Families First Partnership

Launching Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams on 22 June 2026

On 22 June, we will mark an important step forward in how we protect children and strengthen support for families with the launch of our Multi-Agency Child Protection Team. This is a significant moment in our reform journey and a powerful opportunity to bring together expertise from across social care, health, police and education so that children who are at risk of significant harm receive a faster, more joined-up and more effective response. The launch reflects our shared commitment to building a system that is decisive, collaborative and centred on the needs of children and families.

The Multi-Agency Child Protection Team represents more than a new way of working; it represents a new level of ambition for safeguarding in Plymouth. By bringing skilled professionals together around shared decision-making, clear thresholds and collective accountability, we can improve the quality and timeliness of protection for children while ensuring families receive the right help at the right time. As we launch our phase one on 22 June, we do so with energy, confidence and a clear sense of purpose: to create a stronger, smarter and more seamless safeguarding response that keeps children safer and supports better outcomes for families across the city.

The MACPT will hold a short Horizon meeting every weekday morning to consider the work that MACPT will be prioritising.
Phase one will be introduced incrementally while we use a phased approach ahead of full implementation by 31st March 2027. This will include the following:

LCPP role:
Chairing New strategy Meetings where they agree threshold with MASH, providing advice and guidance to families where a child abuse investigation is taking place, offering independent advice about the process and ensuring best practice is taking place and families treated with respect, honesty, fairness and transparency. Family Led Decision Making will be facilitated by the LCPP, including a visit to the family home before any Initial Child Protection Conference.

Police:

DDM’s from the MASH will support the MACPT, including attendance at strategy meetings and facilitating quality assurance as part of the MACPT team, e.g. children subject to a police protection or Emergency Protection Order.
Health: MACPT health system lead role is currently out to advert for a 12 month secondment, and the post will sit within Livewell Southwest children’s, young people’s and families’ directorate. This post will work across health providers in Plymouth providing safeguarding expertise, guiding practice and ensuring timely identification and response to safeguarding concerns.

Education:

DSLs supporting Horizon meetings, the agency follow up as part of Strategy meetings to ensure education actions progressed (if appropriate) and Consultations where required including escalations to the MACPT as per the process map and audit as part of MACPT to QA. An opportunity for a full time secondment for a dedicated education role in the MACPT is progressing.

Additional agencies are being explored to widen out the expertise and further updates will be available soon.