NOT PROTECTIVELY MARKED
Merseyside Multi-Agency Protocol
Child Sexual Exploitation
Pan Merseyside partnerships reducing harm caused by
Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
Contents
1. Introduction Page 3
2. The role of partnerships in challenging CSE Page 4
3. Multi- Agency Objectives Page 5
4. Multi- Agency Responsibilities Page 6
5. Terms of referencePage 8
Appendices
Appendix 1Referral process to monthly CSE meetingPage 17
Appendix 2Warning Signs and Vulnerabilities ChecklistPage 18
Appendix 3Referral form (CSE1) Page 21
Appendix 4Referral Risk Assessment (CSE2) Page 25
Appendix 5Case Notes (CSE 3) Page 29
Appendix 6Legislation relating to CSE Page 32
Appendix 7Information Sharing AgreementPage37
Appendix 8Glossary of termsPage 51
1. Introduction
This document sets out the procedures of Safeguarding and protecting the welfare of children from Child Sexual Exploitation. It sets out how through our partnerships we assess, challenge and provide effective service to reduce the harm and threats posed to children and young people from Child Sexual Exploitation.
This protocol does not replace, supersede or singularly address Child Sexual Exploitation. The protocol should always be followed in conjunction with the current safeguarding procedures and is meant to reinforce safeguarding and thus more comprehensively reduce the opportunity for further sexual exploitation of children.
Aims and Purpose
The aims and purpose of the procedures is to
- To identify those at risk of being sexually exploited
- To apply pro-active problem solving to address the risks associated with victims, perpetrators and locations and ensure the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people who are or may be at risk from sexual exploitation
- To take action against those intent on abusing and exploiting children and young people in this way
- To provide awareness raising and preventative education for the welfare of children and young people who are or may be sexually exploited
- To provide timely and effective interventions with children and families to safeguard those vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
The Multi-Agency partnerships will safeguard children and young people from sexual exploitation in accordance with the policies, procedures and guidance of the Local Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).
This multi-agency protocol seeks to unify a process of recognition, risk assessment, referral and discussion amongst professionals utilising a single process and document set for all. Coupled with an information sharing agreement, this protocol allows for local arrangements to safeguard children, yet sets out a clear pathway by which to ensure all organisations unify to provide the best service possible for children and young people sexually exploited in Merseyside.
What is child sexual exploitation?
Sexual exploitation is child abuse and children and young people who become involved face huge risks to their physical, emotional and psychological health and well-being.
The nationally agreed definition of Child Sexual exploitation which will be utilised across Merseyside will be:
Sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations, contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive ‘something’ (e.g. food, accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, attention, gifts, money) as a result of them performing, or others performing on them, sexual act or activities. Child sexual exploitation grooming can occur through the use of technology without the child’s immediate recognition; for example being persuaded to post sexual images on the Internet/mobile phones without immediate payment or gain. 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 themain by the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic and/or emotional vulnerability”
Why do children and young people become involved?
The common issues and reasons can be due to a number of factors including a young person’s low self-esteem and a poor self-image.
Young people who run away from home are recognised as being more at risk of being targeted as a victim of sexual exploitation.
Vulnerabilities are identified and targeted by the abuser, whether the young person is living with their family, looked after, away from home or they have run away.
It is often the case that children and young people do not perceive themselves to be victims, as they consider they have acted voluntarily. The reality is that their behaviour is not voluntary or consenting.
2. The role of partnerships in challenging Child Sexual Exploitation
Child sexual exploitation takes place in local communities and information known to partners could be used to highlight the threat and establish risk. It is anticipated that an improved intelligence picture will enable effective action in a greater number of cases of child sexual exploitation, thereby reducing the harm that would otherwise be caused to the young victims and their families.
A monthly meeting will be held, known as the multi-agency Child Sexual Exploitation meeting, which will be attended by partners who are specialists in their field, to discuss each case. At the meeting, which will take place in each Basic Command Unit across Merseyside, representatives will consider each referral against intelligence held by their own agency. These representatives, including, but not restricted to children’s social care, education, health and police, will use the information to confirm/re-assess the level of risk to victims and potential victims of Child Sexual Exploitation. The information will also be used to further inform investigations and tactical options for existing agencies involved with the child.
This full range of responses will go beyond traditional law enforcement and the multi-agency meeting will provide a range of support for children, families and others, raising awareness and disrupting activity for the purpose of protecting and safeguarding children and young people. This improved intelligence picture will inform partners of the extent of the risk posed by perpetrators.
The organisations will work together to keep children and young people safe from sexual exploitation. These organisations will be drawn from the statutory, voluntary and community sectors and their work will follow recognised principles of effective practice to safeguard and protect the welfare of children and young people.
The multi- agency meeting will have the potential to call upon the diverse skills and experience available from amongst its members. In conjunction with sharing information to increase the understanding of the threat posed by Child Sexual Exploitation, they will bring together a range of specialist knowledge and partnership agreement to ensure that each organisation plays its role, collectively, effectively and individually.
Intelligence Sharing with Police
Disclosures to professionals by young people about incidents suggesting that an adult is targeting a young person for sexual exploitation or incidents of concern should be reported to the police. This will enable a picture of activity to be constructed that can result in intervention by the police and partners to disrupt activity by offenders and safeguard young people.
3. Multi- Agency Objectives
- To carry out risk assessment according to a common framework
- Identify those who are at risk of being sexually exploited by sharing information and assessing risks
- To address the risks associated with victims, perpetrators and locations by proactive problem solving
- To work collaboratively to ensure the safeguarding and welfare of children and young people who are being or are at risk of being sexually exploited
- To take effective action against those intent on abusing and exploiting children and young people in this way
- To provide awareness raising and preventative education for children and young people who are at risk of being sexually exploited.
- To provide awareness raising to other professionals and members of the general public.
- To develop a shared picture of intelligence on all threats
- To grade responses to the risks identified
- To provide early intervention to reduce the harm posed to children and young people
- To investigate, prosecute and disrupt perpetrators
- To adopt a collective watching brief to determine further interventions required.
- Promote positive physical and emotional health and well being
- Ensure relevant and timely access to appropriate health services
4. Multi Agency Responsibilities
It is essential that each of the organisations engaged co-operate in the partnership and will be expected to agree to implement and adhere to the principles set out in the Terms of Reference They will also be required to agree to an Information Sharing Agreement for the partnership (Appendix 7)and these requirements will extend to any collectively agreed amendments to these documents.
Each organisation will also be asked to nominate a representative to provide a conduit for information sharing with the CSE Multi-Agency Meeting. This arrangement will ensure that the information is shared, handled and stored in accordance with the terms of the Information Sharing Protocol.
The nominated representatives will ensure that appropriate referrals are made to the Multi-Agency CSE meeting through an agreed referral process. Where the risk is not immediate, this should be done using the Referral Form CSE 1 (Appendix 3).
The referrer should also complete the initial risk assessment, in accordance with the Risk Assessment CSE 2 (Appendix 4), to prioritise the level of risk for each child or young person referred.
The completed referral form and risk assessment will then be forwarded to the single point of contact within each Basic Command Unit ie., Wirral, Sefton, Knowsley, St.Helens and Liverpool for collation and in preparation for the monthly mutli-agency Child Sexual Exploitation meeting.
Please note: the risk assessment factors and indicators added to the referral form can highlight when intervention, support and action are required at any given time. Should any of the information during this process indicate that immediate action is required, taking into account any history of disadvantage or background vulnerability factors, the Child Sexual Exploitation meetingrepresentatives MUST be contacted before the monthly meeting to discuss the case; as per the Working Together principles.
If there are no immediate issues and/or vulnerability factors at this stage, that would indicate immediate/urgent contact with the partners involved in child safeguarding and sexual exploitation, then the referral can be made to the CSE meeting in the described manner.
The relevant police Basic Command Unit (BCU) in which the monthly multi-agency CSE meeting will be held, will be responsible for chairing and administrating the meeting and will ensure that the information received via the referral process will be scheduled for discussion.
Details of each referral must be provided to the conduit within each of the agencies prior to the meeting taking place. Where an organisation’s representative receives a request for information in relation to a referred subject, the information must be provided at the earliest opportunity.
The agency will then verify and collate the information held by them. This will then be provided to the meeting.
The Multi-Agency CSE Meetings will be chaired by Merseyside Police (usually a Detective Chief Inspector from the BCU) in accordance with the child sexual exploitation policy and procedure and will be used to co-ordinate the partnership’s tactical responses. This will provide a problem solving approach to support those at risk and to disrupt and take action against known and suspected perpetrators. It will also address any ongoing/identified health needs for victims.
When at the meeting, the representatives will discuss each referral in turn and use the risk assessment form CSE 2 to complete the risk assessment process. The information will also be used to identify and to direct the involvement of other agencies not yet involved who may assist in further reducing the risk of harm.
The actions allocated and information received at the meeting will be fully documented on the form CSE 3 (Appendix 5) and specific reference to the agency leading on that action recorded. Once agreed, they will be circulated by police to the other representatives, who will in turn ensure that updated information is provided to their team in relation to each of the actions allocated to their organisation.
Agendas and supporting documentation for meetings will be sent out approximately 1 week in advance of the CSE meeting and the minutes will be circulated approximately 7 days following the meeting.
Members of the Child Sexual Exploitation group represented at each meeting will be responsible for the management of requests for information and the dissemination of it at the meetings. Representatives will be responsible for the management, the handling, storage and review of information provided to them by partners, in accordance with the terms of the Information Sharing Protocol.
This process does not replace the need for a CSE meeting at any time should a referral be made by any professional concerned in safeguarding.
5. Terms of Reference
The CSE Partnership and its Multi-Agency Meetingswill not supplant, replace or override current safeguarding procedures.
Process
The partnership is locally based to facilitate awareness and information sharing around Child Sexual Exploitation. A tactical approach is applied through an audited process for information exchange, based upon a monthly meeting.
The CSE referral form CSE1 is a referral form for any and all organisations, statutory and voluntary involved in, or being in possession of information relating to child safeguarding.
Any person concerned that a child or young person is involved in or is being sexually exploited should use the CSE1 form to refer them to the monthly multi-agency CSE meeting.
Note: Cases involving children who are at imminent risk, should not wait for the monthly meeting and must refer the child or young person to the front door of children’s social care immediately to ensure safeguarding procedures are commenced and a CSE strategy meeting convened.
Role of Children’s Social Care.
In the event that there are immediate concerns relating to the safety and well being of a child or young person, contact must be made with Children’s social care via their contact centre as soon as possible.
If information comes to the contact centre via the public, the contact centre must consider whether there are immediate concerns for the child’s safety, and if so,
child protection procedures should be initiated. If child protection procedures are
not considered appropriate, the worker, in discussion with the referrer, should
consider the risk level and discuss it with their team manager. A decision should be made as to whether this would be an appropriate case for the monthly multi-agency CSE meeting. If so, then a referral can be made at this point to the nominated Single Point Of Contact (SPOC).
- When a referral is received regarding a child in the care of the local authority, the allocated social worker must inform their team manager. If this is a child of another local authority then the appropriate local authority must be immediately informed.
- If the child is in a residential unit, the staff should be asked to take positive action to clarify and record suspicions and minimise the child’s involvement in sexual exploitation.
- If the child is in foster care, the social worker and supervising social worker should meet with the foster carer to decide which of the above steps the foster carer could reasonably take.
Children’s Social Care hold the lead responsibility for responding to children abused through or at high level of sexual exploitation. Social Care will also have a role in medium level cases where there is a strong suspicion of sexual exploitation.
When a case is already allocated to a social worker, concerns may be presented by another professional or by the child’s social worker. The risk of harm to the child needs to be re-assessed in the light of the new information, a discussion held with the relevant team manager and the case progressed as above.
This protocol is designed to enable the multi-agency meeting to convene to discuss nominees having initially consulted internally to establish the levels of existing intelligence held in respect of threats and risks posed to them. It is designed to ensure that if AT ANY STAGE concerns are such that the child or young person requires immediate support from any agency, then the appropriate referral is made to instigate child protection procedures, as per the local safeguarding policy in that authority area.
The needs of children and young people who are being or are likely to be sexually exploited will change over time. Service responses need to be flexible to respond to these changes. Early intervention is essential to prevent escalation of harm and interventions will then be tailored to respond to the needs of the individual.
The Police Role
To tackle Child Sexual Exploitation, Merseyside Police will undertake to:
- Identify instances of Child Sexual Exploitation
- Assess and manage risk to children and young people to prevent harm and/or reduce the impact of harm
- Undertake criminal investigations and take positive action against abusers
- Work with partner agencies to support and protect child victims and their families
- Develop intelligence to prevent instances occurring, support investigations and to assist partner agencies to take positive action
- To identify and record themes, patterns and trends in child sexual exploitation.
Investigating child sexual exploitation requires a proactive approach to intelligence gathering, so that patterns of abuse, and the form in which it takes, can be identified both locally and on a larger scale. It is vital this information is shared with partner agencies to help identify and protect those at risk, and to identify potential perpetrators. Ensuring that links are made with children and young people who are going missing, or displaying any of the warning signs or vulnerabilities from the checklist, can help to identify and manage risk at an early stage.