Children’s social care Multi Agency Referral Form (MARF)
GUIDANCE NOTES TO REFERRERS
Colleagues in other agencies should always use this form to make a referral to Children’s Social Care, inclusive of a Child in Need (under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989) and a Child in Need of protection (under Section 47 of the Children Act 1989).
This form should be used to record whether a parent or young person’s consent has been obtained to a referral being made.
Using this format enables the service to respond promptly by supplying necessary information.
Urgent referrals where a child is at risk of significant harm can be made by telephone, and then immediately followed up with this form.
Please see the leaflet ‘Making a Good Referral and What Happens Next; A Threshold Criteria Tool’ which provides information and advice about how to make a good referral. www.walthamforest.gov.uk/Pages/ServiceChild/mash-professionals.aspx
Waltham Forest has accepted the London Safeguarding Children Board thresholds for referral to children’s social care www.londonscb.gov.uk.
Colleagues should also make reference to The London Borough of Waltham Forest Safeguarding Children’s Board ‘Early Help and Threshold Criteria for Intervention’ document which provides a locality response to our children and young people’s needs. www.walthamforest.gov.uk/Pages/ServiceChild/mash-professionals.aspx
Before referring a child to children’s social care, professionals who work with children and families should consider where appropriate undertaking a Common Assessment Framework or Team around the child meeting, that includes relevant referrals to appropriate specialist services for support and assistance.
If a Common Assessment Framework (CAF) has been completed on the child, please attach this to the referral form and complete only the sections on the referral form that are not covered by the CAF.
If this course of action does not address the issues effectively or needs and risks increase, referral to social care should then be considered.
If a child is at risk of harm an immediate referral can be made, however any CAF information would still be relevant and contribute to the on-going assessment.
This form should be emailed, faxed or posted to the MASH team:
We will ensure that your referral reaches the correct team and that you receive a written response to your referral within 24 hours. This is automatically generated by Framework i
If you do not hear back from us regarding the outcome and/or progress of your referral, please contact the MASH Administrator on 0208 496 2310 who will inform you of the outcome of your referral.
If you encounter any difficulties in relation to your referral that you wish to bring to the attention of a senior manager, please contact the Head of Service for Safeguarding and Family Support on 0208 496 2310
First Language of carers: Is an interpreter or signer required? Y / N
Person making the referral:
Name
Agency
Address
Telephone
Postcode
As a rule the referring professional:
needs to explain to parent/carer (who has parental responsibility) why they are making a referral to Children’s Services;
needs to explain to the parent/carer (who has parental responsibility)that when the referral will be processed by Children’s Services, various agencies may be contacted and asked to share information to get a better picture of the child’s circumstances and to inform decision making;
needs to justify not seeking parental consent to referral/ information sharing
The purpose of this section is to assist the inter-agency assessment. Where you have no information about a particular area please write - N/K. Record strengths as well as areas of need or risk so that resources can be directed appropriately.
Child/young person’s developmental needs and identified risk factors:
Consider health, emotional and behavioural development, education, identity, family and social relationships, social presentation and self-care.
Parent/carers’ capacities to respond to child/young person
Consider basic care, ensuring safety, emotional warmth, stimulation, provision of guidance and boundaries, and stability.
Issues affecting parent/carer’s capacity to respond appropriately to child/young persons needs.
Family and environmental factors which impact on the child
Consider family history & functioning, the wider family, housing employment, income, the family’s social integration and the availability of community resources to provide support.
DETAILS OF REFERRER AND SOCIAL WORKER TAKING REFERRAL