referral or find out more about Nu Start One, please contact us:

Phone: 07742 427171
Email: referrals@nustart.org.uk



Our Other Services

Children's Homes

Crisis Intervention