Immediate concerns about a child
The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) will remain the front door to children's social care for all child protection and immediate safeguarding concerns.
Call the MASH immediately (0345 050 7666) if there is an immediate safeguarding concern, for example:
- Allegations/concerns indicating a serious risk to the child, e.g. physical injury, injury to a baby or serious neglect – e.g. bruises evident, implement used to chastise.
- allegations that the child has been sexually/physically abused and is to be returned to a situation that may place them at risk
- the child is frightened to return home
- the child is already subject to a child protection plan
- concerns that the child is suffering from severe neglect or other severe health risks
- the child has been abandoned, or the parent is absent (e.g. unaccompanied asylum seeker).
Phone triage
The safeguarding number will take you through to Customer Services, who will ask questions and triage you into MASH, where safeguarding concerns are raised.
- During office hours: Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (8.30 am – 5 pm, Monday to Thursday, 8.30 am – 4 pm, Friday)
- Outside office hours: Emergency Duty Team: 0800 833 408
No Names consultations are no longer available. For any contact, you will be asked to name the child.
Non-immediate concerns about a child
If you have a concern about a child/family, but it is not an immediate safeguarding concern, as described above, then you should look at the threshold of needs matrix.
This tool is designed to support professionals in deciding whether contact needs to be made with Children's Services and, if so, which team.
For non-immediate concerns, you can contact your Locality and Community Support Service.
Reporting concerns or allegations about a professional working with children
Professionals concerned about another professional or volunteer who works with children must contact the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).
The role of the LADO is to ensure that allegations against people working with children are progressed in a timely and appropriate way. The role covers all settings where people work with children (e.g. football clubs, church groups, childminders), not just Oxfordshire County Council employees.
The LADO should be made aware of all cases in which it is alleged that a person who works with children has:
- behaved in a way that has harmed a child or may have harmed a child
- possibly committed a criminal offence against or related to a child
- behaved towards a child or children in a way that indicates s/he is unsuitable to work with children.
Consideration of an allegation
There may be up to three strands in the consideration of an allegation:
- a police investigation of a possible criminal offence
- enquiries and assessments by children's social care about whether a child needs protection or requires services
- consideration by an employer of disciplinary action in respect of the individual.
As an employer, you may be requested to attend a 'strategy discussion' to provide information and help agree on how the Children and Families Assessment Team and the police will undertake their enquiries.
As part of this process, the LADO will liaise with the employer to ensure that whoever is the subject of an allegation is supported appropriately and to assist the employer in deciding whether individuals should receive a suspension from work during the enquiry.
LADO contact details
To contact the school's LADO regarding an allegation about a member of staff or volunteer, contact Jo Lloyd on 01865 810603 or Oxfordshire Safeguarding Team on 01865 810603.