Referring to Children and Families Services
Action to be taken by Staff who are Concerned about a Child or Young Person
This page gives you information about referring to Children and Families Services: to Fieldwork Services and Multi-agency Support Teams (MASTs)
Children at risk of Significant Harm
If you are concerned that a child or young person is at risk of significant harm, you should make a telephone referral as soon as possible to the relevant area Nine Week Social Care Service, in Children and Families Services:
Nine Week Social Care Service | Contact numbers | Area Multi-agency Support Team (MAST) |
North Meade House | (0114) 203 9594 (0114) 203 9591 | Parson Cross/Ecclesfield Shiregreen/Burngreave |
East Darnall Office | (0114) 203 7506 (0114) 203 7463 | Arbourthorne/Manor/Darnall Mosborough/Handsworth |
West Redvers House | (0114) 273 4965 (0114) 273 5114 | Greenhill/Gleadless Rivelin to Sheaf Hillsborough/Upper Don |
Following the telephone referral, you should confirm your concerns in writing to the area Nine Week Service within 24 hours. This should include information as listed in the South Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Boards’ Child Protection Procedures 2007, Section 5.7: Information required when making a Referral.
If the child or young person has been the subject of a CAF (Common Assessment Framework) you should send a copy, together with a copy of the multi-disciplinary plan, with the written confirmation. If you do not have a copy of the CAF, you should make reference to the fact that it has been completed, detailing who undertook it and their contact details if known, in the written confirmation.
If you need to refer a child or young person who you think is at risk of significant harm outside of office hours, you should ring the Out of Hours Social Work Service on 0114 205 2672 (with voice mail facility). A Deputy Team Manager will be available from 4.30 pm to take calls. The fax number is 0114 273 6725. (This is a new phone number as from 29th July 2010.)
Getting advice about your concerns for a child or young person
You can get advice from Sheffield Safeguarding Children Advisory Service (Mon - Fri, 9 -5) on 0114 205 3535 or from ringing the relevant area Nine Week Service in Children and Families Services (numbers above).
Contacting South Yorkshire Police
In an emergency, ring 999 to contact South Yorkshire Police.
The South Yorkshire Police Central Referral Unit can be contacted on (0114) 252 3280 for child abuse concerns.
Children with additional needs, but not at risk of significant harm
Once a CAF has been completed, professionals should follow the guidance laid out in the Integrated Practice Manual, when providing support for children with additional needs. If this proves unsuccessful and the child / young person and their family require a multi-agency support package, then the lead professional or delegated other, should send an updated CAF to the relevant MAST (Multi-Agency Support Team - see below).
A decision will then be made as to whether the child or young person’s case will be considered at an internal allocation meeting or at the Multi Agency Allocation Meeting. The referrer will be informed of the outcome.
Below are the contact details for each of the MAST offices.
MAST | Contact number |
Parson Cross/Ecclesfield (Social Care North) | (0114) 233 1189 (number change - July 2010) |
Shiregreen/Burngreave (Social Care North) | (0114) 233 1189 |
Arbourthorne/Manor/Darnall (Social Care East) | (0114) 239 5872 |
Mosborough/Handsworth (Social Care East) | (0114) 205 3635 |
Greenhill/Gleadless (Social Care West) | (0114) 273 4625 |
Rivelin to Sheaf (Social Care West) | (0114) 250 6865 |
Hillsborough/Upper Don (Social Care West) | 03333 210670 |
Referrals from members of the public
If a parent or a member of the public wants to make a referral about a child or young person, they should telephone the relevant area Social Care office as in the first table above or ring (0114) 273 4855 which is available 24 hours, or they can email Children and Families Services at accessandassessmentteam@sheffield.gov.uk. Alternatively they can call to speak in person at First Point, Howden House, Union Street, Sheffield, S1 2SH.