After submitting a referral to a statutory authority it is possible that you would be invited to attend a multi-agency meeting or conference. We are already aware that a finding of many serious case reviews has been poor information sharing between agencies. The ability to share information in a timely and effective manner to facilitate joint decision-making is key to effective safeguarding. There are many different names for these types of meeting and they are often referred to using acronyms so try not to worry if they all sound confusing. If you have never been to one of these meetings before, it is important to be confident enough to ask questions if you do not understand or are unsure of what is expected of you. Even though you might feel nervous, you must always keep in mind that you are doing this because you have the welfare of the child, young person or vulnerable adult at the centre of your actions. You are simply there to give the facts and explain what you know – you will not be asked to make decisions.

Safeguarding Strategy Meeting

Working Together to Safeguard Children (2015) states that ‘Whenever there is reasonable cause to suspect that a child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm there should be a strategy discussion involving local authority children’s social care (including the fostering service, if the child is looked after), the police, health and other bodies such as the referring agency. This might take the form of a multi-agency meeting or phone calls and more than one discussion may be necessary. A strategy discussion can take place following a referral or at any other time, including during the assessment process.’

The purpose of the strategy meeting is ‘to determine the child’s welfare and plan rapid action if there is reasonable cause to suspect the child is suffering, or is likely to suffer, significant harm.’

Strategy meeting / discussion record

• It is the responsibility of the chair of the strategy meeting / discussion to ensure that the decisions and agreed actions are fully recorded using an appropriate form / record. All agencies attending should take notes of the actions agreed at the time of the meeting/discussion.
• A copy of the record should be made available for all those, who had been invited, as soon as practicable by LA children’s social care.
• For telephone strategy discussions, all agencies should make a record of the outcome of the telephone discussion and actions agreed at the time.
• The record of the notes and decisions authorised by the LA children’s social care manager should be circulated as soon as practicable to all parties to the discussion.

Timing of strategy meeting / discussion

• Strategy meetings / discussions should be convened within three working days of child protection concerns being identified, except in the following circumstances:
  • For allegations / concerns indicating a serious risk of harm to the child (e.g. serious physical injury or serious neglect) the strategy meeting/discussion should be held on the same day as the receipt of the referral;
  • For allegations of penetrative sexual abuse, the strategy meeting/discussion should be held on the same day as the receipt of the referral if this is required to ensure forensic evidence;
  • Where immediate action was required by either agency, the strategy meeting/discussion must be held within one working day;
  • Where the concerns are particularly complex (e.g. organised abuse/allegations against staff) the strategy meeting / discussion must be held within a maximum of five working days, but sooner if there is a need to provide immediate protection to a child.

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

Any enquiries received where it is not clear whether there are safeguarding issues/risk, will be passed through to a Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub for a MASH enquiry to be undertaken. MASH meetings can be held for children, young people and adults. This is a multi-agency team who undertake information gathering, analysis and decision making about whether there is a need for statutory intervention and if not what the appropriate intervention for the person might be. The MASH brings together professionals from services that have contact with children, young people and vulnerable adults and makes the best possible use of their knowledge to keep vulnerable people safe from harm. The MASH will have full time involvement from Children or Adult Social Care, Police, Health, Education, Probation, Domestic Abuse Services and Housing amongst others. You may be ‘invited’ to join the meeting to give your unique perspective of the situation. All core partners sign an Information Sharing Agreement which enables detailed information sharing as necessary.

Child Protection Conference

A Child Protection Conference is convened following a multi-agency strategy discussion, agreement that the threshold has been met for a Section 47 (risk to life or serious harm) enquiry and following the conclusion of the Section 47 enquiry evidence that children are at continuing risk of significant harm.

Any professional who has direct involvement with the child and his/her family is likely to be invited and this could include representatives from voluntary organisations.