1. MASH Where are we now?

2. SALFORD’S MASH IS:
A multi-agency safeguarding hub and is the single point of contact for all safeguarding concerns regarding children and young people in Salford. It brings together expert professionals from services that have contact with children, young people and families, making the best possible use of their combined knowledge and information to keep children safe from harm
A confidential and unique environment providing professionals with far more information than has been revealed previously. This is to ensure no vital information is missed and speedy decisions can be made when safeguarding a child or young person

3. THE SOCIAL WORK TEAM Service Manager – Debbie MacQueen
Practice Manager – Elaine Healey
Advanced Practitioner – Stacey Brewer
Four level three Social Workers –
Yasmin Davidson
James Charlton
Laura Jones
Sonia Bagguley
Admin Support Team

4. The Vehicle Police – PPIU, DV, GULF Children’s Social Care
Early Intervention and Prevention Team
Environment and Community Safety
Housing
Probation (weekly)
Health (weekly)
YOS (weekly)
Housing Benefits

5. WHAT’S HAPPENING NOW
Enquiries come into the MASH and are received from professionals, voluntary agencies or from the public (telephone/fax/worried about a child)
A contact is created if deemed appropriate onto care first and then `screened’ by one of Social Workers.
At this stage the contact could be a No Further Action and a referral sent to EIPT for support services to become involved. Or a CAF recommended if not already in place.
If the contact is to progress to referral record then Information gathered during screening will be from Children’s Services records (history), police, probation, drugs and alcohol team, school, health services etc

6. Social workers have 24 hours to screen a contact and make the appropriate decision/recommendation of action. This needs authorising by AP or Manager.
If a contact is to be progressed to a referral record then a further 24 hours is allowed before progressing to initial assessment/strategy meeting by the RIAT Team to establish risk/need/further intervention/support.
Immediate risk/injury/allegation of sexual abuse will be flagged as urgent and dealt with immediately

7. What’s working well
Multi-agency approach (including MARAC, Missing from Home and Partnership (GULF) meetings
Insight into roles and responsibilities ie. broader context
Understanding thresholds i.e face to face discussion and exploration
Approachability i.e. more about good will
Speedy decisions, risks can be assessed in good time

8. Challenges Shared aim and vision
Increased workload – suggestion for different streams of activity. Risk is unmanageability.
Thresholds and quality of referrals

9. What’s Next Adult and Child Mental Health
Probation and Health full time
Drug and Alcohol Services
Education Welfare Services
SIDASS and PROTECT
Single IT system
3 x weekly MARAC meetings
Junior MARAC
New Screening Role x 2

10. Participation When to refer
What information to gather – presenting issue, positives, not a repeat of previous referrals/issues/
When/how to inform parents – a detailed description of their response when informed
Professional opinion / use the threshold model
What to say to the child
How to complete the referral form
Earlier the better
When to contact MASH
Details of all people living in the household
Up to date information for parents –address/phone number etc