Child Safeguarding
Taking a whole-of-family approach, we make a positive difference to families through services ranging from early intervention and prevention to intensive casework. We aim to safeguard children from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect.
Clientele: Children ages birth – 17
The services from the team are designed to protect children and encourage family stability. Child protection serves to maintain the paramount interest of the child during the investigation process.
Our main objective is to provide family intervention comprising of supervision and reports to the courts, and local and international agencies to support the safety, permanency and well-being of children.
Contact Us:
If you have reasonable suspicion of neglect or abuse of a child, please contact
MASH:
Telephone: (345) 945-0545 /1-800-534-2273 (toll-free)
Email: MASH@gov.ky
Address: 2nd Floor, Crown Square Plaza, 71 Eastern Avenue, George Town.
DCFS:
Telephone: (345) 949-0290
Email: DCFS@gov.ky
Address: 2nd Floor Apollo House East, 87 Mary Street, George Town.
For urgent out-of-hours concerns, contact 911 or visit the nearest Police station.
Activities & Programmes
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
A "hub" that connects the Government's social work and police, and works in collaboration with education and health, in the context of child safeguarding. It also ensures that families have access to the support services they need
MASH brings together numerous agencies, including the Police, the Department of Children & Family Services, health and education.
MASH is a place where relevant information is shared by professionals from health, education, Police and DCFS in order to understand the risks and vulnerabilities a child may be facing and agree on which agency (or agencies) may be best placed to help and support them.
About MASH
The Cayman Islands Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) aims to promote the safety and welfare of children by providing a coordinated multi-agency response to referrals.
DCFS has a statutory responsibility under Section 32A of the Children Act to receive and assess reports of suspected abuse and neglect of children. The Department’s Child Safeguarding Team investigates referrals and also conducts child welfare checks. These referrals are generated from the MASH.
The Hub includes DCFS, the Royal Cayman Islands Police Service, the Department of Education Services, and virtual partners. The MASH Desk receives all new child safeguarding referrals and is responsible for assessing the information to make recommendations for further action.
The MASH uses a robust interagency procedure which includes information sharing. This enhances decision-making and provides all agencies with the tools necessary to address safeguarding concerns. MASH works collaboratively to mitigate against child protection matters that are likely to become multi-faceted.
RCIPS Detectives from the Child Safeguarding Investigations Unit (CSIU) and DCFS Child Safeguarding Team investigate cases involving all forms of abuse of children, including sexual abuse. They operate with paramount concern for child safety, and victim care and facilitate victim support through available intervention services. Most importantly, they act in a coordinated manner with MASH partners to identify potential child abuse at the earliest opportunity and prevent any further abuse through immediate and appropriate intervention.
DCFS Child Safeguarding Team now addresses the vast majority of referrals that require welfare checks or family intervention. Cases that require long-term intervention are transferred to other teams (such as Family Services and Adoption/Foster Care/Aftercare) after an initial intervention is provided.
Section 32A of the Children Act speaks to mandatory reporting required by persons who work with children such as teachers, doctors and counsellors and others, once there is reasonable suspicion that a child has been or is being abused or neglected.
Children & Youth Resources
MASH Referal Form
MASH Brochure