A TEAM of safeguarding specialists has been recognised for demonstrating national best practice when helping support vulnerable victims.

Northumbria Police’s Multi Agency Safeguarding Hubs (MASHs) have been recognised by the new national lead for MASHs, Assistant Chief Constable Jonathan Drake of South Wales Police, who wrote to team manager Paul Goundry following a National Police Chief Council workshop.

Six MASHs have been rolled out across the Northumbria Police force area, one of the first forces in the country to establish a team for each of its local authority areas.

They each house a team of specialists from the police’s safeguarding department together with representatives from local authority child and adult safeguarding boards, social services, housing, education and health who all work together in one environment to provide the best possible wrap-around care for vulnerable children and adults.

ACC Drake wrote in the letter: “I hope the final product will be of benefit to colleagues up and down the country by providing clear guidance to improve multi-agency working arrangements and making the most vulnerable members of society safer.”