MASH

Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

Is part of St Helens Council's Children and Families Service.

The MASH provides a 'first point of contact' for Early Help and Children's Social Care (CSC) enabling members of the public and professionals to raise concerns about the safety and welfare of Children. This may include Children identified as potentially needing support or as suffering abuse.

Operates between 9.00 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday and can be contacted via email or by dialling 01744 676767 option 2. Members of the public should always make contact by telephone.

MASH is a group of multi-agency professionals that work together as one team. Some of the agencies represented in the MASH are Children's Social Care, Health, Education, Housing, domestic abuse support, drug and alcohol support, probation, and the Police. Agencies work together with the Early Help Team and Children's Social Care to provide information about families and help to make decisions regarding a child's welfare and safety.

Professionals who work with children and who need to raise a concern should use the Service Request Form (SRF). If there is any sense of urgency in respect of the concern being raised (level 4 concern) the form should be sent following a phone call to MASH on 01744 676767 option 2, in order to highlight the urgency of the case.

If you contact MASH by telephone you will be asked a series of questions, this is to ensure as much information as possible can be gained to evidence the level of need and action required. Therefore please make sure you have the key details of the child and family to hand during the call. If you are a practitioner or other professional that works with children, you will also be asked to complete a Service Request Form (SRF) following the call. Members of the public should not use this form and should always make contact by telephone.

What is a contact?

A contact is information sent to Children's Social Care requesting services for a child or young person. The information is normally received by a Contact Cares advisor or directly by the MASH team. It is recorded electronically and sent to a manager to make a decision about what should happen next.

What is a referral?

Where a manager decides further information and action is required the contact will progress to a 'referral'. An assessment must then be undertaken before a service can be provided. The assessment establishes whether the child is in need of social care services.