A safeguarding hub in Staffordshire will be helping to protect Stone’s more vulnerable children during the summer holiday period.
Staffordshire’s multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) will be working to ensure children and vulnerable people continue to be safe and well during the long summer holidays.
During term time, any issues are more likely to be picked up by schools, which are often the first port of call when children, young people and their families need additional help and support.
The school summer holidays mean vulnerable children don’t have this extra safety net, and this is where the MASH steps in.
On a daily basis, MASH analyses information that is already known to separate organisations such as police, schools and social services, and puts this together to get a complete picture of someone at risk.
With having a number of public services in one place, MASH can spot issues early to help get the best outcome for those at risk whether it is a missing child, domestic abuse, child sexual exploitation or physical abuse and neglect.
Last year, MASH dealt with 5,482 domestic incidents referred to them by Staffordshire Police. Now, officers are helping to protect more vulnerable children throughout the summer holidays.
[box type=”shadow” align=”aligncenter” ]County Councillor Mark Sutton, Cabinet Member for Children and Young People said: “For many vulnerable children, the summer holidays can be a very difficult time. When they are in school, often teachers or other school staff can spot the signs that something isn’t quite right. During the summer holidays this extra protection and support isn’t there, which is where the MASH comes in.
“MASH has been working very successfully for a few years now, putting together all of the intelligence to identify those most at risk during this period, and taking whatever steps are appropriate to keep them safe.
“We already deal with a high volume of referrals concerning domestic issues, but we are well prepared to cope with any increase the school summer holidays could bring. MASH is not about policing, but it is about protecting children and vulnerable adults and acting swiftly to get the best possible outcome for them. It is the collaboration of intelligence and shared confidence which is making MASH work to protect vulnerable people in our county.”[/box]
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