CARE – Child At Risk of Exploitation
6 month overview
childrenssociety.org.uk / Sarah Simpkin and Carly Adams / CARE May 2016 / 1Introduction
This reportoutlines the outcomes and outputs achieved through the current funding received fromthe Community Safety Development Fund forthe role of CARE Service Manager between October 2015 and April 2016.
The overall aim of the CSE Service Manager role is to develop a service within The Children’s Society- Essex that will support victims and meet the rising identification of need across the county.
The Service Manager role was recruited to in October 2015 with the CARE service established in November 2015seeking to meet the following outcomes:
CONTENTS
1 - Staffing
2–Demographics
3- Case studies of work undertaken
4 - Outcomes for young people
5- Outputs for young people
6- Service manager outcomes
7-Feedback
8- Partnerships and networking
9 - Summary of what is next
- Staffing
From November 2015 – January 2016, one practitioner was delivering the CARE service. This member of staff was recruited internally and delivered face-to-face work. During this period we continued our recruitment of the other team members. The second practitioner was recruited in January 2016.Both have come with significant experience in CSE and have bought their skills and knowledge to the role. We have just recruited for the final practitioner post who will start her post on 6th June.
Through the Young Victims Pathfinder Programme we have secured a year’s funding for an additional role focussing on boys and young men, enabling us to offer a more holistic service.The Boys and Young Men’s worker began in post on the 21st March and has previously worked to raise the profile of young people in Gangs within Essex. Although yet to begin a direct work due to induction, he will be working to the same outcomes as the rest of the CARE team with the additional task of raising the understanding and identification of boys and young men as being at risk of CSE. Through his role CARE hopes to see an increase in male referrals to the service as we have had very few referrals through for males to date:
“The analysis of the Barnardo’s database showed that white males accounted for 33% of CSE service users overall”(Cockbain et al, 2014).
The initially appointedService Manager, Sarah Simpkin,came runner up for the NWG Unsung Hero award in April 2016. Sarah is on maternity leave from 29th April 2016. Maternity cover is being provided by Vanessa Reid; who comes with a wealth of experience from one of our London based CSE servicesfollowing a month hand over period. The CARE service is based on a Hub & Spoke model, with our London Practice team acting as the Hub and the workers as ‘spokes’ that are based in Essex. Carly Adams, the Area Manager from London is line managing Vanessa, she will work closely with the Area Manager for the East of England to ensure continuity for both staff and partners as the workers are co-located within the East team.
The added value to the CARE service includes provision through the other programmes The Children’s Society East deliver. Through these, CSE work can be delivered at a lower level, either through our safe in Essex provision or be managed as a secondary issue. For this reason the Service Manager also supports these staff through CSE group supervisions and has delivered a number of training sessions to the wider staff members.
2.Demographic breakdown of Young People (up until 31st March 2016)
68– Number of referrals into the service
22 – Number of young people practitioners have begun or completed one-to-one work with
18 – Referrals from Essex Police
8 - Young people open to the service are currently involved with live investigations
The discrepancy between the amount of young people referred and those on the case load can be for a variety of reasons and is generally due to referrers coming to know and understand the referral criteria. This includes young people being at medium to high risk of CSE or involved in CSE, in addition to not being willing or able to engage with statutory services. With those that do not meet the criteria for the service we have offered consultation with the referrer to:
- Refer on to other Children’s Society services
- Provide resources for the specific issues identified
- Sign post to other relevant agencies
- Sign post to group work i.e. Choices group work which is managed through the engagement team
Breakdown by age of young people:
Breakdown by type of exploitation (NB: Some young people have experienced multiple forms of exploitation)
3.Case Studies of work undertaken
Case Study 1: Supporting children and young people
Abigail is a 15 year old girl who was first referred to CARE by Children’s Services. At the time of the referral Abigail was living with her grandparents who were struggling to cope with her recent change in behaviour. The referral stated that Abigail was in a relationship with a 21 year old male, associating with other young people at risk of CSE and was missing from home and school which was not always reported by the family. Following the completion of the Children and Family Assessment by Children’s Social Care it was the referrers opinion that these indicators did not suggest she was being exploited at this time but that Abigail may benefit from preventative work in terms of relationships, including what’s an appropriate relationship and indicators of unhealthy relationships. We were informed that the plan was for the case to be closed by Children’s Services.
The CARE Service Manager felt that the concerns raised were indicators of CSE and challenged the decision to close with the referrer and the CSE lead of social care. CARE Service Manager attended a CSETT meeting where the concerns for Abigail were discussed and the CSETT team raised further concerns in relation to her vulnerability and risk of CSE. During this meeting CSETT shared with the CARE Service Manager a completed CSE Risk Assessment which assessed Abigail as being at medium/high risk of CSE. CARE Service manager communicated to the professional network (Social worker, CSE Lead & CSETT) that CARE would be an appropriate service for Abigail however, a decision needed to be made as to whether Children’s Services would continue to be involved with Abigail and her grandparents. CARE’s Service Manager made Children’s Services aware that the additional factors contributing to increase vulnerability and risk which needed a multi-agency plan; these included: Abigail having a learning disability, cannabis & alcohol use, concerns around sexually harmful behaviour and a withdrawal of a sexual assault disclosure.
A multi-agency meeting was then held with the police, Children’s Services, Abigail’s school & the Service Manager from CARE. A plan was put in place to help to support Abigail which included a reduced time table to help Abigail reintegrate back into her lessons, a 1:1 CSE Project Worker from CARE to provide socio-educative support in relation to CSE, relationships and consent. Agreement was made for Children’s Services to remain involved and Abigail to be discussed at the next Multi Agency Sexual Exploitation Panel (MACE) meeting.
CARE’s Service Manager discussed Abigail’s case with CARE’s CSE Project Worker & made her aware of the concerns, vulnerabilities, risks and protective factors in place for Abigail. The Service Manager and Project Worker made a plan of how to best engage Abigail into the service, ensuring to be non-judgemental and sensitive to her needs. Engagement includes therapeutic and relational approaches to build trust and understanding to create a safe space. They discussed what topics would be appropriate for Abigail, which included relationships, safety planning, consent and grooming and being led by Abigail and what she wanted to talk about. The Service Manager and Project Worker agreed to meet every 4 weeks to discuss Abigail’s engagement with the service, any safeguarding concerns, regularly monitor level of risk of CSE and how they were working with the professional network to help to reduce Abigail’s risk of harm.
Work with Abigail continues, however progress so far includes:
•Weekly sessions with the CARE Service
•Back at school on a full time table, studying for her GCSE’s & college placement has been confirmed
•No missing episodes & adhering to curfew
•Working under a Child In Need Plan with Social Care
•Now on a waiting list to receive support from MIND for on-going counselling support
•Wanting to be a part of participation opportunities through The Children’s Society
•Support and advice given to grandparents around CSE, spotting the signs & how to report concerns
Case Study 2: Supporting professionals
Since 2013 the ESCB has trained over 600 champions with the purpose of having a key contact for people within organisation’s such as education, the police & youth offending to go to for support and advice in relation to CSE. The CSE Champion is also a key contact for ESCB to share updates, resources and examples of good practice. Since September 2015 CARE’s Service Manager has facilitated training for professionals alongside the Police and ESCB to raise awareness of CSE, ways to engage and offer support to children and young people and to raise the profile of the CARE service.
In November 2015, CARE’s Service Manager was asked to deliver a section within the training which highlighted what support CARE offer to young people at risk of CSE. Within the training, CARE’s Service Manager presented information around perpetrator profiles, models of CSE, the grooming line and seeing young people as victims. This then led onto the importance of hearing young people’s voices within the support that they are receiving and CARE’s Service Manager provided some quotes from young people that have accessed CSE services through The Children’s Society. This highlighted why young people do not always want to talk about exploitation, why they may go back to the perpetrator and why some may be hard to reach or difficult to engage. It was also highlighted that sometimes shame and confusion are reasons for a young person feeling that they are unable to talk about what has happened and that sometimes young people have negative experiences with agencies which can have a lasting effect. The Service Manager shared that CARE will work to break down such barriers to engagement so that young people have a positive experience.
The role parents and carers play within supporting young people at risk of CSE is crucial to the young person’s safety plan, and CARE’s Service Manager gave advice around approaching the subject with parents & carers, the importance of that family member having someone that they can talk to and also explained PACE’s relational model and the support that they provide to parents and carers.
The Champions training will still continue throughout 2016 and CARE’s Service Manager will be raising further awareness around CSE with a particular emphasis around Boys & Young Men and the definition of consent.
4.Outcomes for young people
Outcomes: / Measurement Tool: / Progress:Outcome 1: Young people at risk and/or involved in CSE will have improved protection and reduced risk from physical, emotional and sexual harm / ‘My Wheel’ (is aYP friendly means of measuring progress in 9 different areas of their life.)
Database (separate to our case management system this collects further information to consolidate pertinent data for each case)
Mosaic (Case management system), on caseload / With each young person, they completed a needs assessment, identified potential risk indicators developed an Action plan with the young person and worked with them in relation to their awareness and understanding of risk and safety.
In all cases our Practitioners liaised with Social Care to ensure appropriate safeguarding measures and safety plans were in place in order to improve protection from harm.
Workers have liaised with CSETT/CAIT/CID where appropriate to support any additional disruption techniques.
Outcome 2: Young people at risk of and/or involved in CSE will have improved emotional well-being and increased resilience / ‘My Wheel’
Service evaluation tool (questionnaire for young people)
Mosaic action plan / 4 of 9 young people with paired ‘My Wheel’ assessments have reported an improvement in their emotional health.
1 has been referred into EMHWS
We have supported 8 young people into additional therapeutic services including MST, Offending, Counselling, Family Support etc
Outcome 3: Parents/Carers as secondary victims of CSE will have better access to support, information, advice and guidance; enhancing familial relationships / Databasefor parents / 6 parents receive support from our service.
We have supported the development of the ‘I didn’t know’ Campaign with Essex Police with a particular focus on parental support through a short information film and review of the websites with parents.
Outcome 4: YP at risk of and/or involved in CSE, receive support from better equipped professionals leading to reduced number of YP who are left unidentified / Evaluation forms(As provided by ESCB)
Mosaic
Service evaluation tool / We have run 7 training sessions, reaching a total of 191 professionals (please see professionals training segment of the report)
Between November 2015 and March 2016, we received 68 new referrals from a range of professionals. These predominantly come from Essex Social Care (31%) and Essex Police (27%)
4.Outputs for young people
One to one
One-to-one work with 22young people over the six months:
Groups
CARE has used the last 6 months to develop two group programmes:
Choices – this is a medium risk group. So to not replicate what is already been offered in Essex, we have approached Essex County Council’s Community Involvement and Engagement team who already offered the ‘Choices’ programme. Prior to CARE they offered 4 programmes per annum, To support the increase in the number of groups, we will co-deliver a further 2-3 per annum. We have developed a working together agreement for this work and observed Februarys group to support delivery. The groups delivered by CARE for the following year are scheduled as follows:
- 13th April – 24th June
- 12th May – 23rd June
- 15th September – 19th October
CARE group – This is a high risk group which will therapeutically focus on issues such as grooming, healthy relationship, and consent although groups will be bespoke to the needs of the group. At present weare delivering a group inHeybridge Alternative Provision. We are approaching other institutions, identified through various means such as MACE and CSETT meetings to identify groups of young people who may particularly benefit form this kind of intervention.
5. Service Manager outcomes
Professionals’ training
Between November 2015 and March 2016 7 training sessions have been delivered to 191 professionals:
CSE Champion Training: 100 professionals
CSE Engagement Training: 91 professionals
Champion training
From 143 evaluations that were undertaken on the day (including data from prior to November 2015) the summary below shows the average increase in confidence against each of the identified learning outcomes.
Learning outcomes / Average Score pre course / Average Score post course / Average increase in score / Average score 4 weeks after the courseUnderstand the nature of CSE and the different models / 3 / 4.3 / 1.4 / 4.2
Understand the potential indicators of CSE / 3.3 / 4.4 / 1.1 / 4.3
Understand the role of the Champion / 2.6 / 4.2 / 1.6 / 4.2
Understand the issue of CSE from the family and young person's perspective / 2.9 / 4.1 / 1.2 / 4.1
Know what tools are available to me to undertake risk assessments and submit information to the police / 2.3 / 4 / 1.7 / 4.1
Understand the grooming process / 3.4 / 4.4 / 1 / 4.4
Average / 2.9 / 4.2 / 1.3 / 4.2
Feedback from delegates:
The Champions Training is currently being reviewed by the ESCB to ensure that it fit for purpose. In the new model of delivery there will be an expectation that all attendees complete the NWG (National Working Group) online training prior to Champions training.
The boys and young men’s worker has also been asked to deliver at Champions forums in 2016 to raise the profile and identification of boys and young men as victims of CSE. The CARE team feed into the Champion bulletin and are supporting the review of this training.
Engagement Training
This was aimed at professionals who are working with young people at risk of CSE or victims ofCSE. It covered the indicators, risk and resilience factors, a trauma focused response and resources for professionals. This was also organised by the ESCB but delivered solely by the Children’s Society.
CARE has also supported the ESCB with the development of the ‘I didn’t know’ campaign, feeding back on the website including information for resources and supporting the filmed information videos. We will also support the review of this campaign by offering parent and young people’s feedback.
In addition to these formal training sessions we have attended various team meetings with social care and the youth offending service, offering support for engagement and delivery.
We are in the process of reviewing feedback from training and this would be provided within the next report.
Feedback from delegates: