THE number of Multi-agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) referrals made last year has been revealed by a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.

There were 10,977 referrals made to Devon County Council in 2024/25, the FOI request shows.

Last year’s figure represents an increase on 2023/24, when the number of referrals was 9,232.

The vast majority of referrals were due to either abuse or neglect, with families being in acute stress coming in second.

MASH is a multi-agency team which identifies risks to vulnerable children.

It enables the sharing of information between services, so risks to children can be identified at an early stage; it is a link between schools, GPs, the police, ambulance service and social care.