DORSET Council claims to have made savings of £300,000 by setting up a new call centre for families and children – although several councillors are unhappy about the way it came about.

The decision has been criticised by some councillors who say it moves away from the one-stop principle of the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) run from a base in Poole, working across the county.

There are claims that as a result of the change Dorset is now operating two systems for reporting concerns about children and families, each using different methods and thresholds and not formally agreed by councillors either at Dorset Council or the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council.

Dorset Council says it makes little practical difference as both centres continue to liaise with each other, especially over serious safeguarding concerns.

Said Cllr Bill Pipe at last week’s Dorset Council meeting: "This extremely disappointing decision taken without the knowledge of members has caused a fragmentation of the system, creating staffing and communication challenges for all public services involved in safeguarding…safeguarding is paramount for all our people here in Dorset, especially our children, the elderly and the vulnerable and to have two different policies in Dorset is completely unacceptable and unworkable."

A similar question about how the changes came about is now expected to be asked at the BCP Council.

In response a statement from Dorset Council brief holder, Cllr Andrew Parry said the decision for the new centre was not formally agreed by councillors because there was no need as the change was an improvement in service with no negative financial implications.

Its work is based only on the Dorset Council area for children and families.

Cllr Parry’s statement, produced after the Thursday evening Dorset Council meeting, came in response to a question from Dorchester councillor Les Fry, asked by Cllr Pipe. Both had criticised the way the service was set up during a police and crime panel meeting.

Cllr Parry says the new Children’s Advice and Duty Service, staffed by social workers from a base within the Dorset Council area, offers advice and guidance, but still refers serious safeguarding issues to the MASH.

“These staff members are now having quality conversations with all partners who are worried about children to ensure that the right support is in place to meet need at the earliest opportunity. This is not work previously undertaken by the partners in the MASH.

"The introduction of the Children’s Advice and Duty Service allows for shared decisions to be made with partners who have direct contact with children in the community, ensuring early help is in place and reducing the need for what is often intrusive and unnecessary social care intervention,” said Cllr Parry: “We are very pleased to have been receiving some very positive feedback from partner professionals, particularly schools about the improved service to our children.”

He says that talks continue with Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council about developing what he describes as the ‘positive and valuable’ work of the MASH and says Dorset Council still has a limited number of staff, said to be two, working in the Poole centre.

“The Children’s Advice and Duty Service is the name we have given to our front door arrangements and although we have improved the way we work with our partners by no longer expecting them to complete a lengthy referral form, and are now having conversations about partners’ concerns and worries about children, we have not changed the way we are working with children and families,” said Cllr Parry.

His response did not produce the business case for the new service, called for by councillors including Cllr Bill Pope and Iain McVie, but Cllr Parry says the new centre will produce savings: “There has been an immediate annual saving of over £300,000 through realignment of staff. It is anticipated that there will be further significant savings through a reduction in the number of unnecessary social work assessments, reduction in children needing to be made subject of child protection plans and coming into care as the model embeds and early help is in place to ensure children receive the right help, and the right time,” he said.