MASH
MASH stands for the Norfolk Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub.
This brings key professionals together to facilitate early, better quality information sharing, analysis and decision making to safeguard children, young people and vulnerable adults more effectively.
In short, we refer to MASH if we have a question or concern about child protection. They can give us advice (consultation) if we ask or we can make a referral if required. The MASH are the first point of contact for receiving new safeguarding concerns or enquiries. By working together, we can better support vulnerable children and young people and their families.
If we speak to MASH and they give us advice, we have to follow that process to safeguard children. Sometimes, a consultation may be deemed by the professionals at MASH to need to become a referral. Once that happens, we as a school will be given clear instructions as to what happens next and we have to follow them. This is part of our statutory duty.
Enquiries or referrals are all handled by the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).The MASH is a partnership between Norfolk County Council Social Care, Police, Probation Services and Health Services working together to safeguard children and vulnerable adults in the community.
The MASH website can be found here: www.norfolk.gov.uk/mash
There is also information on the NSCB website www.norfolklscb.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Multi-Agency-Safeguarding-Hub-Team.pdf
If you have a safeguarding concern about a child or young person, or a vulnerable adult, you can ring them on 0344 800 8020.
Any one can make a referral to MASH. We have clear processes in school, but it is the right of ANY staff member to make a referral if they feel it is necessary.