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The Four-Level Response Matrix
Not every safeguarding contact requires the same response. Using the wrong level wastes scarce social care resource and can disengage families from services — but under-referring can leave children in danger. This matrix gives a clear framework for matching the response to the level of risk.
| Level | Threshold | Examples | Officer Action | Timeframe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escalate Now | Immediate risk to life or safety; child requires emergency intervention without delay | Child is at immediate risk of serious harm; child has disclosed ongoing sexual abuse by a current carer; life-threatening injury; weapon actively threatening child; child in trafficking situation requiring immediate removal | Call 999 or deploy immediately. Contact EDT (Emergency Duty Team) if social care input required out of hours. MASH referral same shift. Consider s.46 Police Protection Order (PPO). | Immediate — now |
| MASH Referral | Reasonable cause to suspect significant harm (s.47) or child in need without adequate support (s.17); exploitation indicators present; pattern of concern | Child found at cuckooed address; knife found on under-18; multiple missing person episodes; NRM indicators present; child expressing fear of carers; domestic abuse incident with children present; online grooming identified | Contact MASH by phone and follow up in writing on the same day. Submit intelligence log. Consider NRM. Notify DSL if school-age child. Document rationale. | Same working day (within 24hrs out of hours) |
| Early Help | Child welfare concerns below s.47/s.17 threshold; risk factors present but no immediate harm; vulnerability without current exploitation | Child with persistent school non-attendance; family experiencing financial crisis; parent with substance misuse not yet affecting child safety; young person beginning to associate with known gang members but not yet actively exploited | Make an Early Help referral to the local authority Early Help team or to a relevant third-sector provider. Notify school DSL. Submit intelligence log. Flag for follow-up in 30 days. | Within 3–5 working days |
| Intel Only | No immediate safeguarding concern identified; single low-level indicator; no pattern yet; or concern below all statutory thresholds | Young person known to associate with a suspected drug dealer but no exploitation identified; child seen in area associated with gang activity but welfare checked and satisfactory; complaint from community about young people gathering at specific location | Submit intelligence log (Niche / COMPACT). Document clearly why no referral was made. Set a review date if the situation may develop. Flag to neighbourhood team / SLO for ongoing monitoring. | Submit log same shift |
Always Document Your Decision
Whatever level of response you choose, record your reasoning. An unexplained decision not to refer — particularly where a child later suffers harm — is professionally indefensible. A brief rationale on the CAD and intelligence log is sufficient: what you saw, what threshold you considered, and why you chose the level of response you did.
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Common Threshold Errors
- "I didn't think it was serious enough" — The MASH threshold is reasonable cause to suspect, not certainty. If you have a concern, refer. MASH will assess severity — that is their role, not yours.
- "They're 17, nearly an adult" — Until the young person is 18, full child safeguarding legislation applies. A 17-year-old at a cuckooed address has the same statutory protections as a 12-year-old.
- "The family refused the referral" — Parental consent is not required to make a MASH referral where you suspect a child is at risk of harm. Consent should be sought where possible, but refusal does not prevent referral.
- "Social care already know about this family" — Existing social care involvement does not remove the need to refer new incidents or concerns. Each new incident must be reported — MASH will integrate it with existing case information.
- "There wasn't enough evidence" — Safeguarding referrals are not criminal prosecutions. The standard of proof is not beyond reasonable doubt. A reasonable suspicion is enough.
- "I was going to refer after the investigation" — Safeguarding referrals and criminal investigations should run in parallel, not sequentially. Do not delay a MASH referral to await criminal investigation outcomes.