MASH Referral Self-Assessment
A free self-assessment to help you check your school's referral practice against Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026 and against what your local multi-agency safeguarding hub expects. Referral thresholds and routes vary between local authorities, so use this alongside your own local safeguarding children partnership procedures rather than instead of them.
What is MASH?
MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) is a partnership arrangement that brings together key professionals from local authorities, police, health services, education, and other agencies to share information and coordinate responses to safeguarding concerns about children and vulnerable adults.
MASH provides a single point of contact for all safeguarding referrals, enabling faster, more informed decision-making and ensuring that children at risk receive timely, coordinated support.
Key Agencies in MASH
Local Authority
Police
Health Services
Education
Early Years
Probation
Why MASH Referral Practice Matters for Schools
Faster Response Times
Concerns are triaged within hours, not days
Better Information Sharing
Holistic view of a child's situation across agencies
Reduced Risk
Children are less likely to fall through gaps between services
Ofsted Compliance
Inspectors assess multi-agency working and MASH engagement
Legal Protection
Demonstrates due diligence in statutory safeguarding duties
Staff Confidence
Clear processes help staff know what to do when concerned
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2026
This statutory guidance sets out how organisations and individuals should work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. MASH operates within this framework, and schools must ensure their policies and practices align with its requirements.
Read the guidanceAbout this tool: This is a free self-assessment tool from The Safeguard Hub (safeguard-hub.org). It is general information, not legal advice, and completing it does not establish that your school meets any statutory or local requirement. Referral thresholds and routes are set by local safeguarding children partnerships, not by national standards, and vary between local authorities. Where anything here differs from your local safeguarding children partnership procedures, follow your local procedures. Last reviewed July 2026.
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