An holistic approach to children’s social care

Hampshire believes in a holistic approach to children’s social care, which includes various teams – all made up of expert practitioners who provide individual but equally important intervention and support.

Hampshire council’s children’s social workers work across different teams, including:

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

MASH provides triage and multi-agency assessment of safeguarding concerns. It brings together professionals from a range of agencies into an integrated multi-disciplinary team. This dedicated team protects the most vulnerable children from harm, neglect and abuse by providing unique services, such as:

• A faster, more consistent response to safeguarding concerns, with clear guidance and support.
• An improved journey for the child or adult concerned
• An emphasis on early intervention and ensuring better informed services are provided at the right time
• Close partnership and multi-disciplinary working, with clear accountability and improved multi-agency communications
• A reduction in the number of inappropriate referrals and re-referrals.

Children’s assessment and safeguarding team (CAST)

The CAST team works with families with a need for a child and family assessment, after information is gathered by the multi-agency safeguarding hub MASH. They will conduct a relevant assessment, and work to enable the families to build their resilience and wherever possible, remain together. The CAST team also undertakes court work, to achieve permanency for those children who need to live outside of their home environment.

Children in care team (CiC)

A case is transferred to the Children in Care team for long-term social care intervention, once a child’s permanent foster care plan has been identified and agreed. The CiC team also supports unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, who transfer directly to CiC from point of referral.

Disabled children’s team (DCT)

This team provides support and assistance to children who have a complex disability, and their families – where required.