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Concerned about a child?

If you are worried or have concerns that a child or young person is being neglected, harmed, or may need support, there are ways we can help.

If you have an urgent concern about a child that needs an immediate response, consider calling 999 and request the appropriate emergency service.

Finding the right support

Croydon has many services and groups that can help children and families with various needs. Croydon Family Hubs ↗ provide information and services, including those from a wide range of voluntary, community and faith organisations who can also offer support and advice. Unless it's an urgent safeguarding concern, the Family Hubs is your initial point of contact.

Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)

If you cannot find the right help through the local directory or Family Hubs and your concern relates to safeguarding, you can contact our MASH team by making a referral. The MASH can provide advice and guidance, as well as connect families with other relevant services.

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Your concern should relate to a child who is:

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  • suffering harm, neglect, or abuse

  • not receiving appropriate support for their disability

  • under significant stress due to a family situation

 

​If you are a professional and are unsure whether to make a referral or which service would best support the family and safeguard the child, you should:

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If the child already has an allocated social worker or key worker, please contact them directly. If you need to check one is assigned, please contact your DSL who can obtain this information for you.

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Important:

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DO NOT SEND REFERRALS VIA EMAIL

 

All referrals should be submitted via the Croydon MASH Portal ↗

 

Requests for information should be submitted via: Croydon MASH information ↗

 

Please note if you are:

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  • wishing to speak to or leave a message for a child’s allocated social worker, you need to contact them directly. Emails into the MASH inbox will not be responded to.

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  • a professional and you are enquiring as to whether a child has an allocated social worker, please contact your Designated Safeguarding Lead who will be able to find out this info for you.

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  • concerned about a child living outside of Croydon, please contact the Local Safeguarding Children Partnership (LSCP) for that area or the NSPCC for advice and support ↗

Urgent referrals

If it is not appropriate to call 999, but you have an urgent safeguarding concern that requires a same day response, you can contact the MASH team in the following ways:

During office hours

FOR URGENT REFERRALS ONLY that cannot wait until the next working day.

 

Call the MASH on 0208 255 2888, Mon-Fri, 9pm to 5pm.

 

The referral, if appropriate, will be accepted over the telephone and you will need to follow this up by completing the online referral form within 24 hours.

Out of hours

The Emergency Duty Team handles urgent child safeguarding concerns that cannot wait until the next working day.

 

Call our Emergency Duty Team (EDT) on 0208 726 6400. Press 5 for Children’s Services and listen to the message until you hear ‘If your call is an emergency, please wait and your call will be transferred’.

 

If you can't get through on the out-of-hours line, please email:

SSD-EMERGENCY-DUTY-TEAM@croydon.gov.uk.

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Your call will be passed to the EDT social worker, who will respond as soon as possible. Response times may vary depending on call volume.

Online portal

An online MASH referral is the most appropriate option, which will be actioned by the next working day.

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Referrals should always consider the London Child Protection Procedures (LCPP) Threshold Guidance, ensuring the level of concern is clearly evidenced and proportionate.

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A referral may be made when there are:

  • Observed signs of harm or risk of harm.

  • Concerns about neglect, abuse, or unmet needs.

  • Escalations from Early Help or other support services where needs have increased.

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