Do multi-agency safeguarding hubs improve child protection outcomes? Evidence from national administrative data

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

Abstract Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASHs) have been implemented across England to improve information sharing, risk identification and decision-making at referral to children’s social care. Despite their rapid expansion, there has been limited empirical assessment of whether MASHs improve child protection outcomes or reduce serious harm. This observational study addresses this by providing a national, outcome-focused analysis of MASH implementation. Freedom of Information requests to all English local authorities identified when MASHs were established in 130 of them. This was linked to national administrative data covering the period 2010–2024 on Section 47 child protection investigations, child protection plans and serious incident notifications. Rates of investigations and plans are examined in the year following MASH implementation and over the longer term, with comparisons made to local authorities without a MASH. The findings show that MASH implementation is associated with sharper increases in section 47 investigations, both immediately and cumulatively over time. However, these increases are not accompanied by proportional rises in child protection plans, nor by reductions in serious incident notifications. The study questions the assumption that centralised multi-agency ‘front door’ models improve safeguarding accuracy or effectiveness and considers the implications for social work practice, workforce capacity and policy directions.