If you are worried about any child and think they may be a victim of neglect, abuse or cruelty, contact the Warwickshire Children and Families Front Door (Front Door) on 01926 414144.

It is good practice to discuss any concerns with the family and where possible seek agreement to make referrals for a social work assessment. However, this should only be done where such discussions will not place a child at increased risk of significant harm or cause any significant delay. 

If you are not sure whether you need to make a referral, use the Thresholds for Services and discuss your concerns with your agency’s safeguarding lead. If you are still not sure after taking these steps, professionals can contact the Front Door using the consultation service.  Call Front Door on 01926 414144 and select option 3.

Making a Safeguarding Referral for Children
Before making a referral
Please take a look at the Spectrum of Support document to decide whether your concerns require a referral to Children’s Social Care. 

For urgent concerns
If you have an urgent child protection concern and need to get in touch, call the Front Door on 01926 414144. Lines are open:

• Monday to Thursday: 8.30am – 5:30pm / Friday: 8.30am – 5:00pm

You will then need to complete and return a Multi-Agency Contact Form (MAC) and send via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Out of hours
If you need to get in touch of the usual office hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team immediately on 01926 886922.

Emergencies
If you think that a child is at immediate risk, contact the police immediately on 999.

Non-urgent concerns
Complete the Multi-Agency Contact Form (MAC) and send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

What if there is a dispute at the point of referral? 
You need to follow the Warwickshire Safeguarding Escalation Process if there is:

• Disagreeement between agencies about the threshold judgements
• Disagreement within agencies about the appropriate course of safeguarding action

To access the Warwickshire Safeguarding Escalation Protocol, click the following link WS Escalation Protocol.

Warwickshire Safeguarding Interagency Safeguarding Procedures
Warwickshire Safeguarding Interagency Safeguarding Procedures describe the framework for professional practice that is to be followed by all agencies and professionals in Warwickshire, who have a responsibility for safeguarding children and promoting their welfare. To access, click Interagency Safeguarding Procedures.