Know About CSE – An introduction to the campaign toolkit for partners

In October 2015, the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Child Sexual Abuse Forum signed off a communications campaign to encourage members of the public to understand the warning signs of child sexual exploitation and report any concerns they have.

The campaign aims to encourage the public, parents and young people to spot the warning signs of CSE and report their concerns in order to get help to children more quickly. It also aims to help prevent CSE in all its forms by helping parents and young people understand how to avoid grooming and unhealthy and unsafe relationships. The campaign is designed to:

  • illustrate what child sexual exploitation within context, and get over the point that it can happen to any child of any background and of any age
  • help young people understand what healthy relationships are, in order to prevent grooming
  • help everyone recognise the warning signs of CSE
  • encourage reporting of concerns by overcoming the barriers that stop people taking action

The campaign has been informed by research with young people and intelligence gathered from partners across Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent. This insight informed the campaign and the content available in this toolkit. The creative and messaging has also been tested at various stages with members of the public.

The campaign is being led by the partners of the Staffordshire and Stoke - on-Trent Safeguarding Children Board, including Staffordshire County Council, Stoke-on - Trent City Council, Staffordshire Police and the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Staffordshire.

Campaign toolkit

This toolkit includes promotional copy and materials and ready-to-use materials that can be downloaded and support partner activity around child sexual exploitation.

Local authorities, partners and voluntary sector organisations

The content is designed to be used by partners who want to support the campaign. This could include CCGs, voluntary sector organisations, NHS Trusts, charities, and partners of the Safeguarding Children Board. Anyone in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent who wants to support the prevention of CSE can use these materials.

How to use this toolkit

You are free to pick and choose any of the assets and use them as you see fit, although suggested uses have been provided.
A brand new website full of information and resources is available at – so please do direct people to that website wherever you can.

You may want to use the materials in a certain order to build up people’s understanding of CSE in order to increase reporting. i.e.

1)Explaining what CSE is - Case studies of a range of young people

2)Illustrating what the warning signs of CSE are

3)Overcoming the myths to encourage people to report their concerns.

Most of the content in this toolkit can be implemented through low/no cost channels. We have provided a wide range of resources that can be implemented online and through PR activity.

You can use these resources across your own communication channels, such as websites, newsletters and on social media. You can also use these materials in paid-for media opportunities if you wish, and you may have advertising space within your own organisations.

Schedules and timings: The key timings for the campaign area:

  • w/c 29th February and w/c 7th March – materials and communications rolled out across partners
  • w/c 7th March – Campaign launches : materials can you be used by all partners. Social media and media activity takes place. Activity to focus on the illustration of CSE
  • w/c 14th March – promotion of the signs of CSE. Events and activities across Staffordshire in schools and key locations. Media and social media activity around CSE Awareness Day on Friday 18th March. Join in with the Helping Hands social media campaign!
  • w/c 14th march – promotional of healthy relationships to young people
  • w/c 21st March – encouraging reporting week. Media activity, direct communication to parents

The toolkit is divided into three sections designed to help you find what you need quickly:

1. Creative materials

  • This section contains designed campaign materials, such as leaflets, posters and small information cards. Some materials are adaptable; you can insert your own logo and contact details. Print files are provided, which you can send to your preferred supplier for printing and delivery. A small amount of printed materials are available – please contact to request.

Items / Suggested uses
Poster for public /print advert ( scalable to other sizes /
  • Outside advertising spaces. This
could include, for example, bus
stops, bus-backs, telephone kiosks
etc.
Display spaces – for example,
council-owned outdoor and
community advertising spaces,
libraries, GP surgeries etc.
Publications, for example, local
media, council/organisational
magazine
Wallet sized information card for parents
Campaign leaflet for Parents – please note there is a separate leaflet for Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent /
  • Distribution via housing associations, community events ( e.g. sporting events)./
  • Letters/mail out to residents
  • Distribution via schools, libraries, GP Surgeries,

Wallet sized information for hotels/taxis/ takeaways /
  • Distribution to businesses

Campaign leaflet for professionals - please note there is a separate leaflet for Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent
Grooming poster /
  • Distribution through any organisation that works with young people

Campaign leaflet for teachers - please note there is a separate leaflet for Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent /
  • Distribution top any staff working in an educational establishment that work with young people or parents

Know about grooming for young people – one pager about the grooming process /
  • Distribution through organisations that work with young people

Party Animal poster / discussion starter - putting the dangers in context /
  • Distribution through any organisation that works with young people

What to look out for – 1 page design on what to look out for when spotting the signs of sexual exploitation /
  • Distribution through any organisation that works with young people

  1. PR and written copy

This section contains written copy and content that can be used in a variety of ways, from

your own channels and those of your partners or advertising.

Items / Suggested uses
Copy: The bigger picture and new resources to prevent CSE in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent /
  • Organisations supporting families of children who are adopted, have special needs.
  • Websites, social media, newsletters, Articles blogs
  • Internal briefings and intranet
  • Share with partners , services, charities, etc
, community radio, etc.
Letter to parents from the Chair of the Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent Safeguarding Children Boards /
  • Distribution to parents via letter, newsletter, email, etc

Overarching messages /
  • For partner use to understand key messaging

Case studies - stories from people that have been abused /
  • Website, social media and newsletters magazines

Copy: Warning signs to spot child sexual exploitation /
  • Websites, social media, newsletters,Articles blogs
Internal briefings and intranet
Share with partners , services, charities, etc
Copy: All young people can be victims, but some children (with special needs, those who are fostered, young people considering etc) can be even more vulnerable /
  • Organisations supporting families of children who are adopted, have special needs.
  • Websites, social media, newsletters, Articles blogs
  • Internal briefings and intranet
  • Share with partners , services, charities, etc

Copy: Who you can talk to if you suspect a child is being exploited /
  • Organisations supporting families of children who are adopted, have special needs.
  • Websites, social media, newsletters, Articles blogs
  • Internal briefings and intranet
  • Share with partners , services, charities, etc

Copy:: What to do if you suspect child sexual exploitation /
  • Organisations supporting families of children who are adopted, have special needs.
  • Websites, social media, newsletters, Articles blogs
  • Internal briefings and intranet
  • Share with partners , services, charities, etc

Copy: Dispelling the myths around reporting /
  • Organisations supporting families of children who are adopted, have special needs.
  • Websites, social media, newsletters, Articles blogs
  • Internal briefings and intranet
  • Share with partners , services, charities, etc
  • Community radio

Copy: How to spot the signs if you think you or a friend may be being abused – for young people only /
  • Social media./Newsletters/ websites / partners working with young people

Copy: What to do if you spot the warning signs of someone being sexually exploited
for young people only /
  • Social media./Newsletters/ websites / partners working with young people

Copy: You will be listened to - do report your concerns for young people only /
  • Social media./Newsletters/ websites / partners working with young people

Copy: Party Animal – Think twice before you take things and why you’re being invited to that party /
  • Social media./Newsletters/ websites / partners working with young people
  • In schools

Copy: The role of businesses in preventing and reporting CSE /
  • To businesses

  1. Digital assets:

Includes banners, infographics, gifs and lots more that can be used across all digital platforms – websites, social media etc.

Items / Suggested uses
Girl - he messages me everyday
Boys – he buys me things
Etc Still graphics on the signs of CSE / Websites , social media and other digital platforms
One pager on how to spot the signs. - Infographic / Websites , social media and other digital platforms
Spot the signs video for parents / Websites , social media and other digital platforms
Video for young people about the signs / Websites , social media and other digital platforms
Social media - CSE case studies, spot the signs and myth busting reporting / Websites , social media and other digital platforms
Website display banners / Websites, newsletters

Evaluation

The Communications officers will measure the impact of campaign activity through a combination of evaluation data and information on reporting, tracking surveys and metrics applied to eachchannel. These will help us measure awareness of and engagement with campaign activity,as well as changing attitudes towards reporting.

A pre-campaign piece of tracking research has been commissioned and our research

company will conduct similar waves of tracking to judge the effectiveness of the campaign.

Contact

We hope you will support this important campaign. If you have any questions after reading

the content in the toolkit, please contact Clare Abbotts, Senior Campaigns Officer, Staffordshire County Council, 01785 277901 or