Children’s Services Select Committee

Children’s Services Select Committee5 March 2014Child Sexual Exploitation

Elaine Ryan

Safeguarding Lead for Education

March 2014

Understanding Child Sexual Exploitation

Definition

“Exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (for example, food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of performing sexual activities and/or another performing sexual activities on them. In all cases those exploiting the child/young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect, physical strength and/or economic or other resources. Violence, coercion and intimidation are common, involvement in exploitative relationships being characterised in the main by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic and/or emotional vulnerability.”

2009 Statutory Guidance

Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation

Introduction and Background

Barnados

Child Sexual Exploitation Pilot Project – 2010

One year duration

Five active cases identified

Successful outcomes

Targeted support for Schools

Developments 2010 -2014

Barnardos

– Identifying and Preventing Child Sexual Exploitation Training

Understanding the impact of Child Sexual Exploitation

Keeping Safe – PHSE Citizenship module

Sexual Exploitation Lead

Young Peoples Safety Forum

Current Position

The Daniel Project

The ARC Theatre Group

Workshops – Gangs and Child Sexual Exploitation

Gender specific programme

IDVAS Direct intervention

Direction of Travel

Finalise and agree the Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) Strategic and Operational Plan

Formalise the MASE / CSE Strategic Sub-Group

Formalise the CSE Multi-Agency Planning (MAP) group

Rolling out multi - agency specialist CSE training events / briefings

The Strategic Approach is to…

Raise awareness of the issues/publicise within the workforce, community, independent, private and voluntary sectors

Map prevalence and identify vulnerability factors and profiles

Prevent CSE by building resilience and education

Respond, support and protect victims and those at risk

Share information to enable disruption and prosecution of perpetrators

It is expected of all agencies to be provided with the tools to recognise the signs of abuse and ensure that they know what to do if they suspect a child or young person is being exploited.The commitment of Barking and Dagenham is to:Prevent exploitationProtect those who experience itProsecute those who commit itPublicise information to promote awareness

The B&D CSE Strategy

Prevention – What we will do

Review current procedures in line with the London Child Protection Procedures (5

th

Ed.,) 2014

Targeted work to build resilience amongst young people at risk

Identify and implement early intervention practices

Introduction of a flag for young people who are known to be at risk of CSE

Commission post abuse support for children and young people to reduce re-victimisation

Develop specialist training for parents, foster carers and care staff supporting young people at risk of sexual exploitation

Incorporate CSE into all parenting programmes

Incorporate the LCPP 5

th

Edition re: Child Sexual Exploitation Supplementary Guidance/Pan London Protocol for CSE

Protection – What we will do

Establishment of a Multi-agency Planning (MAP) Meetings where safety plans can be effectively co-ordinated and reviewed

Endorse the Pan London CSE Operational Protocol

Commission services for young person within existing local domestic and sexual violence offer to include support for young people

Targeted work around Child Sexual Exploitation in Gangs and Groups

Agree membership, links and accountability of MASE / CSE Strategic Group

Development of effective quality assurance of interventions

Reflection on lessons learned

Prosecution – What we will do

Expansion of a Tactical Disruption approach - work alongside the MPS Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Investigation Command (SC&02/5)

Transfer good practice from our proactive work on identifying young people involved in gangs

Ensure co-ordination between CSE and public protection mechanisms such as MAPPA, MARAC, MASH and Missing Children sub group

Ensure effective coordination between all agencies

Publicise – What we will do

Understanding what is happening – The local profile of CSE

Specialist CSE training and resources for health and social care practitioners, police and designated Child Protection leads in Schools

Enhance understanding of reporting routes

Awareness raising for universal staff, families and friends and stakeholders in the independent, private, voluntary sectors and the wider community

Key Documents

Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation: A scoping study of Current Practice in London – University of Bedfordshire

‘If only someone had listened’ – Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Gangs and Groups (Nov 2013 The Office of the Children Commission)

See Me, Hear Me – Operational and Strategic Framework

Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation – A study of current practice in London - University of Bedfordshire/London Councils/London Safeguarding Children Boards

Next Steps...

Strategic

Formalise the CSE sub group

Review the strategy and operation plan

Leadership / Ownership

Joined up working

Quality Assurance schedule

A clear mechanism of identification and tracking CSE victims/cases

Develop/Establish to MASE group

Next Steps cont…

Operational

Problem Profiling to identify the scale and nature of CSE in Barking and Dagenham

Develop a clear pathway for CSE cases in B & D

Develop a mechanism of identification and tracking of CSE cases

‘Everything gets better in the end, and if it’s not better, it’s not the end’

Quote by: The Office of the Children’s Commissioner’s report into Child Exploitation in Gangs and Groups