1. SEFTON MASH
The Decision Making Process of MASH and how the current restructure will affect MASH

2. How MASH came to be
In April 2013 a triage team was created in Sefton Children Social Care consisting initially only of social worker’s and a manager. Who would look at referrals made to Sefton Children Social Care and complete duty visits should concerns require an immediate response. The social workers would hold any Child Protection Cases and implement any safeguarding measures to ensure that the children involved were no longer at risk of on-going harm. The cases transferring to a longer term work at an Initial Child Protection Case Conference or after the initial Court Hearing.
In February 2014 the MASH team was formed which consisted of members of Children Social Care, the Police, EIP, Safeguarding Nurse.
Members of Catch 22 and the Missing Team are now co-located on the same floor to assist in information sharing between agencies. To enable appropriate decisions to made in regards to each child/young person referred to Sefton Children Social Care and for the right support to be provided to families.
Information is also obtained from Sefton Women and Children’s Aid, Probation and Ambition Sefton, when a MASH inquiry is sent out. These agencies remain located in their own area’s/office’s but respond to these requests for information. MASH Inquiries will be discussed in further detail within this presentation.

3. How to make a referral
Professionals, inclusive of social workers based within Sefton, external agencies and members of the public can raise any concerns they have regarding a child to the Sefton Contact Centre.
Professionals and agencies will be directed to the word document available on Sefton Council’s website and told that to make a referral they will need to complete this. However, prior to making a referral unless it would place the child/ren at risk of significant harm. Professionals need to make parents/adults with parental responsibility for the child aware of the concerns held and make them aware that they are making a referral to Children Social Care. This is inline within an outcome of the Ofsted Inspection in April 2016 which stated that parents/care providers are to be informed and consent gained for the referral to be made.
Unless the child is considered to be at risk of significant harm a referral will not be accepted unless the adult with parental responsibility has been informed. This can be through direct communication or by letter when a professional has no further contact with an adult with parental responsibility for the child.
The lack of consent can cause a delay in a response being made in regards to a referral and a family receiving the required support.

4. MASH Contact Officers
Once a referral has been made whether this is completed on a word document or by a member of the public during a telephone conversation. This information is forwarded to Sefton’s MASH Officer’s either through the secure address or by logging a telephone referral.
There are currently four officer’s and a researcher based within this part of MASH.
The contact officer’s role is to read the referral’s and prioritise them, following which they will make a decision in regards to whether they need to progress the referral to a contact and forward this to the MASH Tray, direct it to Early Help or No Further Action the referral’s. If they are unsure about what decision to make in regards to a referral the contact officer’s will forward the referral to the duty social worker for that day and ask them to look over the information and make a decision as to what action needs to be undertaken in regards to the referral. This may result in the Social Worker asking the contact officer to request further information from the referrer, adult with parental responsibility or the Police.
On receipt of telephone referrals the Officer’s contact the referrer to request further in-depth information to enable an informed decision to be made. These referrals can also be signposted to Early Help, a referral to Social Care or no further action.

5. Early Intervention and Prevention
Should a decision be made to make a referral to the Early Intervention and Prevention Team (EIP) the referral will be passed to the EIP tray. There are three officers in this team that will pick up the contact, read the information and contact the family and explain the specific support they can offer the family around the concerns raised. If the family accept the support offered and consent to their information being shared with the appropriate service the officers will contact the agency and request that they lead the delivery of the required support. If the family refuse the support offered the officers will provide information and support to the family following which the contact will be closed.

6. EIP Website www.sefton.gov.uk/earlyhelp
This is a link to the EIP website where professionals and families can access information regarding the changes to a CAF. Access information for children/young people and parents. Provides information for professionals, looks at available training. Explains the Early Help Pathway and how this can help families. How CAFS can help families, covers confidentiality and how this progress can help families.

7. Referrals direct to EIP
Members of the public, medical practices, health professionals, schools and parents and carers can also refer direct to EIP without making a referral to Sefton Council. By completing the referral form found on
However again prior to the referral being made and for it to be accepted the referral needs to make the parents aware of their concerns and that they intend to make a referral on their families behalf to EIP

8. Creating a contact
If the family are unknown to Sefton Children Social Care this can mean that the contact officer’s need to create the family on the system and this can be difficult if the information provided is incorrect or limited, emphasising the importance of individuals making a referral to Sefton Children Social Care of getting as much information as possible to ensure that the correct details are inputted on the system. Avoiding any missed information which might assist in any decision making.

9. The role of Social Worker’s based in Sefton’s MASH Team
There are currently four full time social workers based within MASH who cover the duty rota.
This role consists of making any decisions regarding any s sent them on the day, by the Contact officers. As to whether the referrals meet the criteria to be progressed to a contact or whether EIP support is more appropriate for the family.
Consultations with professionals during which advice and information will be provided. Referring to the threshold documents when there are conflicting views of how to proceed regarding a specific case to inform decision making while providing a rationale for the outcome of the consultation.
The contact number to discuss concerns with the duty social worker is /4481 on getting through to this number you will need to ask to speak to the duty worker for that day and will then be put through as the worker changes on a daily basis.
Should any child protection referrals be received the duty officer is responsible to complete visits to speak to the child, parents and gather any relevant information to inform any decision making. After which details of the information will be shared with the MASH manager.
In addition the duty officer will be expected to assist the research officer to complete inquiries in regards to the contacts on the MASH tray. Contacting the referrer when required to clarify information given. Contacting parents to gather their views regarding the concerns highlighted. Creating a summary of any past involvement and if appropriate contacting local authorities that the family may have lived in previously. Highlighting any worries, what is going well and what needs to happen by using the Signs of Safety.

10. Bragging
All referrals progressed to the MASH tray are subject to time constraints with decisions having to be made within twenty four hours on all contacts.
However in addition to this contacts are put through a Bragging System which when they meet this criteria means that they are sent out for a MASH inquiry with information being requested from all agencies included within MASH regardless of whether they are co-located or sit externally.
This involves predominately any referrals made on families that have had a social worker allocated to work with the family within the last twelve months, regardless of whether this was in regards to a Child Protection or Child in Need Plan or during the completion of a Child and Family assessment.
If a child/young person has been reported missing on three occasions or more.
Domestic violence referrals
Concerns regarding a child being involved within Child Sexual Exploitation
Neglect cases
Child Protection Concerns

11. Bragging
Based on the reason for the referral and information contained within the referral a decision is made in regards to whether further information is required and if so the urgency of the need for that information.
If the information contained within the initial referral enables an informed decision to be made and meets the criteria to be bragged. This would be classed as Blue, as no further information is required.
Cases bragged as green require further information contained within MASH inquires which includes information provided by the child/young person’s care provider and agencies who contribute to the MASH Inquiry’s. Agencies are expected to provide information regarding their involvement within twenty four hours.
Blue and Green inquires do not require case discussions to be arranged as decisions can be made on information required.
Amber MASH inquires place an expectation on agencies to provide information regarding their involvement within six hours.
Red MASH inquires place an expectation on involved agencies to provide information regarding their involvement within a two hour period, due to the level of concerns held.
When cases reach amber and red MASH inquires case discussions are organised to discuss the information provided while enabling a multi professional decision to be made.