Access and Response Team (ART)

The Access and Response Team (ART).

Who are the Access and Response Team ART

The Access and Response Team (ART) are the “front door” of children’s and young peoples’ services in the council.  The ART team handle calls from the public, and will gather information about any concerns before assessing each case and determining the next appropriate steps.

What we do

ART will respond to contact from parents and carers who feel they need support or who wish to refer their child or young person for a needs assessment.  ART will assess the information received and decide upon the most appropriate children’s social work team to help.  Please see our Children’s Social Care page for more information about child social care teams.

ART also respond to contact from people who are concerned about the welfare of a child or young person.  ART will assess the information received and pass this on to an appropriate childcare team who will make further enquiries.

Within ART, the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) is a multi-agency group of professionals, including Social Care, Police, Health, Education, and other agencies, with its main aim to ensure collaborative working to deliver effective and focused services to children, young people and their families. The MASH enables information that is held by partner agencies to be securely, swiftly and legally shared so that the best possible decisions can be made about ‘next steps.’ Partners of the MASH recognise that risk is best managed when shared.

Why you would use our service or be referred to us.

Parents, carers and professionals can contact ART for help and advice about caring for a child or young person.  If a parent or carer feels that they need support the ART team will gather information and pass this information onto the most appropriate child care social work team who may decide that an assessment is required.

The assessment could be an Education, Health and Care needs assessment (EHCna) and a member of the relevant team will discuss this with the parent or carer.  You can read more information about an EHCna in our Education, health and care needs article.

It may be that an Early Help (EHAP) assessment is required and a member of the relevant team will discuss the process with the parent or carer. You can read more information about and Early Years assessment in our Early help assessment and plan article.

What to do if you need help or support.

If you feel that you need help with your parenting and caring role please contact ART on the numbers below who can provide details for parenting organisations who can help or if you feel additional support is needed, will gather details from you and pass these details to the appropriate children’s social work team.

If you have concerns for the safety of a child or young person, call the following numbers:

01454 866000 ‐ Monday to Thursday 9am ‐ 5pm, Friday 9am - 4.30pm

01454 615165 ‐ Out of hours and at weekends

In an emergency always ring 999.