Who can use this service?

Professionals can use this form to make a referral to Walsall Children’s Social Care where there is a safeguarding concern for a child or young person who lives in Walsall.

What to do when a child is at risk

If a child or young person is at immediate risk of harm, contact the police on 999, then make a referral to Walsall Children’s Social Care.

You can also contact MASH on 0300 555 2866 option 2 to report more imminent safeguarding concerns.

Before you make a referral

You should consider the Right Help Right Time: A Multi-Agency Guidance on the Continuum of Need. This will make sure that the right support and intervention is offered to children, young people and their families at the right time. You should also discuss your concerns with your Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL).

(Right Help Right Time: A Multi-Agency Guidance on the Continuum of Need)

Before you continue with a referral, consider the following:

1. Can the child or young person’s needs be met by your own agency or another professional already known to the family? (Single agency Early Help – Level 2 RHRT)
2. Does the child or young person have multiple or complex needs that require a lead professional to coordinate a multi-agency support? (Targeted Multi-agency Early Help – Level 3 RHRT) Consider a referral to Early Help for Early Help Assessment
3. If your concern relates to a child or young person who is being exploited, complete the exploitation assessment instead of the eMARF
4. Have you discussed your concerns for the child or young person with their parents/carers and gained consent to make a referral to Walsall Social Care? If not, please have an open and transparent conversation with parents/carers about your concerns and get their consent to make the referral.

At every stage of need, professionals must discuss their concerns with the family and request consent to share information unless doing so will significantly increase the risk of harm to the child.

What you’ll need to complete the form

Collect all the information you need (see below) before starting the form. You will not be able to save your edits part way through, and the form will time out if it's not submitted within 60 minutes.

The form will ask for:

• your name and contact details
• name and relationship of the parent/carer who is consenting to the referral*
• name and address of the child/young person
• names, addresses and relationships of parents/carers or other family members living with the child/young person
• detailed information about:
  • worries or concerns for the child/young person’s safety or well-being
  • impact on the child/young person
  • changes in the child/young person’s behaviour
  • view of parents/carers in response to the worries or concerns you have
  • what is currently working well within the family
  • any significant history or relevant information
  • any intervention that has already taken place to address concerns
  • what you think needs to happen next

If applicable you may also need to provide;

• details of any consultations with your Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) prior to this referral
• details of a previously completed Early Help Assessment and contact details of the professional who carried it out
• outcome of any completed GCP2 (Graded Care Profile) 
• contact details of any key professionals currently involved with the child/young person or parents/carers

*If parental consent is not obtained, this referral will not be processed and will be closed to MASH unless there is evidence of significant harm to a child or young person.

By obtaining consent, parents would be consenting to a referral to Children’s Social Care and checks with agencies across the partnership.

In the absence of parental consent, parents/carers will be notified by MASH of the receipt of this referral and informed that no action will be taken and to contact the referrer for further information/support if required.