Hackney MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) Children’s and Families Service
Who are we?
The Hackney MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub) is a single point of contact or ‘front door’ for Hackney Children and Families Services.
What do we do?
Professionals from children and families services, police, health and probation, work together through MASH.
They share information and make decisions about the kinds of services and levels of support children, young people and families need.
MASH share knowledge, information and professional judgements about the referral and next steps.
This helps to make quick decisions that assist families and referrers to get prompt access to services.
If you’re worried about a child or young person
If a case is already allocated within Hackney Children and Families Services, please contact the child’s allocated unit to discuss your concerns.
If you are worried about a child who is not open to Hackney Children and Families Services, where you feel your concern is urgent and you need to speak to a social worker to agree a plan of action today, please call MASH on 020 8356 5500 or email MASH@hackney.gov.uk:
the phone line is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays
outside of these hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team on 020 8356 2710
If you’re unsure about what support a child and family needs, or whether you should make a referral to MASH
Eligibility
Inclusion
How does the consultation line work?
- it’s for professionals only
- for cases that are not already open to the Council’s service
- you must have consulted your designated safeguarding lead first
- you will need to use the usual MASH number – 020 8356 5500 – and ask for a consultation
- experienced members of staff from MASH will respond
- MASH will listen to your concerns and offer advice and guidance about the most appropriate next steps – their advice may include:
- a request for you to have further conversations with the child and family about the concerns and – with their consent – other members of the family’s network
- a written referral to MASH
- a referral to another service
MASH will keep a log of calls to monitor the consultation lines use, but calls will not be recorded on our files. It is important that anyone contacting MASH make their own agency records of discussions.
How to refer
Who can refer: GP, Self-referral available
The phone line is open 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays Outside of these hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team on 020 8356 2710 If you’re unsure about what support a child and family needs, or whether you should make a referral to MASH, please call MASH and ask for a consultation with a member of the team.
MASH referral guidance and form
Please complete a MASH referral form if you wish to request either early help or statutory social work support for a family. Information submitted via the form will only be reviewed during office hours. Please note, it is expected that you will have spoken to the family about the referral you are making to MASH, prior to contacting MASH, in all cases except where it is felt that doing so will place a child at immediate risk of harm. All decisions in MASH about the most appropriate next steps for a child and family are made in line with the Hackney child wellbeing framework.
Discuss your worries with a social worker, please phone Hackney Children and Families Services Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) The telephone line is open between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday only, excluding bank holidays Outside of office hours, if your concerns are urgent, you can call our Emergency Duty Team on 020 8356 2710