Coventry's Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) - Print version

Coventry's Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub

Partners from organisations across Coventry came together to create the city's first-ever Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) which opened in September 2014.

The MASH has workers from key partners responsible for safeguarding children in Coventry co-located in one building.

Multi-agency referral and initial information [https://myaccount.coventry.gov.uk/service/Children_s_Services___Multi_agency_referral_and_initial_information]

What is a MASH?

The Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) brings key professionals together to facilitate early, better quality information sharing, analysis and decision-making, to safeguard vulnerable children and young people more effectively.

Staff from across health, children's services, the police, education, probation are based in the MASH at any one time at its base in Broadgate House in the city centre.

The MASH provides timely access to a range of partner agency information which builds a picture and enables us to understand the level of risk.

Information from different agencies is collated within the MASH, and used to decide what action to take. As a result, the agencies are able to act quickly in a co-ordinated and consistent way, ensuring that children are kept safe.

For those concerns that meet the threshold for Children's Services' involvement, representatives from the different agencies in the MASH and outside collate information from their respective sources to build up a picture of the circumstances of the family and the associated risks to the child.

As a result, better decisions are made about what action to take and support will be targeted towards the families who need it most. Feedback is also given to professionals reporting concerns.

What does the MASH do?

The Coventry MASH provides the highest level of knowledge to ensure all safeguarding activity and intervention is timely, proportionate and necessary for keeping vulnerable children safe.

This ensures each partner is in the best position to make effective decisions and the relevant agency takes appropriate actions in response to the referral.

What happens after the safeguarding concern?

If the child or young person is thought to have been harmed or could be harmed in the future, they will be referred to Coventry City Council’s local area team for further assessment. Information could also be given to police officers if it is necessary to help stop or solve a crime.

If the child or young person has not been harmed but we think they or their parent/carer would benefit from extra help, then their details will be passed onto the most appropriate service so that they get the support they need.