evel and that gives us some of the flexibility we have… and we can see how that has impacted through on the flow of families into social care. (DCS, County, North East Region) Figure 8 and Table 2 show the changes in activities following early help assessment over the SP series. This shows a reduction in ‘no support provided’ and significant reduction in ‘step up’ to social care between SP8 and 9. Table 2: Service activities following early help assessments Source: SP9 respondents. The England numbers are extrapolated from 68 local authority responses based on the proportion of the England population Phase 5 Phase 6 Phase 7 Phase 8 Phase 9 2015– 16 2017– 18 2019– 20 2021– 22 2023– 24 Referral to social care (step up) 13% 14% 11% 13% 7% Referral to universal service(s) (step down) 21% 14% 11% 14% 13% Advice and information provided only 6% 7% 5% 4% 14% Support – intervention provided 0% 0% 48% 47% 45% NFA – no support intervention provided 19% 17% 10% 9% 8% NFA – end of support intervention provided 42% 48% 16% 13% 13% 38 Figure 8: Service activities following early help assessments Source: SP9 respondents. The England numbers are extrapolated from 68 local authority responses based on the proportion of the England population. These activities were looked at across authorities in England and compared to those local authorities with EA status for the SP9 period. This shows that EA areas were more likely to provide practical support rather than information and advice only and less likely to end the support they were providing in-year (Figure 9). 13% 14% 11% 13% 7% 21% 14% 11% 14% 13% 6% 7% 5% 4% 14% 48% 47% 45% 19% 17% 10% 9% 8% 42% 48% 16% 13% 13% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 2015–16 2017–18 2019–20 2021–22 2023–24 Phase 5 Phase 6Phase 7Phase 8Phase 9 Outco