Child protection
Worried about a child’s safety?
If you are concerned about a child or young person in Devon and want to speak to someone contact our Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) on 0345 155 1071 or email mashsecure@devon.gcsx.gov.uk and give as much information as you can.
If a child is at immediate risk contact the police on 999.
- Devon Safeguarding Children Board
- NSPCC – Help and advice
- Childline
- REACH – Reducing Exploitation and Absence from Care or Home
About the MASH
The MASH is the central resource for the whole of Devon receiving all safeguarding and child protection enquiries. It is staffed with professionals from a range of agencies including police, probation, fire, ambulance, health, education and social care. These professionals share information to ensure early identification of potential significant harm, and trigger interventions to prevent further harm.
MASH staff gather information from every agency and use this to decide the most appropriate intervention to respond to the child’s identified needs. Where appropriate, the MASH team is able to immediately trigger a response. The emphasis is on triggering interventions to the child or young person and their family to prevent harm.
Working together in this way ensures that the agencies are sharing information and are able to respond to a child’s needs quickly and efficiently. The MASH method has resulted in more effective and earlier identification of vulnerable children. It has reduced the number of different professionals being involved, while keeping the most appropriate professional to deliver interventions to meet the needs identified in any particular case. It has avoided unnecessary duplication and visits, and simplified processes. It has also improved communication between professionals.
More information
Professionals
If you are a professional and want to make an enquiry to children’s social care you need to contact the MASH unless your enquiry is to discuss an allegation made against an adult working with children, in which case you should contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) service.