Changes to Mash MASH consultation line The consultation line is a service provided by children’s social care that sits within the MASH. The Children’s Services MASH Manager has reviewed the use of the consultation line and as of Monday 10 July professional consultation will take place through the one MASH number to ensure that this is very much day to day business. There will no longer be an option for an anonymous consultation. If a child is discussed with the MASH then there will be a record of what was advised on a child’s file and the rationale for this. The MASH Manager has been doing some work on a refresh of the MASH functions and ensuring that this is delivered to all internal and external partner agencies so we all have clarity on roles/expectations The Children’s Services MASH Manager wishes to work with all partner agencies to improve working relationships and ensure that we all work together in a productive supportive and positive way to Safeguard the children we are all responsible for. Children’s Services would also like to assure all agencies that the systems in the MASH are gradually being changed and that some restructuring is taking place. This began in late May and reports from the Customer Service Centre as of early June advise that 99% of calls are now being answered within the MASH. The changes to the consultation line will not affect this improved timely response. Changes to Child Protection Conferences Following feedback from Ofsted we are making changes to the format of Child Protection Conferences and the way Child Protection Plans are written with the purpose of more clearly evidencing identified risk for children. What will be different? Child Protection Conferences will focus on identifying the high level risks and danger for children as well as identifying actions / support needed to reduce immediate risks (between Conference and Core Group). This will become the outline Child Protection Plan from Conference. It will be the role of Core Group members in their meetings to develop the Child Protection Plan using a Signs of Safety approach to engage both family members and professionals in identifying and agreeing the detail of the action and support needed i.e. who will do what, when and how?
Changes to Mash MASH consultation line The consultation line is a service provided by children’s social care that sits within the MASH. The Children’s Services MASH Manager has reviewed the use of the consultation line and as of Monday 10 July professional consultation will take place through the one MASH number to ensure that this is very much day to day business. There will no longer be an option for an anonymous consultation. If a child is discussed with the MASH then there will be a record of what was advised on a child’s file and the rationale for this. The MASH Manager has been doing some work on a refresh of the MASH functions and ensuring that this is delivered to all internal and external partner agencies so we all have clarity on roles/expectations The Children’s Services MASH Manager wishes to work with all partner agencies to improve working relationships and ensure that we all work together in a productive supportive and positive way to Safeguard the children we are all responsible for. Children’s Services would also like to assure all agencies that the systems in the MASH are gradually being changed and that some restructuring is taking place. This began in late May and reports from the Customer Service Centre as of early June advise that 99% of calls are now being answered within the MASH. The changes to the consultation line will not affect this improved timely response. Changes to Child Protection Conferences Following feedback from Ofsted we are making changes to the format of Child Protection Conferences and the way Child Protection Plans are written with the purpose of more clearly evidencing identified risk for children. What will be different? Child Protection Conferences will focus on identifying the high level risks and danger for children as well as identifying actions / support needed to reduce immediate risks (between Conference and Core Group). This will become the outline Child Protection Plan from Conference. It will be the role of Core Group members in their meetings to develop the Child Protection Plan using a Signs of Safety approach to engage both family members and professionals in identifying and agreeing the detail of the action and support needed i.e. who will do what, when and how?