What is the out of hours social work service?

The Emergency Duty Team (EDT) provides an out of hours response, on behalf of Worcestershire Social Care Services and Herefordshire Children's Services, to emergency situations that arise outside normal Social Care office hours. 

What is an emergency situation? 

EDT defines this as 'a situation in which an adult or child is at risk of significant harm and which cannot wait until the next working day for an assessment of the risk and need of provision of services.' 

There are a number of situations in which the Emergency Duty Team will become involved to ensure the safety of an individual and the community. 

• telephone  01905 768020 

When is this service available? 

• Friday afternoon from 4:30pm to Monday morning until 9:00am 
• Monday afternoon from 5:00pm to Thursday morning until 9:00am 

This includes all bank holidays. 

After midnight messages left on EDT voice bank activates an EDT social worker's pager. 

We do not: 

• carry out emergency assessments under the Mental Health Act 
• have access to emergency accommodation for adults who claim to be homeless; such cases should be referred to the Emergency Housing Officer in your district 
• provide in-house secure accommodation for children and young people 
• have access to emergency finance. We will refer to the Department of Work and Pensions Emergency Service 
• undertake work that has been started by social care area teams during social care office hours 
• provide an emergency service during social care office hours