Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) - Improving Child Protection Referrals
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Presentation Transcript
Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub(MASH)Damien Cole - Integrated Working Strategic Lead, Children’s ServicesAngela Allgood – MASH Regional Advisor, Met Police
Background • Police lead initiative • Local Authority delivery • Purpose – To Improve the way that local safeguarding partnerships deal with child protection referrals, bringing a range of partners together into a single multi-agency safeguarding hub to share information quickly and efficiently.
National Picture • MASH’s being implemented across England • Pan London MASH Operational Steering Group • 11/32 London LA’s currently ‘live’ (as of June ‘13). • Learning todate - Positives/Negatives (Police perspective)
Local implementation approach • 3 phases of implementation • start June 2013 • Official launch October 2013 • Pathways in and out of MASH + documentation • Stakeholder engagement • Procurement of a MASH IT system • Training and communication
Local implementation todate • Premises secured, MASH office designed. • Pre-MASH screening pathway designed and implemented – June 2013 • Co located partners identified and some in place • Single Points of Contact (SPOC) identified
MASH participation • Co located partners (confirmed): • Social Care MASH officers • Police Public Protection Desk • Police Missing Persons Officer • Health representative • Education/Targeted Support Liaison • Probation
MASH participation • SPOC’s (confirmed): • Housing • Youth Offending Service • IDSVAS (Domestic Violence service) • Adult Mental Health • Neighbourhood Crime Reduction
Information Sharing - security Pre-MASH screening (all contacts) Interface with Tier 2 or Tier 3 – statutory assessment MASH
Areas to be aware of • Purpose and impact of a MASH • Comprehensive multi agency risk assessment • Reactive, not preventative • Intelligence led decision making • Cases will step up into Social Care based on more information/assessment. • Cases will be safely stepped down to Tier 1&2, with more information/assessment.
Areas to be aware of cont. • Performance around timeliness of assessments • Reduction in cases ‘bouncing’ up and down across Tier 1/2 and 3. • Reduction in the number of Statutory Assessments not progressing to CiN/CP/LAC etc. • Greater partnership working • Greater partnership awareness of thresholds
Areas to be aware of cont.. • Will intro of MASH increase the number of referral? • Partnership buy in. • Information sharing and recording.