Hamptons Resourcing Celebrates Safeguarding Innovation at the MJ Awards 2025

Every year, the MJ Achievement Awards recognises the exceptional work done within public services and local government across the UK. As proud sponsors of the Innovation in Adult and Children’s Services category, Hamptons Resourcing were thrilled to be able to recognise initiatives that offered a fresh approach toward various aspects of safeguarding in social care.

Hamptons’ panel of judges assessed presentations from seven finalists, giving two Highly Commended awards to Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and Surrey County Council for their presentations; titled “Getting Corporate Parenting Right” and “Planning for your Future Campaign”, respectively.

The 2025 Innovation in Adult and Children’s Services award was given to the London Borough of Haringey Council, who had been working in collaboration with the Metropolitan Police Service on a transformative project, titled “Stop and Search through a Safeguarding Lens”.

This multi-phase initiative began in 2020 and focused on reframing police stop-and-search encounters that involved minors under the age of 18. The approach is outlined by the Council as:

1. A child‑centred approach for better outcomes – At the heart of the project lies a firm belief that stop-and-search can be an early intervention if used properly, not merely a policing tool. This shift in perspective marks profound strides towards reducing trauma and enhancing community trust – evolving from a law enforcement tactic into child-centred safeguarding.
2. Collaborative safeguarding from the outset – By closely aligning the Met and Haringey Children’s Services, both teams began to share stop-and-search outcomes, with a feed directly into Haringey’s Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). This individualised data is now used within Child Exploitation meetings, enabling risk-prevention planning and ensures that any safeguarding concerns can be swiftly addressed.
3. Alignment with broader strategic goals across London – The initiative supports the ‘New Met for London’ reform agenda and aligns with the priorities set by the Association of London Directors of Children’s Services, who share the aligned vision of working together to reduce harm amongst young Londoners. With backing from the London Innovation and Improvement Alliance (LIIA), the project has scaled and now involves 29 local authorities and 12 Basic Command Units –closing gaps that previously left young people vulnerable.

The London Borough of Haringey Council’s “Stop and Search through a Safeguarding Lens” project stands as a landmark in not only shaping how the Metropolitan Police approach youth engagements but also in enabling local authorities to act as early protectors in a child’s journey.

We congratulate Haringey and the Met for leading public sector innovation and safeguarding excellence. It is our honour to stand beside efforts that bring positive, measurable change to children and their communities across London.

Hamptons Resourcing is passionate about supporting innovation in public sector service delivery, especially where truly vulnerable groups aren’t just subjects of policy, but the beneficiaries of smarter systems.

Sponsoring the Innovation in Adult and Children’s Services category at the MJ Awards allowed us to spotlight the sheer ingenuity borne of this collaboration. The adoption of best practice across London’s boroughs is a testament to what can happen when community safety, data innovation, and safeguarding professionals unite.

 

Here’s to celebrating many more transformative projects at next year’s MJ Awards!