MASH, Duty, Complex Safeguarding & EDT

The Head of Service for EDT ( Emergency Duty Team) , MASH (Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub ) , Duty and Complex Safeguarding is responsible for the overarching delivery of these services and improving outcomes for children that receive help and support from each of the services.

In summary the below details set out in brief what each service delivers.

EDT - deliver an out of hours services ( evenings, weekends, BH holiday periods) ensuring that any safeguarding incidents in relation to children and adults are responded to and safety plans put in place.  EDT also undertake mental health act assessments and respond to homelessness issues out of hours. EDT staffing consists of 6 qualified experienced social workers and one team manager. The EDT service is delivered across St Helens and Halton Local Authorities.

MASH- The Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub is a partnership team consisting of police, health, social care staff, education , probation, domestic abuse advisors, probation and wider services. The MASH is very much the gateway to all those professionals and general public who have a concern for a child's welfare. The MASH screen all the information received and access all relevant information in order to reach a decision whether the information shared meets threshold for a social care assessment or required an alternative pathway of help such as advice and signposting to other services for example early help. The team consists of the above partners, 3 social workers , 2 team managers and 2 assistant team managers.

Duty- There are 4 Duty teams, each consisting of 6 social workers, 1 assistant social worker, 1 team manager and 1 assistant team manager. The teams operate on a 4-weekly basis ,in which the team on duty week will receive all referrals and assessments from MASH and these will be allocated for action to a social worker within the team. The teams will undertake assessments and initial child protection investigations responding to immediate child protection concerns and putting in place immediate safety plans. The teams hold cases on a short-term basis, therefore completing assessment and making decisions on the outcome of section 47 investigations.  Where cases progress to child protection conference the cases will transfer over to the Family Help and Protection Teams at the first core group. Where assessments conclude child in need plans a plan of support will be put in place and the aim to reduce risk and step cases down. However, where child in need cases require longer term support these cases will also transfer to Family Help and Protection teams with a plan for longer term support at an agreed transfer point. The Duty tams may also at times need to start care proceedings or consider PLO plans for children where risk threshold is met.

Complex Safeguarding Team- This team responds to concerns where children are affected by harm outside of the home  ( contextual safeguarding)  therefore, those children at risk of exploitation whether that be sexual or criminal. The team consists of 2 social workers, 1 assistant team manager, 1 complex safeguarding specialist manager and 1 early help worker. The team work closely with a commissioned service called Catch 22 who complete return home interviews for children and young people who have been missing, and they also deliver specialist support to those children affected by exploitation and offer specialist interventions and direct work. The team hold a prevention strand in which the early help worker will work with groups of children deemed vulnerable to exploitation or offer support to agencies raising awareness of exploitation and improving responses and support to reduce risks overall. The team also work closely with the missing and exploitation police to coordinate active plans of disruption and intervention.

The team do not case hold but will co work with children on the CE pathway and support the coordination of the plan with a clear and focused drive on exploitation as part of that child's overarching plan.