Making a safeguarding referral

Making a referral about a child you are concerned about

All referrals from professionals must be made in writing.

This process does not exclude the continued offer of professional advice from a duty social worker or include referrals from members of the public.

On occasions where there are concerns about the immediate risk of harm the referring agency should act quickly and contact Children's Social Care by telephone and follow the referral up in writing within 24 hours.

The thresholds document has been produced as a guide to help determine at what level or by what agency any additional needs can be met.

Please refer to the   when completing the form, it may help you to interpret a situation. You should always use your professional judgement when using the guidance.

The Integrated Referral and Assessment team (IRAT) is a first point of contact for referrals to children's social care services for children who are in need of protection or support to live safely within their family. 

We will carry out an assessment of the referred child or children where appropriate. 

Anyone can make a referral, including families, members of the public and professionals such as GPs, health visitors, teachers, or the police. Professionals should refer to the process set out in information for practitioners.

Process

The referral will be processed in line with the referral procedure Where appropriate, we will take steps to ensure the immediate safety of the child/young person and anyone else affected. We will talk to the child/young person, or a suitable representative on their behalf, to find out what is happening. We will work together to plan what we can do to help keep them safe and as independent as possible.

Where necessary we will investigate allegations of abuse with our partner agencies, and take appropriate action. We will always do what we can to prevent abuse happening again. We will keep everyone involved informed of the outcome and provide support where needed.