1.4.2 Southwark Protocol for Children At Risk of Sexual Exploitation and Flowchart

LEGISLATION

Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation 2009 (DCSF)
Safeguarding Children and Young People who may be affected by Gang Activity 2010 (DCSF)
Working Together to Safeguard Children 2010
Sexual Offences Act 2003 Sections 47-51 (Appendix 5)

Definition
Purpose of Guidance
Guidance in Identifying Sexual Exploitation
Key Risk Indicators for Children who may be at risk of Sexual Exploitation
Working with Children and Young People who may be Sexually Exploited
Discussion of Concerns and Decision to Refer
Action by Children's Services
Multi-Agency Sexual Exploitation Panel (MASE)
Barnardo's Sexual Exploitation Project
Purpose of MASE Strategy Meetings
Possible Outcomes of MASE Strategy Meeting
Disrupting Perpetrator Behaviour
Looked After Children

Appendix 1 (from Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation DCSF)

1. Definition

Sexual exploitation can take many forms from the seemingly ‘consensual’ relationship where sex is exchanged for attention/affection, accommodation or gifts, to serious organised crime and child trafficking. What marks out exploitation is an imbalance of power within the relationship. The perpetrator always holds some kind of power over the victim, increasing the dependence of the victim as the exploitative relationship develops.

Children who are sexually exploited have been or are being seriously abused and are therefore suffering significant harm.

2. Purpose of Guidance

To provide local procedures in line with national guidance outlined in Safeguarding Children & Young People from Sexual Exploitation 2009. This guidance expects local authorities to:

Develop local prevention strategies
Identify those at risk of being sexually exploited
Take action to safeguard and promote the welfare of particular children and young people who are being, or may be, sexually exploited
Take action against those intent on abusing and exploiting children and young people

The government is clear that children and young people who are sexually exploited should be regarded as victims of Sexual Abuse and suffering Significant Harm. The responsibility for the sexual exploitation lies with the abuser, either the person who pays for sex, in some way, or the person who grooms the child and /or organises the exploitation. The focus of police investigations and of prosecutions should be on those who coerce, exploit and abuse children and young people

3. Guidance in Identifying Sexual Exploitation

Sexual exploitation has links to other types of crime. This includes:

Child trafficking (into, out of and within the UK)
Sexual violence in intimate relationships
Domestic violence
Grooming (offline and online)
Abusive images of children and their distribution (organised abuse)
Organised sexual abuse of children
Drugs related offences and activity
Gang related activity
Immigration related offences
Domestic servitude

4. Key Risk Indicators for Children who may be at risk of Sexual Exploitation

Running away from home and going missing
Being in residential or foster care
Drug and alcohol misuse
Sexually risky behaviour and sexual health problems
Bullying
Teenage pregnancy
Long term sexual, physical and psychological harm
Self harm, mental health issues and low self esteem
Changes in behaviour or habits
Forced isolation from family, friends, community
Learning difficulties
Non attendance at school

(For full list of risk indicators see appendix attached).

5. Working with Children and Young People who may be Sexually Exploited

It is very common for children and young people not to recognise that they are being abused due to the grooming methods often used by the perpetrators. Although faced with limited choice, they may believe themselves to be acting voluntarily and it may take many weeks or months for practitioners to build up trust and help them to recognise that they are being sexually exploited.

6. Discussion of Concerns and Decision to Refer

Concerns about the possibility of a child or young person being sexually exploited should be discussed with a manager or named designated member of staff in your agency. If after discussion the concerns remain a decision should be made about whether a referral should be made to Children’s Services. A referral should be made in the normal way in accordance with Working Together 2009. Where possible the wishes and feelings of the child should be obtained. However professionals who are assessing the views of the children must be aware that perpetrators may have groomed them and conditioned their response and that they may be denying what has happened to them. They may initially reject offers of help or support. This should not deter a professional from making a referral to Children’s Services.

Cases involving under 13s should always be discussed with a nominated child protection lead in the organisation. There should be a presumption that the case will be reported to Children’s Services.

Children under 16 cannot legally consent to sexual activity. All cases of children under the age of 13 years believed to be engaged in penetrative sexual relationships or sexual activity must be referred to Children’s Services who will refer to the Police. This recognises the particular vulnerability of children of this age engaging in sexual behaviours and the position that, whilst sexual activity for young people under the age of 16 remains illegal that 13 -16 year olds are deemed competent to give consent, whereas children under the age of 13 are deemed too young to give consent to sexual activity. (Sexual Offences Act 2003).

Therefore when making a judgement about risk for this age group the professional should consider:

The age of the child
Level of maturity and understanding
Whether the child has learning difficulties
Age imbalance in particular where there is a significant age difference
Coercion
Familial child sex offences
Behaviour of young person i.e. withdrawn , anxious
Substance misuse as inhibitor
Whether young person denies, minimises or accepts concerns
Whether there is evidence of grooming
Whether sexual partner is known by one of agencies e.g. police

7. Action by Children’s Services

On receipt of a referral, Children’s Services should complete an Initial Assessment. If the child or young person is deemed to be at immediate risk a Section 47 Enquiry should be initiated and appropriate steps taken to secure the safety of the child
Where a child or young person is already known to Children’s Services the referral should be actioned by the allocated social worker
Where there are concerns that a child or young person may be at risk of sexual exploitation the social worker should liaise with the Duty Child Protection Coordinator in the Quality Assurance Unit to discuss and to decide if the child should be the subject of a Multi-Agency Sexual Exploitation Meeting (MASE). In urgent cases where the child has to be safeguarded immediately the Section 47 Enquiry should progress in the normal way and appropriate action taken. This should be agreed in discussion with the Duty Child Protection Coordinator
If it is agreed that the child should be the subject of a MASE Meeting the social worker should complete the ICS MASE referral form
The social worker will be advised of the MASE Meeting date
The social worker must complete a referral (87A) to the Police Public Protection Desk – email – MDMailbox-.ppd@met.pnn.police.uk

8. Multi-Agency Sexual Exploitation Panel (MASE)

Individual case meetings will be scheduled to take place within designated MASE Panel Days. These will be held monthly at Sumner House and will be attended by a core group of professionals from Children’s Services, Youth Offending Team, Health, Education, CAMHS, Barnardo’s and the Police. Individual social workers and other key professionals will be invited for the individual meetings about the specific young person. All referrals will go into a PPD mailbox - intelligence research will be completed by the PPD and a referral passed to the relevant investigation unit e.g. CAIT, Sapphire. This unit will be responsible for attending the MACE \panel where appropriate and necessary.

The meetings will be chaired by a Child Protection Coordinator from Quality Assurance Unit. A record of the meeting will be completed and sent to all participants.

9. Barnardo’s Sexual Exploitation Project

Through London Councils Funding Southwark will have the services of Barnardo’s for one year. A Barnardo’s representative will attend the Panel. Individual work with 6 children/young people will be undertaken over the course of the year June 2010/May2011. Decisions on referrals to Barnardo’s will be made at the MASE Panel.

10. Purpose of MASE Strategy Meetings

Share and clarify information
Establish exact nature of concerns
Establish risk for child and any other children
Consider action against and the likelihood of prosecution of relevant adults
Agree on action and make recommendations to address concerns

11. Possible Outcomes of MASE Strategy Meeting

No concerns identified and no need for further Children’s Services involvement
Concerns identified /Safeguarding /Disruption Plan agreed/possible review MASE strategy meeting
Concerns identified and decision to convene a Child Protection Conference

See Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation Flowchart.

12. Disrupting Perpetrator Behaviour

A Safeguarding/Disruption Plan targeting specific individuals can be effective. This can range from simple observation of an individual’s activities to the use of civil orders including Sexual Offences Prevention Order and Risk of Sexual Harm Orders depending on the type of behaviour and evidence available. The police can also use Anti-Social Behaviour Orders, Restraining Orders and Child Abduction Notices (Section 2 of Child Abduction Act 1984) to disrupt incidences of sexual exploitation.

13. Looked After Children

In addition to the above guidance the following factors should be taken into account when considering concerns about a looked after child:

The risks to other children in placement
Whether the child should remain in placement
The feasibility of controlling the child’s movements and the whether the placement can keep her safe
Whether the child’s parents should be informed. Any decision not to inform the parents must be recorded on the child’s file
Other children in the placement should be monitored to identify whether they are also at risk of harm or involved in sexual exploitation
Foster carers and residential care workers should be asked to take positive action to clarify and record suspicions and minimise the child’s involvement in sexual exploitation
If there is knowledge or suspicion that looked after children are involved in sexual exploitation together or are controlled by the same person there will need to be additional planning and consideration given to using child protection and /or organised abuse procedures

Appendix 1 (from Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation DCSF)

Indicators of possible sexual exploitation

Domain: Child or Young Person’s Developmental Needs

Health:

Physical symptoms (bruising suggestive of either physical or sexual assault)
Chronic fatigue
Recurring or multiple sexually transmitted infections
Pregnancy and/or seeking an abortion
Evidence of drug, alcohol or substance misuse
Sexually risky behaviour

Education:

Truancy/disengagement with education or considerable change in performance at school

Emotional and Behavioural Development:

Volatile behaviour exhibiting extreme array of mood swings or use of abusive language
Getting involved in petty crime such as shoplifting, stealing
Secretive behaviour
Entering or leaving vehicles driven by unknown adults

Identity:

Low self-image, low self-esteem, self-harming behaviour, e.g. cutting, overdosing, eating disorder, promiscuity

Family and Social Relationships:

Hostility in relationship with parents/carers and other family members
Physical aggression towards parents, siblings, pets, teachers or peers
Placement breakdown
Reports from reliable sources (e.g. parents/carers, friends or other professionals in contact with the child or young person) suggesting the likelihood of involvement in sexual exploitation.
Detachment from age-appropriate activities
Associating with other young people who are known to be sexually exploited
Young person known to be sexually active
Sexual relationship with a significantly older person
Unexplained relationships with older adults
Possible inappropriate use of the Internet and forming relationships, particularly with adults, via the Internet.
Phone calls, text messages or letters from unknown adults
Adults or older youths loitering outside the child’s usual place of residence
Persistently missing, staying out overnight or returning late with no plausible explanation
Returning after having been missing, looking well cared for in spite of having no known home base
Missing for long periods, with no known home base
Going missing and being found in areas where the child or young person has no known links

Social Presentation:

Change in appearance
Leaving home/care setting in clothing unusual for the individual child (inappropriate for age, borrowing clothing from older young people)

Domain: Parental Capacity

Ensuring Safety:

History of physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse or neglect

Family and Environmental Factors

Family History and Functioning:

History of physical, sexual, and/or emotional abuse; neglect; domestic violence; parental difficulties

Housing:

Pattern of street homelessness
Having keys to premises other than those known about

Income:

Possession of large amounts of money with no plausible explanation
Acquisition of expensive clothes, mobile phones or other possessions without plausible explanation
Accounts of social activities with no plausible explanation of the source of necessary funding

Family’s Social Integration:

Reports that the child has been seen in places known to be used for sexual exploitation

Indicators of possible sexual exploitation for boys and young men

Domain: Child Developmental Needs