Referrals to SCAS Using the Web Based Enquiry Form

As part of the new front door approach we have introduced the new web based enquiry form. When completing the form it is helpful to include as much information as you are able to so that we are able to fully understand the current concerns that have led to you making a referral and their context in relation to historic issues. It is also useful to understand the strengths and resources that exist in the life of the family as well.

The web based enquiry form can be found here:
Report a concern - I'm a Professional

Sections to complete	Information to provide and how this helps to respond correctly to the referral
Personal and Contact details for the child and family you are referring in and yourself	Full and correct contact details for the family (names, addresses, dates of birth, telephone numbers) allow for accurate checks to be made in a timely manner and correctly inform the outcome of referrals. Referrers contact details allow for prompt follow up of the referral and clarification of information to allow for prompt processing of the referral.
How would you categorise the risk?	Please select the tick boxes that apply. You can select more than one box. If there are multiple risks.
How long is it since you first had these concerns?	This will help us understand if these are new, recurring or longstanding concerns and will inform decision making around the outcome of the referral.
When did you last see the children?	If we know when the children were last seen we can have a better understanding of the level of risk. i.e. if the children have not been seen recently this could increase concerns for safety
Have you reported your concerns before? If so, who did you report this to? What advice were you given?	Who have you reported concerns to and what advice were you given? e.g. Police, LST, G.P. Have you carried out the advice given?
Are you aware of any substance misuse, domestic violence or adult mental health difficulties that affect the family?	This may include the child or young person, parents, carers or extended family members where this may be having an impact on the child or family.
Please tell us anything else you know about the family that may be relevant to the child(ren)'s safety and welfare?	Are you aware of any circumstances or information that would be useful to us when considering the welfare and safety of the child(ren) e.g. young carer, ill health, debt, concerns regarding visitors to the home, concerns relating to provision of basic needs of the children, lack of supervision. Has support been put into place previously? What support was offered e.g. EHA, Team Around the Family Meetings, CAMHS, Nurture Groups, 1:1 support in school, external agency involvement? What strengths or protective factors exist e.g. extended family support, hobbies or activities, financial stability, etc.
Please explain what has happened, or what you are concerned about?	Providing as much information as you can about the incident or series of events which has led to you making the referral or the concerns that you hold will inform our decision making processes
Early Help Assessment Is there a current EHA?	An Early Help Assessment will assist in identifying the needs of the child, young person or family and help you in understanding the level of those needs and where to direct referrals for support in meeting those needs. If you have completed an EHA this can be uploaded and will assist in providing further information.
Addressing the concerns Please tell us what your agency has already done to address these concerns?	You may have already implemented a range of strategies to try and address concerns in terms of meeting with the child/ young person and/ or parents and talking about areas of concern. Putting strategies in place to support e.g. nurture groups, 1:1 support, counselling, home visits, family support, signposting to agencies such as CAB, Housing, etc.
Any Other Information	If you have any other information which you feel will provide context to the concerns and risks these can be recorded here. It would also be useful to record in this section if there are specific times when you might be available/ unavailable to receive a call from the First Response Team to discuss the referral or if there is someone who they can speak to in your absence you could record their details here.