Complex Child Sexual Exploitation Strategy meetings
Definition of complex abuse
Complex and organised abuse may be defined as abuse involving one or more abusers and a number of related or non-related abused children and may take place in any setting.
The abusers concerned may be acting in concert to abuse a child/ren; one or more adults may be involved and they may be using an institutional framework or position of authority to recruit children for abuse. Complex abuse occurs both as part of a network of abuse across a family or community and within institutions, such as residential homes, day care and sports clubs or schools. This includes abuse through the misuse of technology. (Working Together to Safeguard Children, 2010, para.6.10-6.11).
Although in most cases of complex and organised abuse the abuser(s) is an adult, it is also possible for children / young people to be the perpetrators of such harm, with or without adult abusers.
For further guidance, please see;
· Safeguarding Children: Working Together Under the Children Act 2004 (Chapter 9)
· Working Together to Safeguard Children: A guide to inter-agency working to safeguard and promote the welfare of children 2010 (Chapter 6)
· Complex Child Abuse Investigation: Inter-agency issues (HO & DH 2002)
Complex Abuse (Child Sexual Exploitation) process
Initial strategy meeting / discussion
Where a professional becomes concerned that a case may be organised or complex in accordance with the definition set out in this document, the professionals must immediately inform their child protection manager, a LA children’s social care (CSC) strategic lead and a police team Detective Inspector to share their concerns. A strategy discussion must be held within 24 hours of the referral being received.
A strategy meeting will need to be convened within 72 hours to share information and to agree next steps.
It is the responsibility of the strategic managers within CSC and the police to decide and agree which named representatives are required to participate in the strategy meeting. This should include an appropriate lead communication officer to provide advice as required.
The strategy meeting / discussion may include:
· the referrer if appropriate
· a legal adviser
· anyone else considered by the police and CSC strategic leads to be relevant to the meeting.
If the case does not meet threshold, then the investigation will be managed under the normal child protection strategy arrangements. If, after further enquiries are made, it becomes clear that the situation is more complex, a strategy meeting should be re-convened.
Where the extent of the complexity is unclear, there should be a further “scoping” meeting arranged to review the progress of the case.
If the meeting decides that the case is likely to be sufficiently complex and resource intensive, then a full meeting of the Strategic Management Group (SMG) should be convened.
Complex abuse (CSE) agenda template
1. Introduction and apologiesWelcome to the meeting and introductions are made and apologies noted.
2. Chair’s statement of purpose
The purpose of the meeting is to establish if / to what extent complex abuse has been uncovered and if threshold is met, develop a plan of action for the investigation.
The meeting will also consider;
· An assessment of the information known to date:
- The children named;
- The children who may be in current contact with possible abusers;
- Children who were, but no longer are, in contact with possible abusers;
- Possible victims who are now adults.
· Decide what further information is required at this stage;
· Make arrangements to gather the information;
· Undertake an initial mapping exercise to determine the scale of the investigation and possible individuals implicated as well as prepare:
- Witnesses to be interviewed prior to the interviews of children;
- Multiple and simultaneous interviews (ABE interviews)
· Consider any immediate protective action required.
· Consider a plan for the investigation to be presented to the Senior Management Group, including resource implications if a complex investigation is initiated.
· Agree what records and information needs to be secure / restricted.
3. Confidentiality statement
The meeting is confidential, and a record will be made of the discussion, which is subject to access requests under the Data Protection Act.
All participants will be invited to contribute any informaton they have. Information not presented openly at the meeting cannot be considered in assessing risk. It is important that it is clear from individual contribuitions what is fact and what is opinion.
Participants will be requested to sign a confidentiality agreement.
4. Verification of personal details of child / young person, family members and household structure
· Child / young persons name:
· Date of birth:
· Ethnicity:
· Address:
· Legal status:
· School / College:
· Parent / Carer:
· Social worker:
· Agencies involved:
5. Reason for convening meeting
· Referral details
· Clarification of presenting concerns
· Share available information including any agency reports. This could include any historical records held in respect of the child/young person and family
· Consideration of any cross boundary issues
6. Potentially involved adults
· Details of any suspected perpetrators, any access they have to children in their family, personal life or employment
· Known associations
The needs of any alleged perpetrator should be treated with sensitivity and respect throughout the investigation.
7. Previous Minutes (if a review meeting)
· Any errors / amendments;
· Recommendations / actions from previous meeting.
· Review of progress/developments/further information
· Perpetrators
· Setting
· Victim(s)
· Progress of joint investigation
· Disciplinary/staff suspension issues
· Review of scale of incident
· Therapeutic support
· Review of communication / media strategy (if threshold was agreed for a complex strategy)
8. Additonal considerations
· The children who may be in current contact with possible abusers;
· Children who were, but no longer are, in contact with possible abusers;
· Possible victims who are now adults
9. Risk discussion
• Regional Screening Tool outcome:
□ No Evidence of CSE risk identified.
□ Category 1 (at risk of harm): a child who is at risk of being groomed for sexual exploitation.
□ Category 2 (significant risk of harm): a child who is targeted for abuse through the exchange of sex for affection, drugs, accommodation and goods etc. The likelihood of coercion and control is significant.
□ Category 3 (serious risk of harm): a child who is entrenched in sexual exploitation, but often does not recognise or self denies the nature of their abuse and where coercion/control is implicit.
• Signs of Safety;
- Key danger/harm factors (relevant information indicating a possible or actual pattern or history of significant harm).
- Complicating factors (concerning parenting and environmental factors).
- Protective factors / strengths (factors that help the child / young person to be safer).
- Grey areas (matters / issues of insufficient detailed information / disputed).
• Consideration to be given to;
- Pull factors (children / young people exchanging sex for attention, accommodation, food, gifts or drugs) and Push factors (children / young people escaping from situations where their needs are neglected and there is exposure to unsafe individuals).
- Evidence of a child / young person manipulating or forcing other children / young people into sexual activity with adults.
- Concerns about trafficking.
- Sexual health concerns.
- Family awareness / response to risks (including parents / carers co-operation).
10. Analysis of information shared
· All members will be asked to contribed and establish if / to what extent complex abuse has been uncovered
· If threshold is reached - a full meeting of the Strategic Management Group (SMG) should be convened.
11. Additional considerations
· If there is reasonable cause to suspect complex abuse, ensure that the information is passed on to the Director of Children's Services.
· Consider any immediate protective action required.
· Appoint a senior officer from Social Services and the Police to co-ordinate and manage the investigation.
· Agree a joint plan for the investigation which identifies roles and tasks of staff involved and any resource implications.
· The focus of any safeguarding plan and of direct interventions should be the reduction of specific risks which are causing concern.
· All Action Planning must be SMART (individual responsibilities need to be clear.
· Agree the timing of any action and the possible consequences, for example not to remove children during unsocial hours.
· Plan for the investigation to be presented to the Senior Management Group, including resource implications.
· Agree the lines of accountability and communication.
· Consider carefully the decision about what information to share with parents and when. Parents are usually entitled to the fullest possible information but in these circumstances the decision is more complex.
· Secure expert legal advice and ensure that the investigation will have on-going access to expert legal advice in respect of criminal, civil and employment processes where the allegations concern professional staff;
· Contact other Local Authorities if the allegation crosses authority boundaries, to ensure joint planning and consistency.
· Agree the convening of child protection conferences as and when necessary;
· Media Strategy
· Information and support to those involved
· Co-ordinate actions, where appropriate, with other processes such as MARAC and MAPPA.
12. Date of Review Meeting (if required)
· Set Review date
ACTIONS/RECOMMENDATIONS & TIMESCALES
Agency / Task / Date / TimescaleProfessionals who need to be informed
The Director of Children’s Services must inform the LSCB Chair, the local authority’s Chief Executive; the senior communication lead officers for both the police and LA; and senior managers of all relevant agencies.
Complex abuse investigations will be undertaken under the auspices of the Local Safeguarding Children Board, which should be kept informed of its progress. However, the LSCB should not take any direct role in the management of the investigation.
The strategic management group (SMG)
To ensure a co-ordinated response a SMG meeting chaired by the police (or rarely by LA CSC) must be convened within 5 days of the receipt of the referral.
The SMG must act as a steering group to formulate and coordinate the required response. It must be a primary responsibility of this group to ensure that the welfare of children and any vulnerable adults are paramount at all times.
A police ‘GOLD’ serious incident meeting may need to be held in parallel with the SMG process.
The membership of the SMG must comprise of senior staff that are able to commit resources on behalf of their organisation and would usually include the following:
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· Lead officer for Children’s Social Care or nominee
· Assistant Chief Police Officer or nominee
· Police Senior Investigation Officer (SIO)
· Senior Child Protection Manager or nominee
· Senior Legal Advisor (Local Authority)
· Crown Prosecution Service
· Assistant Director Education Department or nominee
· Senior Health representive
· Press Officer
· Other individuals and agencies as appropriate.
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The SMG must have core membership that should remain constant throughout the investigation (although there may be a need to add or co-opt in other personnel as the investigation progresses).
Line managers of any staff implicated in the allegations of abuse must not be included in the strategic management group or the investigation team.
At the initial SMG meeting a protocol for information sharing across all agencies along with a clear media strategy should be agreed upon. The terms of reference must be agreed and minuted. At all subsequent meetings, minutes must be prepared fully, detailing all policy decisions and actions.
The minutes should be arranged in the following format:
- Time, date, location of the meeting
- Persons present
- Apologies
- Details of all individuals subject of the investigation (genogram)
- Facts and circumstances known to date
- Identified actions
- Parameters of investigation
- Terms of reference
- Resource and management issues
- Media issues
- Miscellaneous
- Exit strategy
- Date of next meeting
The SMG meeting must take ownership of the strategic leadership of the investigation and agree a plan that includes:
- A decision on the scale of the investigation and the staff required for joint investigation team
- Focus of investigation: protection versus prosecution and what will and what will not be investigated
- Any cross bounadary issues and planning of appropriate liaison and sharing of resources
- Identifcation of staff to manage the investigative process (usually the Public Protection Unit DI and Children’s Social Care / operational manager)
- Identification of appropriately trained staff for the investigation
- Organisation of adequate accommodation including a dedicated major incident room (if required) and facilities for interviewing and recording interviews
- Arrangements for medical staff to conduct assessments
- Arrangements of admin staff and IT resources to support the investigation
- Legal advice including consultation with the CPS, litigation and any other legal implications
- Sufficient resources to ensure that children are protected from further abuse and that their welfare remains paramount (this should include appropriate foster, daycare or residential placements, medical , therapeutic, educational and practical services)
- Victim care
- Child witness support, if relevant
- Sufficient support, supervision and de-briefing of staff involved in the investigation
- Availability of expert advice where necessary
- Liaison arrangements for inter-agency working
- Time scales for the stages of the investigation
- Allocation of specific tasks to personnel involved in the investigation together with line management responsibilities
- Management of public relations and media interest in the case
- Management of political arena
- Confidentiality arrangements / information sharing
- Professional association interest (e.g. Unison)
- Free phone application – helpline for victims / information lone
- Issues regarding finanical compensation for victims