What To Do If You Are Worried About a Child

What should you do if you are concerned about a child?

If you have concerns that a child may be at risk of significant harm or has already been harmed or abused then you should make immediate telephone contact with Haringey's Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH).

Please do not keep your worries to yourself. If the child is suffering actual significant harm, then you should telephone the police on 999. An example would be if a parent collected a child from school and was intoxicated or a parent was in the process of physically abusing a child.

Safeguarding is everybody’s business and if you are worried about a child or young person, please tell us. All children and young people have the right to live in safety, without emotional cruelty, neglect, violence, or sexual abuse.

How to make contact through the MASH

Parents/carers, professionals, or volunteers; if you have concerns for a child or young person’s welfare and believe that they may require some help or additional support, please use the numbers below to contact staff for advice:

• Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 5pm; Friday 8.45am to 4.45pm
  Tel: 020 8489 4470

• Out of office hours, including weekends the Emergency Duty Team
  Tel: 020 8489 0000

Calls to the Emergency duty team will be logged by a call centre. An Emergency Duty social worker will ring you back. Do not use this number if a child needs immediate assistance from the Police or Ambulance Services, please call 999.

 MASH Consultation Line

If you are a professional or volunteer working with children this is a dedicated advice line for professional consultations and urgent safeguarding referrals:

• Monday to Thursday 8.45am to 5pm; Friday 8.45am to 4.45pm

Tel: 020 8489 4533

Please ensure that you follow up any telephone contact with a written referral via the portal within 24 hours (see below)

Requesting Support for families

If you are a professional or volunteer working with a child or their family and there is no immediate risk of harm to the child, but the family would benefit from additional support, professionals should complete the online referral form via the link below:

childrensportalehm

Consent

Advice is always available from MASH. In the majority of cases, professionals should obtain prior consent to make a referral to MASH.  The exception is when you believe that contacting the parent/carer could place a child or another adult at risk of harm. In these exceptional circumstances, or if consent is refused or cannot be obtained, you should still contact MASH via the Consultation Line for advice. 

For more information, please go to childrensportalehm

Further Information

Haringey Safeguarding Children Partnership 
48 Station Road
Haringey
London
N22 7TY