Social care in Oxfordshire

Safeguarding concerns

If you have any immediate concerns about the safety and welfare of a child, young person, or adult, you will need to contact the multi-agency safeguarding hub (MASH) on 0345 050 7666.

If it is not an immediate or urgent concern, please  report a concern for a child or young person  or report a concern for an adult.

MASH is the county's first point of contact for safeguarding concerns and helping to protect vulnerable children, young people, and adults from harm, neglect, and abuse. 

Family Solutions Service

The Family Solutions Service (FSS) supports families across Oxfordshire. Our work with children and their families includes early help support like:

• Team Around the Family (TAF)
• Early Help Assessment (EHA)

It also includes statutory planning within Child in Need (CIN), and Child Protection (CP) frameworks. Where necessary, we undertake court proceedings to safeguard children.

• we are family-focused, determined to improve outcomes for the child in the family contact
• we aim to provide the right support at the right time to help children and families overcome their difficulties
• we aspire to ensure that every child not able to live with a parent is safe, secure and nurtured, supporting meaningful connections with families and communities
• we provide integrated, multi-disciplinary and connected services from the 'front door' to specialist services
• our approach supports social workers and practitioners to deliver meaningful interventions and create lasting change
• we support children within their own family and community wherever possible: their identity and sense of belonging are nurtured and respected
• our multi-disciplinary teams are dynamic, creative, ambitious and sustainable

More on the family support service.

Early help

‘Early help’ describes any service that supports children and families as soon as issues emerge.

Some examples of what early help services could include:

• parenting support
• play and activity groups
• emotional health and wellbeing support
• communication and language support

Early help can also be referred to as ‘early intervention’. We look at the different services available to support families. Working with a child and their family to address their needs early can reduce worries and increase the things that are working well. 

We want families to know that it is always OK to ask for help.

Early help could provide support at any stage in a child or young person’s life. Some are more likely to need this support than others, such as:

• children in or leaving care
• children with disabilities
• young parents
• families facing abuse and conflict
• low-income families

Children and families can access early help services in their local area. These may be at schools, health centres or through charities and voluntary organisations.

Getting support before problems escalate

Early help can make the most difference when family support is provided before problems escalate. The purpose of early help is to identify and resolve problems early, rather than respond when families are in crisis. Ensuring that families have the right support at the right time, is essential. 

Early help has lots of positive social, health and behavioural outcomes for children and families. All agencies that work with children, young people and families are responsible for listening to families' concerns and worries and working closely with families to make sure they get the right support at the right time.

Some examples of early help include:

• improving attendance or behaviour at school
• improving behaviour in the home
• finding work, training or re-entering education after having left school
• supporting children missing from home or school
• supporting young carers
• supporting young people who are misusing drugs or alcohol
• supporting children and parents with a range of significant health problems
• supporting emotional and behavioural development that does not meet developmental trauma and attachment team criteria

Our information leaflet will provide more information, or you can go to the Oxfordshire Safeguarding Children partnership.

Notification Requirements for Children Subject to a Child Protection Plan Moving to or staying in Oxfordshire

If you are a local authority who needs to notify Oxfordshire County Council when a child subject to a Child Protection Plan moves to or stays in Oxfordshire, enabling continued safeguarding oversight and coordinated support.

What you must do

• Notify Oxfordshire as soon as the arrangement is known and, wherever possible, before the child arrives.
• Provide current safeguarding information through the agreed notification route.
• Retain responsibility for the Child Protection Plan until alternative arrangements are formally agreed.
• Report promptly any significant change and notify Oxfordshire when the child leaves or the Plan ends.

When to notify Oxfordshire

Notification is required when the child:

• moves to live in Oxfordshire;
• stays with family, friends or other carers;
• is placed in temporary accommodation, a refuge, residential setting, assessment unit or other establishment; or
• has a respite, holiday, emergency, regular or extended stay that may affect safeguarding arrangements or professional oversight.

A temporary arrangement still requires notification. If its duration or safeguarding impact is uncertain, notify Oxfordshire and discuss the arrangements.

Responsibilities of the originating local authority

The originating authority remains responsible for the Child Protection Plan until alternative arrangements are formally agreed. It must:

• maintain communication with Oxfordshire Children’s Services;
• share current risks, protective factors, safety arrangements, the Plan, latest conference information and professional contacts;
• ensure relevant agencies understand the move and any service implications; and
• coordinate the Plan and report material changes in circumstances or risk.

How to notify Oxfordshire

Submit the agreed Oxfordshire form through the link below. For urgent concerns, also follow the established urgent or out-of-hours referral process.

Notification Requirements for Looked-After Children Living in Oxfordshire

You must notify Oxfordshire County Council when a looked-after child is placed in the county. Notification supports local safeguarding oversight and coordinates access to services.

What you must do

• Notify Oxfordshire before the placement starts or, in an emergency, without delay.
• Provide essential care, safeguarding, health and education information.
• Retain responsibility for care planning, statutory visits, reviews and outcomes.
• Report significant changes and confirm when the placement ends.

When to notify Oxfordshire

Notify Oxfordshire of every planned, emergency, temporary or long-term placement, including placements with foster carers or connected persons, parents, children’s homes, supported accommodation and other residential providers.

Responsibilities of the placing local authority

The placing authority remains responsible for the child. It must:

• Ensure the placement is safe, suitable and consistent with the child’s plans.
• Maintain statutory visits, reviews, health assessments, Personal Education Planning and contact.
• Share relevant information and coordinate access to local services.
• Respond to concerns, missing episodes, instability or changes in risk.

Information required

Provide the child’s identifying details and legal status; placement address, type, start date and expected duration; placing social worker, manager, carer or provider and Independent Reviewing Officer contacts; key risks and safety arrangements; health and education provision; and any local action required.

How to notify Oxfordshire

Submit the agreed notification form through the Oxfordshire using the link below route. For immediate safeguarding concerns, also follow the established urgent or out-of-hours referral process.

Short breaks 

A short break aims to provide children and young people with special educational needs and disability (SEND) the opportunity to:

• try new activities and develop friendships
• develop skills towards independence

Short breaks provide opportunities for disabled children and young people to spend time away from their families and have fun. They also give families a break from their caring responsibilities. Our short breaks page has more details, including monthly activity updates, after-school clubs, and much more.

Moving to adult social care services

When a young person turns 18, they are legally considered an adult. This means they are seen as able to make their own decisions about all aspects of their life, unless it has been determined otherwise.

For young people with additional needs and for their families, this transition can feel overwhelming. While the support and care needed may not change on their 18th birthday, the way agencies interact often does. Letters will be addressed directly to the young person, even if they cannot fully be understood. Banks, for example, may insist on speaking directly to the young person. Naturally, many families worry about what these changes mean for their role too.

The Moving Into Adulthood Team (MIA)

The Moving Into Adulthood (MIA) Team supports young people and adults aged 18–25 with an education, health, and care plan (EHCP) who have a learning disability. Referrals to the team can start as early as age 16.

If your child qualifies for support, they will be assigned a key link worker from the MIA team. This worker will support your child and family through the transition into adulthood. Each key worker is connected to a specific school or college.

Referrals to the MIA team can come from:

• children's disability teams
• schools and colleges
• SEN officers

Families can also self-refer if they believe their child will need adult social care support at 18. To self-refer, you can request a needs assessment or call the Adult Social Care Team at 0345 050 7666.

If your child has not previously received support from social services but has an EHCP, this would be the route to access support after they turn 18.

Your child will remain with the MIA team until they finish education and transition into the next stage of life—whether that’s continuing to live at home, moving into supported living, or exploring other options like Shared Lives.

Further services in Oxfordshire

Further children's services and social care in Oxfordshire.