Our protocol sets out how we and our partner agencies, along with parents/carers and young people, will assess, plan and manage cases when there are concerns about a child and where the threshold for a children’s social care assessment (under the Children Act 1989) is met. It also provides a detailed guide to our Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).

The aim of this protocol is to support a consistent approach to progressing the referrals and assessment of children and families in Warrington, and explain the journey that children will take through the assessment process. It also sets out good practice principles and practice standards that underpin our approach to working with children and their families.

Read the protocol

Local Operational and Assessment Protocol (1.38 MB)

Further information/ appendices

EHCP Checks - appendix 1

Requests for information are received from education in instances where an EHCP assessment is being undertaken in relation to a child with special educational needs. These are bragged as BLUE and a basic overview of any involvement is provided by the Social Care Advisors

Once a request for information is received:

If a Mosaic check indicates the child is not open to CSC

  1. Email information request to the allocated social worker and email: ChildrensServicesAdmin@warrington.gov.uk. Please inform person making the request.

  2. No further role for MASH

If a Mosaic check indicates the child has an allocated social worker

  1. Information request bragged as blue

  2. Information provided to be clearly recorded by the SCA on an information document for the child. If the child is not recorded on Mosaic then a record needs to be created and information document recorded.

CAFCASS checks - appendix 2

Requests for information are received from CAFCASS where private court proceedings are underway. These are bragged as BLUE and completed by the Social Care Advisors. A basic summary of any involvement from CSC should be provided.

Once a request for information is received:

If a Mosaic check indicates the child has an allocated social worker

  1. Email information request to the allocated social worker and email: ChildrensServicesAdmin@warrington.gov.uk. Please inform person making the request.

  2. No further role for MASH

If a Mosaic check indicates the child is not open to CSC

  1. Information request bragged as blue

  2. Information provided to be clearly recorded by the SCA on an information document for the child.

    If the child is not recorded on Mosaic then a record needs to be created and information document recorded.

Probation service - appendix 3

Requests for information are received from probation in instances where an adult with connects to a child or children may be open to probation. The checks are usually in relation to if a child is open or known to CSC. Often there may be little context as to why probation are seeking information. In these instances it may be appropriate for the Senior Practitioner to contact probation for an overview of why they are requesting the information and any risks associated with the adult that may need a MARS to be submitted to CSC. This should be completed at the bragging stage by an SP with oversight to advise that a MARS has also been requested. Information requests should be bragged as BLUE.

Once a request for information is received from probation:

 

If a Mosaic check indicates the child has an allocated social worker

  1. Email information request to the allocated social worker and email: ChildrensServicesAdmin@warrington.gov.uk. Please inform person making the request.

  2. No further role for MASH

If a Mosaic check indicates the child is known but not open to CSC

  1. SP to review information request to assess if there are possible safeguarding concerns. SP to speak with probation directly to advise if a MARS is needed.

  2. Information requests bragged as blue where no safeguarding concerns. SCA to provide basic overview to person making the request for information.

  3. Information provided to be clearly recorded by the SCA on an information document for the child If the child is not recorded on Mosaic then a record needs to be created and information document recorded. Where a child is not known

Terms of reference - Domestic abuse daily meetings - appendix 4

 

Type of Meeting

 

 

Daily meeting with key agencies to review VPA’s in relation to domestic abuse.

 

 

Purpose of group

 

The purpose of the Daily Risk Discussion is to make a decision on a multi-agency basis on those domestic abuse VPA’s where it is unclear as to whether the threshold for Children’s Social Care (CSC) or Early Help is met.

 

To further enhance this process and in order to secure improved safeguarding outcomes and enable multi-agency discussions with regards to Vulnerable Person Assessments (VPA’s).

 

A secondary aim is to provide a multi-agency rapid response to families and in doing so strengthen the partnership response in addressing DA across Warrington. Discussions will also be focused on attaining a positive outcome for victims of domestic violence and addressing adverse childhood experiences, verbal, physical and physical abuse.

 

The meeting can also act as conduit to clarify practice and bring matters and issues for discussion in respect of the operation of the front door.

 

Mash functionality will be enhanced as a result of the meetings.

 

 

Frequency of Group & Length of time approx.:

 

Meetings will take place Monday at 1pm and then each subsequent working day at 11am, it is estimated they will last up to thirty minutes.

 

Accountable to

 

 

MASH manager / police

 

Core Membership

 

  • Children’s Social Care Senior Practitioner
  • IDVA
  • Police
  • Early Help representative
  • Health
  • Education

 

 

Chair

Deputy Chair

 

 

 

  • Rota bases

 

 

Reports to be provided for this meeting – 5 working days before meeting.

 

 

 

  • We are with you – Monthly Report
  • Children’s Social Care Report

 

 

 

 

Fixed process / agenda items

 

  • Domestic abuse Vulnerable Person Assessments (VPA’s) will be processed and disseminated by Police according to risk level at the earliest opportunity to allow positive intervention by professionals.

 

  • Vulnerable Person Assessments (VPA’s) relating non domestic child concern received overnight will be collated by Police for discussion within the meeting. At the meeting a decision is reached if the threshold is met for MASH - Children’s Social Care (CSC) or Early Help and Prevention (EHP).

             

  • Domestic abuse Vulnerable Person Assessments (VPA’s) for discussion will be collated by MASH senior practitioner and agenda for the meeting set. At the meeting a decision is reached if the threshold is met for MASH - Children’s Social Care (CSC) or Early Help and Prevention (EHP).

 

  • Domestic abuse VPA’s involving children will be prioritised, VPAs involving Child Concern will also be discussed if it is considered beneficial.

 

  • The MASH senior practitioner will keep a tracker of discussions and ensure a record of each case number discussed or record “not known,” if a child or young person is not known.  Those that are accepted will be recorded in bold. A record will be kept as to how many VPA’s are discussed and the number of those accepted by Children’s Social Care (CSC) or Early Help, along with actions for wider agencies.

 

Date of last review of ToR

08/02/21

 

 

  • Prepared by multi-agency

 

Hospital Liaison flowchart - appendix 5
  1. Hospital Liaison agenda is sent by health to childreferral@warrington.gov.uk

  2. The agenda is then sent to ChildrensServicesAdmin@warrington.gov.uk  for admin support to complete a brief overview such any current involvement and allocated social worker, CIN, CP or LAC status and known risks or protective factors. The updated agenda is emailed back to MASH team childreferral@warrington.gov.uk

  3. The MASH Team Manager, Deputy Team Manager or Senior Practitioner attends the meeting as the representative for CSC.

    Prior to the meeting the CSC representative should check the agenda noted for accuracy and feed-back all relevant information in the meeting. A multi-agency decision will be made in regards to the next steps.

  4. The full minutes for the meeting will be sent by health to childreferral@warrington.gov.uk.

    The minutes for the meeting will be loaded onto Mosaic by the admin support team.

    Any actions required by the MASH will be actioned by the representative for CSC. Actions for MASH may include completing a further MASH screening or progressing to a pre-birth assessment should this be agreed as a multi-agency. 

  5. Pre-birth assessments are allocated on a rota basis the Child in Need Teams. A Mash will need to be created for the child. Minimal screening will be undertaken, however parents will be contacted and notified that an assessment is to be completed by the MASH social worker.

    The rota for allocation of pre-birth assessments can be found in the MASH shared drive.

Step up flowchart - appendix 6
  1. EH practitioner has case discussion with Team Manager and complete safeguarding grid/risk & resilience tool
  2. concerns and anxieties/potential risk of escalation recognised
  3. complete Step Up form if appropriate
  4. submit step up form AND supporting tools ie. safeguarding grid/R&R tool to childreferreal inbox and earlyhelpfrontdoor inbox by 12noon WEDNESDAY
  5. Practitioner/Team Manager to attend step up meeting with locality manager on EHFD duty WITH MASH Team Manager/Advanced Prac AND CIN TM if case closed in the last 6 months
  6. threshold for CSC met therefore progress to CIN team for CAFA OR referral picked up by CIN team if closed on previous 6 months If the threshold for CSC not met. Advice and guidance provided with a plan of action regarding further support. Use escalation procedure if appropriate. 
  7. If the threshold is met then CAFA complete and outcome of assessment shared with EH practitioner
MARAC flowchart - appendix 7

  1. MARAC agenda is sent by the police to ChildrensServicesAdmin@warrington.gov.uk

  2. Admin support complete a brief overview such as allocated social worker, CIN, CP or LAC status and an update in regards to actions taken due to the domestic abuse incident. A summary of the Mash screening in relation to the domestic abuse incident is provided where the family are not open to CSC.

    The summary is emailed back to the police and to the MASH team.

    warrington.ppu@cheshire.pnn.police.uk

    childreferral@warrington.gov.uk

  3. The MASH Team Manager, Deputy Team Manager or Senior Practitioner attends the meeting as the representative for CSC.

    Prior to the meeting the CSC representative should check the agenda noted for accuracy and feed-back all relevant information in the meeting.

  4.  The representative for CSC will ensure that any actions for CSC are actioned immediately following the meeting. This may include emailing the allocated social worker to inform them of any actions.

    Actions for MASH may include completing a further MASH screening or progressing to an assessment should this be agreed as a multi-agency. 

  5. The full minutes from the MARAC meeting are sent by the police to CSC admin support

    ChildrensServicesAdmin@warrington.gov.uk

    The minutes are then added to MOSAIC for all cases. Where a case is open this is added as a Significant Event on an open case (SEOC). Where a case is closed this is added as an information only document.

Pan-Cheshire screening tool - appendix 8

The pan-Cheshire screening tool can be found on the Warrington Safeguarding Partnerships website.

Contextual Safeguarding & Missing from Home (MFH) Risk Meetings - terms of reference - appendix 9

Objective

The primary objective of Contextual Safeguarding risk meetings is to make multi agency decision about all new Contextual Safeguarding referrals & Missing from Home (MFH) incidents to determine the level of risk. In addition, to decide if the referral should be sent to Children’s Social Care (CSC), Early Help, single agency or NFA. 

Purpose

This risk meeting will provide an environment in which agencies can share brief information linked to exploitation to aid in determining the risk posed to children at risk of sexual exploitation, criminal exploitation, FGM, radicalisation and honour based violence and Children and Young People (C&YP) who Go Missing from Home.

Terms of Reference

The aim is to share & collate any multi agency information to determine the level of risk to (C&YP) at risk of MFH, Sexual Exploitation, Criminal Exploitation, FGM, Radicalisation and Honour Based Violence. Implement a multi-agency response, plan for any immediate risk identified on the day in relation children known to CSC and at risk of exploitation or any new referrals.

Meeting Attendees

The meeting will be chaired by the Contextual Safeguarding Lead and a Deputy is to be appointed. It will be attended by: MASH, Duty CIN Manager, Police, EH, Youth Service, Education Safeguarding, Health, We Are With You, Adults, Housing and YJS.  This meeting can lead to a Referral to a Single Agency such as Education to complete a targeted piece of work, Early Help or Children’s Social Care.

The meeting will be held twice weekly initially and will replace CSOG. ALL C&YP who have had a completed CS Tool/assessment will be discussed.

Process:

Child Exploitation Screening/assessment will all be sent to the following inbox csog@warrington.gov.uk for MFH notifications or RHI the following inbox is missingfromhome@warrington.gov.uk

An agenda will be sent to all agencies the day prior to the risk meeting which will include all screening tools or MFH notifications

Agencies will each provide a high level overview of information relevant to decision making in relation to CS.

A risk level will be agreed at the meeting, where the YP meets level 4 equating to High Risk levels, the family will be referred CSC & a Strategy Meeting considered. If the outcome is level of risk is Medium (equating to a level 3/2) the family will also be offered a referral to CSC. If the level of risk is Low the family will be offered EH, if the family would not like to take up the offer of EH, the family will be signposted to Universal Services, such as School or Health, in some situations this may require a NFA.

Out of hours protocol

The Warrington Borough Council Out of Hours (OOH) Service becomes operational outside of the ‘usual office opening hours’ for council services i.e. Monday to Friday 09:00-17:00. The purpose of the OOH service is to provide a response to the emergency needs of adults, children and families for the time period that falls outside of these office opening hours.

Childrens services - OOH Protocol (207.59 KB)
4 January 2023