Initial Contacts and Referrals
Related guidance
- MK Together Levels of Need when Working with Children, Young People and their Families in Milton Keynes
- Information Sharing and Confidentiality Procedure (MIlton Keynes Together)
- Referral and Assessment Procedure - Milton Keynes Together
- DfE, Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners
- Working Together to Safeguard Children (DfE)
An Initial Contact is made where Children's Social Care Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) is contacted about a child, who may be a Child in Need, and where there is a request for general advice, information or a service.
All contacts need to be considered alongside thresholds for the Threshold Document and Early Help Criteria, and a decision made within 24 hours regarding the level of response required.
At any time, an Initial Contact may become a Referral if it appears that services may be required for a Child in Need.
Any significant information received about a child who is an open case should be regarded as an Initial Contact, passed to the child's allocated social worker and recorded on the electronic data base.
An Early Help Assessment is not a referral form, although it may be used to support a Referral or a specialist assessment.
In all other cases, at the point when an Initial Contact is made, the duty worker should establish whether the enquiry can be dealt with by the provision of information and advice or re-direction to other agencies or services.
The duty worker should also check the electronic data base records to see if the child or family is known and, if known, retrieve information on them.
An Initial Contact will be progressed to a Referral where the social worker or manager considers an assessment and/or services may be required for a Child in Need.
Referrers should have the opportunity to discuss their concerns with a qualified social worker when necessary. The referrer should be asked specifically if they hold any information about difficulties being experienced by the family/household due to domestic abuse, mental illness, substance misuse and/or learning difficulties.
Once the Referral has been accepted by local authority MASH the lead professional role falls to a social worker.
The social worker should clarify with the referrer, when known, the nature of the concerns and how and why they have arisen.
The duty social worker will contact the referrer if necessary, to obtain as much of the following information as possible:
- Full names, dates of birth and gender of children; Family address and, where relevant, school/nursery attended;
- Identity of those with Parental Responsibility;
- Names and dates of birth of all members of the household;
- Ethnicity, first language and religion of children and parents;
- Nationality and immigration status;
- Any additional needs of the children including the means in which they communicate;
- Any significant recent or past events;
- Cause for concern including details of allegations, their sources, timing and location;
- The child's current location and emotional and physical condition;
- Whether the child needs immediate protection;
- Details of any alleged perpetrator;
- Referrer's relationship with and knowledge of the child and their family;
- Known involvement of other agencies;
- Information regarding parents' knowledge of the referral.
Once received, all Referrals must be written up and a decision made about their disposal within 1 working day of the initial contact. (Note: This should be as soon as possible where it is evident the child is seen as requiring immediate protection/urgent action).
Within 1 working day, the social worker should make a decision about the type of response that is required. This will include determining whether:
- The child requires immediate protection and urgent action is required;
- There is reasonable cause to suspect that the child is suffering, or likely to suffer, Significant Harm, and whether enquires must be made and the child assessed under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989.
See Safeguarding Children Procedures for timescales;
- The child is in need, and should be assessed under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989;
- Any services are required by the child and family and what type of services; and
- Further specialist assessments are required in order to help the local authority to decide what further action to take.
The following process applies both to children who are already known to the authority and those who were not previously known.
The process of Referrals must include screening against the Document and/or Early Help Criteria and must include internal electronic database and agency checks to establish whether the family is previously known, and whether there is a Child Protection Plan in relation to the child and/or whether the child is Looked After.
The screening process should establish:
- The nature of the concern;
- How and why it has arisen;
- What the child's needs appear to be;
- Whether the concern involves the child suffering/being likely to suffer Significant Harm;
- Whether there is any need for urgent action to protect the child or any children in the household.
This process will involve:
- Discussion with the referrer;
- Consideration of any existing records, including whether the child is the subject of a Child Protection Plan;
- The parent or carer should normally be informed that a Referral is being made unless to do so would place a child or vulnerable adult at increased risk of harm;
- The Information shared should always be necessary, proportionate, relevant, accurate, timely and secure;
- Involving other agencies as appropriate and in accordance with Information sharing advice for safeguarding practitioners and Working Together to Safeguard Children.
Supporting Disabled Children and Their Carers
Where a referral is received requesting help and support for disabled children and their families, practitioners should recognise additional pressures on the family, and the distinct challenges they may have had to negotiate as a result of their child's disability when carrying out any assessments. Such an assessment also be carried out if requested by the parent/carer. Consideration should also be given to any support needs for the parents/carers of the disabled child. An assessment would need to be carried out to consider whether it is appropriate for the parent carer to provide, or continue to provide, care for the disabled child. The assessment should consider the parent/carer's needs and wishes and the specific needs and circumstances of the child resulting from their disability. Parent carers have the right to request an assessment under section 17ZD of the Children Act 1989, including where a child is not otherwise known to children's social care.
Supporting Young Carers
If it is considered that a young carer may have support needs, it must carry out an assessment to establish how best they can support the young carer and their family. An assessment must also be carried out if a young carer, or the parent of a young carer, requests one. Such an assessment must consider whether it is appropriate or excessive for the young carer to provide care for the person in question, (which may be a sibling, parent, or other member of the family), in light of the young carer's needs and wishes.
Supporting Children at Risk of, or Experiencing, Harm Outside the Home
Where there are concerns that a child is experiencing extra-familial harm, practitioners should consider all the needs and vulnerabilities of the child. Some children will have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by others and will require support appropriate to their needs to minimise the potential for exploitation. All children, including those who may be causing harm to others, should receive a safeguarding response first and practitioners should work with them to understand their experiences and what will reduce the likelihood of harm to themselves and others. An assessment will need to be undertaken to determine whether a child is in need under section 17 of the Children Act 1989 or whether to make enquires under section 47 of the same Act, following concerns that the child is suffering or likely to suffer significant harm.
Where there are concerns that more than one child may be experiencing harm in an extra-familial context, practitioners should consider the individual needs of each child as well as work with the group. The children in the group may or may not already be known to children's social care.
Supporting Children in Secure Youth Establishments
Where a child becomes looked after, as a result of being remanded to youth detention accommodation (YDA), a visit to the child should be undertaken to assess the child's needs before taking a decision on how they should be supported. This information should be used to prepare the care plan, which should set out how the YDA and other practitioners will meet the child's needs whilst the child remains remanded, and at any point of transition they will experience, whether returning to the community or receiving a custodial sentence.
Supporting Children in Mother and Baby Units (in Prison)
When a woman applies for a place on a mother and baby unit (MBU) whilst in prison, an assessment must be completed by children's social care from the mother's home authority. Any assessment should set out the needs of the child in relation to the mother's application to be placed on an MBU.
The Lead Practitioner should attend the MBU Admissions Board to represent the best interests of the child. When placed in an MBU, the mother retains full parental responsibility for the day-to-day care of the child and the local authority in which the prison is located is responsible for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the child.
Supporting Children at Risk from People in Prison and People Supervised by the Probation Service
If a child safeguarding enquiry is received from the Prison Service regarding a prisoner who presents an ongoing risk to children from within custody, children social care should:
- Review information provided by the Prison Service and record it as required;
- Respond to the child safeguarding enquiry and share with the Prison Service any concerns about the prisoner and any contact with a child;
- Contribute to the prisons' child contact risk assessment where a child is known to children's social care, or has previously been known, by providing a report on the child's best interests and verifying the child's identity. Where the child is not known to children's social care, they should still provide a view on child contact and should advise the prison to complete a child safeguarding referral if one is required.
The Probation Service will share information with children's social care about supervised individuals who have contact with children or who pose a known risk and will also request information by making child safeguarding enquiries.
Child reports being hit with belt/stick
When an initial contact is taken regarding a child reporting that she/he is hit at home with a belt / stick / implement of any kind, and there are no marks or bruises, no evidence of present harm, and there is no previous history or record of concerns regarding the family, CSC will ask the setting reporting the allegation to have the initial conversation with the parents/carers. This conversation will consist of advising the parents that whilst no injury is present at this time, it is illegal in the UK to use any form of implement to chastise a child. Support and advice should be discussed regarding appropriate methods of chastisement. The family should be informed that the allegation will be referred into CSC for their records. It needs to be clearly explained that should there be a second allegation then the family need to be aware that CSC will become involved. The responses of the parents/carers should be noted on the Referral form in order for CSC to consider if any follow up involvement is necessary. The record will be held on the Early Help database, not the statutory database at this time.
Child under 10 involved in sexual exploration/touching
When an initial contact is taken regarding children under 10 being involved in sexual exploration/touching with each other, and there is no previous history or record of concerns regarding the family of a similar nature, and the children are of a similar age to each other. CSC will ask the setting reporting the concerns to have a conversation with the parents/carers where support and advice should be discussed. The family should be informed that the concerns will be referred to CSC for their records. The responses of the parents/carers should be noted on the referral form in order for CSC to consider if any follow up is necessary, including a Children and Families Assessment if needed. The record will be held on the Early Help database, not the statutory database at this time. The police will not be informed as the children are below the age of criminal responsibility.
Sexting
When an initial contact is taken regarding children sharing images of a sexual nature/sexting via social media within a school environment and there is no previous history, or record of concerns regarding the family of a similar nature. This will be shared with the school's police officer by either CSC or MASH police, for their follow up with all parties involved. CSC will consider any additional support required and a Children and Families assessment if needed. If the concerns occur outside school, this will be dealt with by the local police area via their normal response procedure.
If there are indications that a child may be at risk of Significant Harm, the manager may authorise whatever actions are necessary to protect the child or others in the household from Significant Harm, which may result in the immediate provision of services. There should be consideration of a Strategy Discussion and of a multi-agency response.
If there is suspicion that a crime may have been committed including sexual or physical assault or neglect of the child, the Police must be notified immediately.
Personal information about non-professional referrers should not be disclosed to the parents or other agencies without the referrer's consent.
Parents/carers should usually be informed before discussing a referral with other agencies unless this may place the child at risk of Significant Harm, in which case the manager should authorise the discussion of the referral with other agencies without parental knowledge. The authorisation should be recorded with reasons.
Domestic violence
When Domestic Violence Incidents are referred to the MASH by the police they will be risk assessed by the police. Those incidents rated as high risk will automatically have a strategy meeting. Those rated as medium will be triaged and a decision as to next actions taken by a manager, the outcome may be a strategy discussion, Children & Families Assessment, or Early Help support.
The initial disposal of a Referral, which must be authorised by the manage, may be:
- That the child does not appear to be a Child In Need, which will result in one of the following: the provision of information, advice, sign-posting to another agency and/or no further action;
- That the child appears to be a Child in Need with a moderate level of need, in which case, the manager may authorise an Assessment;
- That the child appears to be a Child in Need with a high level of need, which must result in an Assessment;
- That it is suspected that the child is suffering or is likely to suffer from Significant Harm, which will result in a Single Assessment, with a view to conducting a Strategy Discussion, prior to a Section 47 Enquiry commencing.
Professional referrers should be advised of the disposal of the Referral.
The child and family must be informed of the action to be taken.
The child should be seen as soon as possible if the decision is taken that the Referral requires further assessment.
Where requested to do so by MASH, professionals from other parts of the local authority such as housing and those in health organisations have a duty to cooperate under Section 27 of the Children Act 1989 by assisting the local authority in carrying out its children's social care functions.
All Initial Contacts and Referrals should be recorded on the electronic database.
Last Updated: September 27, 2024
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