Issue - meetings

The Cabinet Member for Social Care and Health Integration presented a report on the realignment of the management responsibilities relating to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH), which acted as the single point of entry for all referrals regarding safeguarding concerns for a child or young person.

The Cabinet Member advised that over the last year, the Children’s Care and Support service had undergone significant change in line with the Improvement Programme initiated after the Ofsted inspection of early 2019.  A new Target Operating Model had been established and significant joint working had been undertaken with the MASH to embed a new social work practice model and improve partnership working.

Reflecting on that work, it was felt that in order to be fully aligned and integrated with the improved Assessment Service and Children’s Safeguarding Team, the management responsibility of the MASH would now be better placed in the Children’s Care and Support service as opposed to its current location in Community Solutions.

Cabinet resolved to note the decision to relocate the MASH under new oversight in Children’s Care and Support, whilst maintaining strong links with other front door services in Community Solutions, and to recommend that Overview and Scrutiny Committee receives a report on the progress of the MASH in its new home in April 2021.