Agencies

Information attending

Barnet MASE

Multi agency service information of MASE membership.

The primary purpose of MASE is to monitor and track high risk CSE cases and to ensure there is a coordinated and robust response from all appropriate agencies in response to assessed risk and vulnerabilities.

Requests for cases to be discussed at MASE will be made using approved referral form .The allocated Social worker/ Manager will present the assessment and completed risk management form for each young person discussed by MASE to determine the level of risk and agree a response to protect and support the Young Person/child. The case will have been discussed at the CSE Surgery in the first Instance, In addition those children where Problematic Harmful sexual Behaviour have been identified these cases will also be referred to MASE October 2016 onwards. Harmful sexual behaviour cases will be discussed at The Surgery.

A record of actions agreed will be recorded on CSE/HSB tracker and also recorded on individual young people /Childs electronic case.

Each agency representative is responsible for ensuring that actions agreed are communicated internally within their respective agencies, are monitored and MASE tracker updated by informing the CSE Coordinator of actions completed.

Full minutes and tracker will be sent out after each meeting.

Roles and responsibilities of MASE Members

The MASE membership consists of representation from Education, Health, Metropolitan Police (Schools officers, MISPER, SPOC, SET, SAPHIRE) , YOS and Youth and Community, Voluntary Sector, Family Service.

The following agencies have provided a breakdown of their roles and responsibilities when attending MASE.

Barnet CSE Lead

Chair of fortnightly CSE and Harmful sexual behaviour surgery. Consultation to existing open cases and new cases referred to MASH, and or cases held at CAF. Co-ordinate multi agency CSE Champions network. Maintain Barnet CSE profile. Reports to the BSCB.

POLICE

Child Sexual Exploitation Intervention - Police Tactical Options

Tactic / What it does? / Points
Domestic Violence Prevention Order / A perpetrator can be banned with immediate effect from returning to a residence and from having contact with the victim for up to 28 days, allowing the victim time to consider their options and get the support they need. / Supt can authorise DVP Notice in advance of police applying to Magistrates Court.
Abduction Warning Notice / They can be issued against individuals who are suspected of grooming children by stating that they have no permission to associate with the named child and that if they do so they could be arrested under the Child Abduction Act 1984 and Children Act 1989. / This is a preventative measure outside of criminal legislation.
Hotel information request / Information about guests at hotels believed to be used for child sexual exploitation. Helps with developing intelligence / Inspector. Offences of not complying
Closure Notice / The premises were/likely used for activities related to one or more specified child sex. / Supt can authorise issue of notice. Needs to be satisfied necessary and local authority consulted. (Followed by court application?)
Sexual Risk Order (check if enacted) / Can impose restrictions on a perpetrator, such as limiting their internet use, preventing them from approaching or being alone with a named child, or restricting their travel abroad. - / Issued by a court after police application if it is satisfied that the individual has done an act of a sexual nature.
Restraining Order / Restraining orders may be made on conviction or acquittal for any criminal offence. These orders are intended to be preventative and protective. The guiding principle is that there must be a need for the order to protect a person or persons. A restraining order is therefore preventative, not punitive.
Proactive operation / The police can utilise covert surveillance to either gather intelligence or evidence. / Covert tactics are governed by legislation and require Supt authority. The deployment of resources would also need to be approved at the internal tasking meeting.
‘Achilles Heel’ approach / This is an approach by the police where all enforcement opportunities are taken such as search warrants and vehicle tax to TV licence. / To encourage the subject to desist they should be aware of the intention.
Trigger plan / The subject’s entry on the police data base is ‘flagged’ if they are arrested for any offence the ‘flag’ will provide wider information and ensure all investigative opportunities are taken.
ANPR/Oyster / The police can track historical movements. / Requires thresholds and authority
Mobile phone / The police can gain call and location data (not content). / Requires thresholds and authority

Health Advisor and Youth Outreach

Will research cases presented at MASE on Barnet Hospital and Royal Free health databases including sexual health/A&E and link in with safeguarding leads.

The worker will also provide sexual health advice to Young people presented at MASE and accept/arrange fast track referrals for outreach sexual health services.

The majority of YP presented at MASE are known or have been known to the sexual health clinic therefore vital background information can be shared at MASE.

CSE/ Missing Support officer

The Officer will have an overview of all Missing children from home and care, the frequencies of the missing incidents and any additionalidentified l risks.

All young people reported missing is offered an Independent Return Home Interviewwhich is presently commissioned through a service via Barnardos. Any intelligence and information gathered as part on the RHI will be shared at MASE. These can include further risks, hotspots, and potential victims and perpetrators of CSE.

Early intervention work will also be carried out to include one to one sessions (BE-WISE) with young people identified at risk of CSE. The cases are allocated as part of actions from MASE.

The role also includes maintaining a comprehensive list of cases, actions and outcome of all cases presented at MASE, this information will aid analysis for creating Victims profile.

SOLACE

North London Rape Crisis (NLRC) offers free short-term Counselling for Family, Friends & Partners of female survivors of sexual violence.

Criteria for the Friends and Family Counselling Service

  • You must be a supportive friend or family member (including supportive male partners) of a female survivor of any form of sexual violence (this could have happened at any time in her life).
  • We will conduct a phone assessment and if we are the right service for you we will then offer you a face to face assessment.
  • It is possible that if you know or are related to a current or former client of the Friends and Family counsellor that this would be a conflict of interest and we would recommend other counselling services for you.
  • We will only offer the service to you if we believe you are clinically suitable for short term work. Short term work is not appropriate for people with mental illness, in crisis or using substances problematically.
  • You must live, work or study in one of our 7 boroughs of service, namely Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey, Islington, Kensington & Chelsea or Westminster.
  • Please note we do not knowingly work with perpetrators.

What is counselling?

  • Counselling is a talking therapy, based on regular weekly sessions with a counsellor in a safe and confidential place. We offer 6 sessions of short-term therapy.
  • Counselling provides a unique experience that focuses entirely upon the individual. It won’t provide advice or tell you what to do; instead it will give you the opportunity to explore your feelings.
  • Counselling is time out in the week to really work on yourself; it is your time and no one else’s. It should be your decision to attend counselling ~ it is a personal journey and should always be a matter of personal choice.

Who are the Counsellors?

They are qualified counsellors with a good understanding of sexual violence and its impact upon women.

  • All work to a recognised professional code of conduct and ethics and receive regular supervision.
  • The Rape Crisis Counselling Service is bound by the Complaints Policies of both Solace Women’s Aid and the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP)

Why have counselling?

  • You might come because you want to talk to someone who doesn’t know you personally and who is not going to judge them.
  • You might feel disbelief when you first hear about the assault, you might feel surprised, shocked or numb.
  • You might feel anger for a number of reasons; towards yourself for not being able to protect the survivor; towards the perpetrator or towards the survivor.
  • You might feel guilt because you could not prevent the assault from happening or that the survivor did not feel comfortable to tell you about the assault right away.
  • You may feel anxious about responding the’ right’ way or worried about how this event will impact your relationship with the survivor.
  • People come to Counselling for all of the above reasons and many more. Whatever your reason it will be valued by the counselling service.

Refer to the service

  • Complete a referral form and send it to
  • Or contact the NLRC Helpline on 0207 619 1369 . Open Monday and Friday 10am- 2pm, Tuesday 10am- 1pm, Wednesday and Thursday 1pm- 5pm

What happens next?

  • Within 4 weeks of receiving the form you will be contacted by our counsellor via telephone
  • If you meet the service criteria you will be invited for an assessment session. This gives you chance to find out more about the service, to assess your needs and make sure that this is the best option for you. If we are not the appropriate service for you we will refer you on to a more suitable organisation.
  • If our service is suitable for you, we will place you on our waiting list, as soon as possible we will allocate you to a counsellor to start your weekly sessions.
  • The sessions take place on a Friday daytime in Islington. Childcare and Interpreters available.

Role of the Health services

Stated in the Safeguarding Children and Young people from Sexual Exploitation

‘Supplementary Guidance’

Health professionals and organisations have a key role to play in actively promoting the health and wellbeing of children. Section 11 of the Children Act 2004 places a duty to make arrangements to ensure that, in discharging their functions, they have regard to the need to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Health services:

  • Are in a key position to recognise children and young people who are suffering sexual exploitation. In addition,
  • May also be in a position to identify concerns about adults who may be perpetrators of sexual exploitation.
  • CCG’s need to be alert to this issue in their commissioning
  • All services including GPs, NHS Trusts, sexual health practitioners, CCG’s and others need to be alert to this issue in their work with both children and adults.

Some services have a particular need to bear this in mind:

Sexual health services, genito-urinary medicine services and community contraceptive clinics:

  • May be aware of sexually active young people and may pick up indicators of sexual exploitation.
  • They should always be alert to these signs and should follow the guidance in Working Together on sexually active young people (paragraphs 5.23 to 5.30) as implemented through local protocols/procedures.

Mental health services including child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), adult mental health services, and alcohol and drug services:

  • May encounter children and young people at risk of or suffering sexual exploitation or they may have concerns about adults suspected of being perpetrators of sexual exploitation.
  • As part of assessment and care planning, child and adolescent mental health professionals should identify whether child abuse or neglect, sexual exploitation or domestic violence are factors in a child’s mental health problems, and should ensure that this is addressed appropriately in the child’s treatment and care.
  • CAMHS professionals have a particular role in the assessment of cases where there is perceived high risk of danger, including cases where multiple victims are involved.

Health staff working with looked after children and care leavers:

  • Have an opportunity in the course of their work to identify concerns in this particularly vulnerable group.

Paediatric and Accident and Emergency staff:

  • may pick up on signs of sexual and physical abuse or signs of violence when young people present with injuries.
  • young people may also present due to alcohol or drug overdose or intoxication.
  • These staff may be in a prime position not only to refer to other agencies but also (subject to the patient’s consent) to collect forensic and photographic evidence through their medical examinations, which will assist the police with their investigations e.g. DNA from semen and photographs of injuries.

Tackling CSE – March 2015 report

States the following:

  • Expand routine enquiry from 2015/16 made by professionals in targeted services such as mental health, sexual health and substance misuse services so that professionals include questions about child abuse, to help ensure early intervention, protect those at risk and to ensure victims receive the care they need.
  • The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence will publish a new guideline in September 2016 on ‘Managing Harmful Sexual Behaviour among children and young people’ and in September 2017 on ‘Child Abuse and Neglect,’ which will include aspects on child sexual exploitation.
  • Improve available data on the prevalence of child abuse using the upcoming population-wide children and adolescent mental health survey.

Prevention

Safe Guarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation – Supplementary Guidance.

What can it include?

By prevention we mean reducing the risk that children and young people will become victims of sexual exploitation by:

  • Reducing their vulnerability
  • Improving their resilience
  • Disrupting and preventing the activities of perpetrators
  • Reducing tolerance of exploitative behaviour
  • Prosecuting abusers

The effective management of individual cases and Identifying and prosecuting perpetrators will also have a preventative effect by reducing the numbers of children and young people who are sexually exploited, deterring perpetrators and where appropriate, bringing criminal prosecutions.

Awareness raising and preventative education

  • Primary and secondary school – raising awareness – How is this being pursued and delivered in Barnet Schools?
  • Are resources that help facilitating discussions around healthy relationships and sexual exploitation as part of the PSHE education curriculum being used locally? For example the factsheet produced by the Sex Education Forum to help teachers at key stages 3 and 4 to plan and deliver effective education on sexual exploitation as part of wider SRE

Linked strategies:

  • The National Teenage Pregnancy
  • Strategy the National Strategy for Sexual Health and HIV
  • The National Healthy Schools Programme

All the above strategies aim to equip young people with the skills and attitudes to make informed decisions about their health, preventing sexual exploitation and helping young people to learn about safe, healthy relationships

Specialist Services

Specialist services should where possible be involved in education and awareness raising programmes as they can provide powerful illustrations of the issues around sexual exploitation.

Making use of the resources and expertise of organisations like CEOP ( and the UKHTC may also be helpful.

Targeted prevention

Parents and carers

  • Inform them about patterns of grooming, indicators of risk of sexual exploitation and the impact of sexual exploitation on children, young people and families.
  • Should be made aware of where they can access support for themselves and how best to support children who may be at risk of sexual exploitation
  • LAs should work to raise awareness of the risk of becoming involved in sexual exploitation with foster carers and staff in children’s homes.
  • Raising awareness and providing information and support for children and parents where the children:

-Are absent regularly from education

-Are Not receiving a suitable education

-Are In the pupil referral units

-Are Homeless or repeatedly go missing from home

-Are Both UK national and migrant children.

-who have mental health issues

-who abuse drugs or alcohol

-who have disabilities or special needs

Our strategy, procedures and guidance will need to meet the particular needs of the children who fall into the vulnerability areas listed above.

Awareness raising activities targeting people whose work places them in a position where they will notice and could then report worrying behaviours, for example:

-shopkeepers,

-park attendants

-CCTV operators

-pub licensees

-hotel and hostel managers

-and a broad range of others in the community who are not traditionally part of the safeguarding community.

Health prevention work

Health services such as:

  • Health centres
  • Accident and Emergency services
  • Sexual Health Clinics, GP surgeries are well placed to display awareness raising literature about sexual exploitation services which children and young people will see.
  • Enable the public, especially women, to challenge abuse and the cultural attitudes which create the conditions for abuse by:

a. Expanding our community based English Language Programme which supports those with the lowest levels of English and who are the most isolated and vulnerable as a result.

b. Setting up a fund to support innovative projects that will help give women, especially in hard to reach groups, confidence to challenge sexual abuse wherever it occurs.

WDP Barnet Young People’s Drug and Alcohol Service

WDP Barnet Young People’s drug and alcohol service (YPDAS) offers support for young people who may be affected by drug or alcohol problems. We offer personalised services to meet individual needs, and work across Barnet to increase accessibility of services to young people. WDP offers specialised services to help support young people in their understanding of substance misuse, including advice & information, harm reduction, targeted programmes, psychosocial interventions, and onward referrals to partner agencies. WDP Barnet YPDAS work with young people up to the age of 24, supporting them through the transition into adult services before their 25th birthday.