1. Working together to support children and families in Cambridgeshire
The Integrated Front Door, MASH and EHH

2. How the journey begins… …in the new world
An Integrated Front Door
Single point of entry for all notifications regarding safeguarding and promoting the well-being of children.
The Integrated Front Door (IFD) brings together the Children’s Social Care Front door, the Advice and Co-ordination Team (ACT), First Response and Emergency Duty Team (FREDt) and MASH into an integrated front door consisting of MASH and an Early Help Hub

3. Early Help Hub
FCAF has been replaced by the Early Help Assessment (EHA)
The role of the Early Help Hub is to receive all EHAs and identify what help a child and family require to prevent needs escalating and ensure the most appropriate plan and support is put in place in a timely manner
The Hub will also keep a central record of all families who have a Lead Professional and follow up to ensure that plans are in place
If safeguarding concerns are identified then the Request for Early Help will be passed immediately to MASH.
The Early Help Hub can be contacted for consultation around Early Help services
Definition of Early Help?

4. Possible outcomes from EHH
All Requests for Early Help Hub are reviewed by an Early Help Hub Coordinator against the threshold document and will result in one or more of the following within 48 hours:
Allocation of a service from a Cambridgeshire County Council District Early Help team. This may include further assessment
Identification of a Lead Professional
Provision of information & advice
Signposting or brokering of a service/intervention outside of the Early Help Hub (e.g. Voluntary Organisation).
Support to further develop the Early Help Assessment
Step up to the MASH if a safeguarding concern emerges during discussions
There will be an expectation that universal services have already been put in place and measured for effectiveness and that the needs can’t be met by services from within own agency or by professionals already involved with the family

5. MASH
The role of the MASH is to process and manage all children’s safeguarding referrals for Peterborough and Cambridgeshire
Brings together professionals, called “navigators”, from services that have contact with children, young people and families (e.g. Health, Police, Education), and makes the best possible use of their combined knowledge to keep children safe from harm
The hub is fire walled, keeping MASH activity in a secure and confidential environment, separate from operational activity and providing a confidential record system of activity to support this.
An agreed process for prioritising, analysing and assessing risk, based on the fullest information picture and providing proportionate and relevant information to the most appropriate agencies. Eg use of agreed risk ratings -BRAG.
Practitioners are encouraged to consult with the MASH where they require support in determining a course of action for children and young people with additional needs
Pass the case to First Response Team for completion of a child Protection Investigation, s47 CA 1989.
Pass the case to social work team/units for a single assessment, s17 CA 1989
With consent, pass the case to the Early Help Hub for Early Help Assessment/Plan
Provide advice and information and close.

6. Possible outcomes from MASH
Completion of a child Protection Investigation, s47 CA 1989.
Single assessment, s17 CA 1989
With consent, pass the case to the Early Help Hub for Early Help Assessment/Plan
Provide advice and information and close.
Pass the case to First Response Team for completion of a child Protection Investigation, s47 CA 1989.
Pass the case to social work team/units for a single assessment, s17 CA 1989
With consent, pass the case to the Early Help Hub for Early Help Assessment/Plan
Provide advice and information and close.

7. Does the child/family you are working with have needs beyond which you can address?
YES
Is there a child/yp at risk of significant harm? NO
YES
Contact Early Help Hub to find out if Lead Professional in place
Refer to MASH/complete joint referral form LP
NO LP
Join the TAF
Complete EHA
Integrated Front Door
Send EHA to EHH
EHH
MASH
Send Referral to MASH

8. LP calls a TAF/CIN/CP meeting
Possible outcomes
Assessment by Social Worker, if appropriate with police.
Child Protection Plan or Child in Need Plan
District Early Help allocated as Lead Professional
Another professional as Lead Professional
Advice & Information given
Support to further develop assessment
LP calls a TAF/CIN/CP meeting
Team Around the Family creates a Family Plan with clear outcomes
Review Regularly
CLOSE

9. Early Help or Safeguarding?
The new Threshold document is guidance to help professionals decide whether to refer to Early Help using the Early Help Assessment or MASH using the Joint Referral Form
The Early Help Assessment and short factsheet on how to complete are available at:
The Joint Referral Form and short factsheet on how to complete are available at:

10. Contacts
All Safeguarding Referrals should be sent to
All Early Help Assessments should be sent to
Consultation can be provided from the MASH by calling
Consultation and advice around Early Help can be provided by the Early Help Hub by calling , including finding out whether a family has a lead professional to avoid starting processes again
999 in an emergency situation