Skip to content

Gloucestershire Front Door Services & Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

Helping You Safeguard Children

Click here: PDF version of this webpage

The Front Door Service is Gloucestershire’s central point for raising new concerns about a child’s safety or wellbeing. It brings together professionals from health, police, education, and social care to assess each concern and ensure children and families receive the right support—whether through Early Help or statutory intervention.

Note: This service only handles new concerns. If a child already has an allocated social worker, please contact them directly.

What Does the Front Door Service Do?

Core Functions:

  • Initial Screening & Triage: All contacts are reviewed to determine the appropriate level of support.
  • Safeguarding Decision-Making: Multi-agency discussions guide responses using Gloucestershire’s Levels of Intervention.
  • Referral Pathways: Directs concerns to Early Help, Children’s Social Care, or the Emergency Duty Team.
  • Information Sharing: Operates under the Gloucestershire Information Sharing Partnership Agreement (GISPA).
  • Exclusion of Open Cases: Only handles cases not already open to social care.
  • Anonymous Reporting: Members of the public can report concerns anonymously.
  • Participation in Forums: Represents Children’s Social Care at MARAC and MAPPA meetings.

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

MASH includes professionals from:

  • Children’s Social Care
  • Police
  • Early Help
  • Education
  • Domestic Abuse Services (GDASS)
  • Health Trusts
  • Drug & Alcohol Services (VIA)

These agencies collaborate to share information securely and make informed decisions about child safety.

Screening & Decision-Making

Each contact is triaged using a RAG rating:

  • 🟢 Green: Early Help response (within 72 hours)
  • 🟠 Amber: Potential safeguarding concerns (up to 72 hours)
  • 🔴 Red: Immediate child protection concerns (within 4 hours)

Daily Oversight & Risk Management

  • Daily Harm Outside the Home Meeting: Reviews cases of missing children, exploitation, and police custody.
  • Police-led Vulnerability Meeting: Identifies early intervention opportunities.

Child Exploitation Screening

  • Uses a dedicated screening tool to assess risk levels.
  • Coordinates responses with CE Coordinators, Police, and Social Workers.

Operation Encompass

National Website

Ensures schools and early years settings are informed when a child has been exposed to domestic abuse. A trained Key Adult (Designated Safeguarding Lead) provides timely support.

Making a Referral

Step-by-Step:

  1. Identify Concern: Based on disclosure, observation, or third-party information.
  2. Consider Early Help: Use the Graduated Pathway if no immediate risk.
  3. Immediate Risk: Contact Children’s Social Care or Police.
  4. Submit Referral: Via MARF, phone, or secure email.
  5. Provide Key Information: Child’s details, nature of concern, actions taken.
  6. Share Information: With parental consent unless risk is significant.
  7. Follow-Up: You may be contacted for further details or strategy discussions.