Hampshire County Council’s out of hours service (OOHS) is tasked with responding to urgent and emergency children’s and adult social care concerns outside of normal working hours.
The work was recognised recently when it was named team of the year at the 2025 Social Work of the Year Awards.
This followed Ofsted’s praise for its work following the inspectorate’s 2024 inspection of Hampshire’s children’s services, for which the council was rated outstanding for the second consecutive time.
“Children and families receive the same high quality of response if concerns are raised outside of normal office hours,” said the inspection report. “Timely action is taken to safeguard children and there is good information-sharing between day services and out-of- hours social workers.”
“What sets this team apart is their unwavering commitment to doing more than just responding – they intervene, support, and safeguard with purpose, care, and creativity in the middle of the night with limited available means,” says Kirstyn Knowles, MASH (multi-agency safeguarding hub) service manager for children’s services.
How it functions
The OOHS operates from 5pm to 8:30am on weekdays and 24/7 over weekends and bank holidays, covering Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southampton, and the Isle of Wight.
Its responsibilities include child protection, adult safeguarding, support for unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, co-ordinating return interviews for missing children and appropriate adult provision for young people in custody.
The multidisciplinary team includes children’s and adults’ social workers, service advisers, support workers, an assistant team manager and a duty manager.
Co-located with Hampshire Constabulary’s MASH team, the OOHS works closely with the police, health service and other partners to ensure timely, informed responses to crises.
In 2024–2025, the OOHS answered over 65,000 calls, 95-98% of all incoming contacts. The team completed 1,809 child protection enquiries and welfare visits and 1,524 strategy discussions, processed 1,276 adult safeguarding referrals and supported 594 children in custody.
Cool under pressure
The OOHS frequently handles complex and emotionally intense calls, many involving individuals in acute mental health crisis, including those who are suicidal.
These situations demand deep empathy, patience and the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure.
Often, while one team member is on the phone providing emotional support and de-escalation, another is simultaneously co-ordinating an emergency response - liaising with emergency services, mobilising crisis teams or arranging urgent welfare checks and visits. This high level of co-ordination requires clear communication, rapid decision making and strong teamwork.
The OOHS also supports unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, particularly those who arrive through the international port in Portsmouth.
When these children arrive out of hours, the team works closely with the police and Border Force to ensure they are placed in safe, supportive environments. This rapid response is essential for safeguarding children who may have experienced trauma or exploitation.
Another area of work is supporting young people in custody, by booking appropriate adults when parents are unable to attend and sharing relevant information with police to ensure appropriate safeguards are in place. In some cases, the team helps identify placements or secure accommodation, reducing the time a child spends in custody and ensuring their safety.
Kirstyn adds: “The OOHS is not just a service - it is a lifeline. It provides safety, stability and hope to those who need it most, often at the most difficult times. Its success is built on thoughtful planning, robust staffing and a deep commitment to person-centred care. It is a model of excellence that other local authorities can look to as a blueprint for enhancing their own out of hours provision.”
If you would like to find out more about working in the Out of Hours Team, please email Hampshire County Council's recruitment team at care.careers@hants.gov.uk
Read more articles from Hampshire County Council here and visit its employer profile here.
