Report a child at risk

Once we get a MASH referral we assess the information and aim to make a decision about how to proceed within 24 hours.

We'll discuss the information with any other involved partners to see how we can best help to meet the needs of children and their families. 

In some cases this will mean carrying out an assessment. 

We do this by meeting with everyone involved to help us understand what support is needed to improve the family situation.

After completing our assessment 

We'll make a plan to help, or make sure we connect families to others who can help them more directly.

Child safety is our priority. 

We aim to keep children with their family, only intervening when a child's safety is at risk.

Families receiving services from other departments within Children's Social Care 

Should MASH receive information regarding a family who are receiving a service from another department within Children's Social Care or receive new information within three months of ending involvement with a family, MASH will on both occasions progress the information to that team, to consider and to make a decision on what the next steps should be. 

The team receiving the information will be responsible for informing the referrer of the decision they have made and the outcome of their referral.