1. Starting a Team: The First Contact

What happens when someone reaches out

The beginning of any team starts with someone reaching out, whether that’s a person looking for support, someone on their behalf, or a professional making a referral. This first step is short and simple: gather a few details, check what’s possible, and begin to form a picture of what’s needed.

This page explains what happens after first contact and how we decide whether we can offer support.

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What we ask at this stage

The first conversation or form asks just a few key things:

• Who is the support for?

• What kind of help is being asked for?

• Are there any particular needs, preferences or timings to consider?

• Where is the person based?

• Is there any funding in place, or is that part of what needs exploring?

This helps us to check quickly whether support is likely to be possible, without asking the person to repeat their story in full.

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What happens next

Once we’ve looked over what’s been shared, we do one of the following:

• If it looks like we’re in a position to help, we move forward to the next step in the Team Starting process which is usually a longer conversation with a Team Starter.

• If we don’t currently have the right team members available, we offer to add the person to our waiting list and follow up when things change.

• If Equal Care isn’t the right fit, we may suggest other sources of support or information, if appropriate.

In all cases, we aim to be honest, respectful, and prompt in our replies.

Keeping things human

This first step is often where people form their first impression of how Equal Care works. It’s where trust starts to build - or doesn’t. That’s why it matters not just what we say, but how we respond: listening, giving clear next steps, and setting realistic expectations.