Female Genital Mutilation Screening Tool
Correct as at April 2016

If you have an imminent concern that a girl may be at risk of FGM please complete the Screening Tool and refer to your local safeguarding board as matter of urgency.

Name of child/young person: ______Date of Birth: ______

Significant Risk Indicator / Please tick
Girl asks for help
Parents of a child from a practicing community say that they or a relative will be taking the girl abroad for a prolonged period – this may not only be to a country with high prevalence but this would more likely lead to a concern
Girl has spoken about a long holiday to her country of origin/another country where the practice is prevalent
FGM is referred to in conversation by the child, family or close friends of the child (see Glossary for traditional and local terms) the context of the discussion will be important
Girl presents symptoms that could be related to FGM
A child or sibling asks for help
A parent or family member expresses concern that FGM may be carried out on a child
Girl has confided in another that she is to have a ‘special procedure’ or to attend a ‘special occasion’. Girl has talked about going away ‘to become a women’ or ‘to become like my mum and sister’
Girl presents with frequent urine, menstrual or stomach problems and/or unpleasant body odours
Increased emotional and psychological needs eg withdrawal, depression, crying, or significant change in behaviour. Behaviours include confrontation with peers and impulsivity
Girl talks about/demonstrates pain or discomfort between her legs and lower abdomen
Girl confides in a professional that FGM has taken place
Mother/family member discloses that female child has had FGM
Husband’s family practises FGM
Child’s mother has undergone FGM
How important in your family is FGM?1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 (1 is low, 10 is high)
Comments
Medium Risk Indicator / Please tick
Sections missing from the Red book. Consider if the child has received immunisations, do they attend clinic etc (Early Years Setting)
Girl withdrawn from Sex Education /FGM lessons
Girl avoiding physical exercise or requiring to be excused from PE lessons without a GP’s letter
Child’s mother has undergone FGM
Comments
Vulnerability Factors / Please tick
Other female family members have had FGM
A Family Elder such as Grandmother is very influential within the family and is/will be involved in the care of the girl
Mother/family have limited contact with people outside of her family
Parents have poor access to information about FGM and do not know about the harmful effects of FGM or UK law
Any other safeguarding alert already associated with the family. Always check whether family are already known to Social Care
Girl has a sister or other female child relative who has already undergone FGM
Family/child are already known to Social Services – if known, and you have identified FGM within a family, you must share this information with Social Services
Parents come from a community known to practise FGM
Family not engaging with professionals (health, school or other)
Comments

The framework includes three categories of risk and is intended to inform appropriate responses in relation to children and young people’s safeguarding needs. The presence of one significant risk indicator will necessitate action as described in the significant risk section on the next page.

Please use your professional judgement to reflect upon the indicators you have ticked above and consider the health, welfare and safety of the child in question. (NB: A ‘child’ is any person under the age of 18, male and female, and older children can be equally as vulnerable)

Description / Associated actions
Significant risk
Complex/
Significant Needs
A child who may be targeted for FGM
OR
A child who is at significant risk of FGM /
  • Establish risk and need by completing the in depth FGM risk assessment found on the Education Tab, Guidance Section of the BAFGM website ( . Or send the risk assessment to MASH for discussion, response and data monitoring and discussion .
  • Referral to be made to the Police using 101 and ensure formal referral has been made to MASH.
  • Joint investigation between Police and Children’s Services.
  • Using the Risk assessment toolkit to update initial / core assessments as well as any other agency assessment.
  • Referral to be made to the your Safeguarding Children’s Board or MASH and send the completed in depth risk assessment
  • Use key disruption tactics: Gather evidence and use Police information Sharing forms, Legal Orders/Notices.
  • Consideration for Health, Police, Children’s Services risk alerts. Cross referencing with links to other safeguarding issues
  • Consultation with the UK Border Agency where appropriate.
  • Participants of the meeting should agree a protection plan and action to include long-term intensive direct work with the individual child or young person.
  • Risk should be closely monitored and regularly reassessed as part of the risk reduction process at a minimum of three monthly

Medium risk
Additional Needs
A child who may be at risk of FGM. /
  • Establish risk and need by completing the in depth FGM risk assessment found on your local Safeguarding Children’s Board Website or the BAFGM website ( . Send the risk assessment to the MASH Team for discussion, response and data monitoring
  • Referral to be made to the Information Advice and Support Service (IASS) for consideration of strategy discussion with Police and coordinated Children’s Services response. If already receiving support from Children’s Services, notify the allocated social worker for consideration for Strategy discussion with West Midlands Police
  • Referral to be made to your Safeguarding Children’s Board MASH operational sub group using the referral on the BSCB website ( : send the completed in depth risk assessment
  • Intervention to be completed with the children, young person and families to address FGM, risk awareness and staying safe. A planned programme to raise awareness of FGM and to provide tools for children and young people to self-protect is required.
  • Review risk following significant change in circumstances or, at the very least every six months.
  • Make parent aware of support services available. (Details overleaf).

Low risk
Universal Plus
A child who may be in need but who is not currently known to be at risk for FGM. /
  • Educate the young person and parents / carers to keep the child safe
  • Work with children, young people and families to develop an awareness of the risks that can lead to a situation in which they may be exposed to FGM.
  • Keep records as to incidents and risk indicators and monitor any changes in vulnerability which may result in increased risk of FGM in the future.
  • Make contact with your local safeguarding board/MASH should the risks increase.

Source of information: ______

Signature completed: ______

Date: ______

SERVICE / BRIEF DESCRIPTION / CONTACT
Children’s Information Advice and Support Service / Children’s Information Advice and Support Service (IASS) provides a single point of contact forprofessionals and members of the public who want to seek support or raise concerns about a child.
Monday to Thursday 08.45 – 17.15
Friday 08.45 – 16.15 / Telephone: 0121 303 1888
email:
Emergency Duty Team / The Emergency Duty Team (EDT) provides overnight, weekend and public holiday cover for Children’s Social Care. The Service is for anyone who is in danger and unable to protect themselves, or for those who cannot remain in the community without immediate intervention. / Telephone: 0121 675 4806
Email:
West Midlands Police / If you need to report an emergency, serious incident, or if you are concerned about immediate safety of a child and young person. / Telephone: 0345 113 5000 / 101
Barnardo’s SPACE / Working with children and young people vulnerable and abused through sexual exploitation / Telephone: 0121 359 5333
Barnardo’s Amazon / Barnardo’s Amazon Young People’s Counselling Service works with children and young people who have been sexually abused, and those in recovery from sexual exploitation / Telephone: 0121 359 5333
Birmingham Solihull Women’s Aid / Specialist FGM project in Birmingham / Telephone 0808 800 0028
Allies Network / Specialist FGM project in Birmingham /
Celestinecelest Community Organisation / Specialist FGM project in Birmingham / Telephone 0751 722 7911
Muslim Women’s Network / Specialist FGM project in Birmingham / Telephone 0121 236 9000
The Children’s Society / Local specialist service for children and young people who runaway / Telephone: 0121 523 9601
St Basils / Services for young people homeless or at risk of homelessness as well as family mediation. / Telephone: 0300 30 30 099
Education Welfare Service / The Education Welfare Service promotes the importance ofregular school attendanceand investigates the causes of poor attendance. / Telephone: 0121 303 8900
Email:
Youth Offending Service / The YOS work with young people in custody and the community, subject to statutory Court Orders, Youth Cautions and early intervention work to reduce their risk of re-offending and harm to the public, whilst managing their vulnerability through tailored intervention plans such as gender specific programmes. / Telephone: 0121 464 0600 (HQ)
Children’s Rights and Participation (RAP) / RAP challenge and champion children and young people’s rights to ensure that when decisions are made they are involved, consulted and listened to. / Telephone: 0121 303 7217

Rape and Sexual Violence Project (RSVP) / Support Provision of sexual violence counsellors as well as Independent sexual violence advocates (ISVA). Telephone helpline service and services to support victims through prosecutions. / Telephone: 0121 236 5763 or 0121 200 1695
Telephone helpline: 0121 233 2818
Email:
NATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES / CONTACT DETAILS
NSPCC Child Protection Helpline / 0808 800 5000
Childline / 0800 1111
Missing People Helpline / 0808 800 7070
Rape and Abuse Line / 0808 800 0123 (answered by women every evening).
NHS Direct / 0845 46 47 111

Useful Websites

  • Birmingham Against FGM
  • UK Human Trafficking Centre (UKHTC)
  • UK Border Agency (UKBA)
  • Department for Education

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