Children's Social Care Duty and Assesment Team (previously known as Social Services)

429-433 Pinner Road, North Harrow, Middlesex, HA1 4HN.

TEL: 020 8863 5544 (during office hours)

FAX: 020 8861 1816

They are open for visitors and telephone callers from Monday to Friday, 9.00am to 5.00pm. Outside these hours the Emergency Duty Team can be contacted on 020 8424 0999

Children with Disabilities Service (CWSD)

Alexandra Heath and Social Care Centre

275 Alexandra Avenue, South Harrow, HA2 9DX

TEL: 020 8966 6481 (during office hours)

FAX: 020 8966 6849

What a Children's Social Care Duty and Assesment Team does

The Duty and Assessment Team is the main social care "front door" for anyone with concerns about a child or young person (under 18 years old)

The priorities of the Duty and Assessment Team are to:

- Protect children from neglect, mistreatment and abuse;

- Consider when a child should be looked after ("be in the care of Local Authority") by Children's Services. This can

  be with the agreement of a child's parent or;

- Initiate care proceedings where the intervention of the court is required to protect and care for a child.

- Support children being cared for by their families, providing this doesn't place a child in danger;

- Offer advice, support and assistance to families to help them in caring for their children;

- Assess and support children who are living with friends and relatives ("called Private Fostering").

In addition, they re-direct callers to other organisations as necessary and appropriate, for example the Housing Department or voluntary groups, or to other parts of Children's Services, including services which specialise in working with:

- Children with a disability;

- Asylum seekers;

- Children who have been previously looked after (in care);

- Adopted children and their birth parents/families;

- Foster carers and adoptive parents;