‘The pressures in MASH are equal, but uniquely different, to other social work roles’
My previous experience in Social Care had begun in the ancient times as a Personal Adviser, Community Worker and ‘unqualified social worker’-type roles with Unaccompanied Minor Asylum Seekers, Connexions, Care Leavers and Looked After Children in another Local Authority. My first qualified role was at a Young Offenders Institution and my second qualified role was in East Sussex in a Youth Support Team. I came to The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) anticipating things being different from my previous experience. It rapidly became clear that the pressures were equal, but different, to other Social Work roles.
Once I got used to the processes and structures of MASH, I came to get professional satisfaction from completing the information gathers. Those that require digging around in Children’s Services history and making useful connections with a range of information sources are intriguing to work with. Cases that bring a need to challenge agency partners, over resistance to information sharing, for example, and where Children’s Services are challenged are professionally satisfying to work through.
Working with people who are part of the referral and coming to gain their consent for further Children’s Services support, especially where they have a starting point of being fearful or resistant to that support, feels positive. On the other hand, families that appear on the MASH caseload regularly can be heartbreaking to work with − this is especially the case with domestic abuse, where there are repeat or serial domestic abusers involved; keeping the search for a way forward going, in partnership with abused adults, children and perpetrators, drives you on.
Support from team members, Seniors and Practice Managers over good practice is often vocal and uplifting. Equally, when it is clear that you have been distressed by a case, colleagues are often vocal and supportive. Reflective conversations are also part of the teams ‘go to’ around successes and distresses − team support matters.
A day in the life of MASH
The team tray
The case load is held in the team tray − Practice Managers and Senior Practitioners triage these cases and allocate those that need immediate attention. Some go straight through to a Duty and Assessment Team for a Strategy Meeting to be considered, or to a MASH Social Worker. The balance of the cases are taken by MASH Social Workers as soon as they have space − these MASH Information Gathering Forms (MIGs) are anticipated to be completed at a rate of 3 to 5 a day.
The team tray rolls on forever with daily additions through referral in via the Single Point of Advice, and the triaging of police reports with police colleagues. Every day is a conveyor belt of information.
MASH Information Gathering Forms (MIGs)
The MIGs are set up by checking on the basic details − names, dates of birth, address, contact details, who’s living where. We update addresses, removing incorrect phone numbers, removing adult’s contact details placed on children’s records, ensuring deceased people are show as such, checking records for religious faith, sexuality, gender identity, ethnicity and updating these as required. The referrals are read; Children’s Services history is formed into a brief chronology.
Multi-agency working
Decisions are made as to which agencies it is proportionate to contact. Health colleagues provide relevant health information and their own assessments and outcome recommendations. Police colleagues share what they can within the framework of Data Protection. Schools offer a mine of information (unless it’s the holidays − then decision-making relies more on gathering the most up-to-date education information available through EYES). The information gathered is organised and reflected upon − which form of Children’s Services support is indicated, if any? Even with Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 guiding our practice around information sharing, some agencies remain cautious, and this can require professional challenge. It’s part diplomacy, part tenacity.
Making contact with families
Parents are contacted − sometimes with interpreter support, sometimes with extra caution if domestic abuse is a factor. Timing matters: do you call on a Friday afternoon, knowing services are less likely to be available over the weekend? Parents are not always expecting contact from Children’s Services; even when they are, emotions can be raw − anger, distress, disbelief, denial, what’s the problem?
On occasion the MASH Social Worker is the first listening ear for victims/parents. As with all Social Work, being able to absorb people’s distress and reflect back some level of hope is required.
Balance needs to be struck between offering that listening ear and gathering the information required for decision-making. MASH can signpost to forms of support depending on what need becomes evident in the call. This information could also lead to escalating the case for more immediate actions via a consultation with a Senior or Practice Manager.
Decision time
Reflecting on the information, describing the risks, outlining Social Work interventions, informing the professional network and family, and sending your recommendations for Practice Manager oversight.
Then… onto the next case. It’s often frustrating not knowing what happens next. But that’s the nature of MASH − SPOA is the starting point, MASH is the development, not the case journey’s end.
Top tips for working in MASH
- Keep talking. Be conscious of your team and vicarious trauma; use opportunities for check-ins, and talk to Seniors and PMs. Sharing distressing experiences helps prevent build-up of vicarious trauma. Responsibility for cases does not lie with each individual Social Worker alone.
- Tap into your team’s knowledge. Sitting together enables information sharing − a name might be heard that someone knows of, a school safeguarding lead may be offered, an organisation that can help with a specific issue can be flagged. The ‘hive mind’ of colleagues and agencies can also be accessed via Teams.
- Establish soft start-up/shutdown routines. A soft start is arriving early, slowly organising my desk, getting a cup of tea, speaking with colleagues about the weather etc. A soft end means not dashing off at breakneck speed. Pottering around, shutting my desk down and gathering items that come home with me. Browsing the treat table works well at this time − cakes will, of course, go off overnight and it is a caring act to ensure they are eaten. These routines help keep work at work.
