We use cookies on this site to enhance the user experience. You can follow the link provided here to tailor your experience, or accept all and continue on this page. Your cookie preferences were saved. The Emergency Duty Service is part of Social Care and provides an out-of-hours response to emergency situations involving child protection, childcare, mental health and other adult service matters.
We provide a contact point for advice and, where necessary, immediate service to individuals and families who are experiencing crisis in their lives. From Monday to Thursday someone is available from 5pm and from pm on Fridays, to am the following morning. At weekends and Public Holidays, a 24 hour emergency service is provided.
In short, you can contact the service whenever your local Social Care office is closed. You will be asked to give your name and telephone number so one of our Social Workers can call you back. Usually this will be within a few minutes, but if they are all busy on other emergencies, you will be called back as soon as someone is free.
You will not be asked to give any personal details or why you are ringing the service, until the Social Worker rings you back. Yes, anyone can contact us if they are experiencing an emergency which will not wait until the next working day.
No, an Emergency Duty Social Worker is only able to respond to an immediate emergency. Following this if you need ongoing help or support, we can pass a request to your local Social Care office for further assistance. Yes, we are bound by the same rules as daytime staff. We pass onto them details of your contact with us, sometimes with a recommendation that they follow it up with you. Stockton Social Care run the service on behalf of all the participating local authorities. Further information can be obtained from your local office or by asking the Emergency Social Worker.
