Child Sexual Exploitation Supporting the Child’s Journey

Child Sexual ExploitationSupporting the Child’s Journey London Borough of Merton Lee Hopkins Service Manager

Spotlight on CSE • Nov 2011 Government CSE Action Plan • 2011-2012 Safeguarding preparation for Olympics • 2011-2012 Merton review of safeguarding at Wimbledon Olympic site

In Merton we found: • No significant indicators of child trafficking. • No history of safeguarding referrals from the Wimbledon venue. • Historical concerns about CSE focusing on a specific venue and group of older male perpetrators.

Prior to 2011 Merton’s CSE protocol overdue for review with frequent references to child prostitution. The new protocol has removed all such references and can be accessed on the Merton safeguarding Children’s Board website www.merton.gov.uk/health-social-care/children-family-health-social-care/lscb.htm

Merton’ CSE Service Prior to 2011/12 was disorganised and poorly coordinated with separate professional groups meeting to cover: • Healthy Relationships • Missing/Young Runaways • Sexual exploitation

Merton’s CSE Service In early 2012 the 3 groups were combined to form the Promote and Protect Young People Steering Group With established terms of reference, multi-agency partnership and strong links to the voluntary sector.

Promote and Protect Young People Group Comprises: Police (Cait and Missing Persons) Health (CAMHS, Community Health and LAC Nurse) Education (Welfare Service, Behavior Support and Pupil Referral unit and Secondary school) Voluntary Sector (Barnardos, Catch 22, Jigsaw4U) Social Care (MASH, LAC, YOT) Probation. And has established: A unity of purpose A common data set A Multi-agency focus on the child

Keys to Success • Lead Member, DCS & AD buy in. • Being aware there are no quick fixes. • Being prepared across the partnership to tackle the issues. • Having a strong and vocal third sector helping to set standards.

Getting the Right Blend • Statutory agencies have a key role to play from identification, assessment, disruption to support and recovery. They cannot succeed however without, • Third sector services offering bespoke 1 to 1 support to young people and their families. In Merton’s CSE service 3 voluntary agencies deliver various aspects of this support: • Jigsaw4U • Barnardos • Catch22

The Mixed Economy of Help • The range of agencies attending the Promote and Protect Young People group ensures that there is a comprehensive and coordinated package of support to young people. • It does mean that the successful interventions to support young people are grounded in good information sharing practice and do not exclusively rely on statutory interventions. • Taking time and being persistently helpful is what also makes the difference

What does CSE look like in Merton Since the Promote and Protect Young People Steering Group was set up it has managed and overseen: 65 referrals 34 of which remain open All referrals are graded for their level of risk.

Characteristics of CSE • 100% Closed cases also had missing episodes • 60% Open cases also had missing episodes • 0% Closed cases on Child Protection Plan • 10% Open cases on Child Protection Plan • 0% Closed cases are looked after child • 10% Open cases are looked after child

Age at Referral • 70%14 • 20%15 • 10%16

Ethnicity of Referrals • 40% White • 10% Black • 10% Black Caribbean • 20% Asian • 20% Other

Referrals by type of exploitation • 80% Older Boyfriend • 10% Peer • 10% Group

Effective Information Sharing The strategic responsibilities of the Promote and Protect Young People Group need to be clearly linked to all other relevant activities under the auspices of the local Safeguarding Children board, the Children’s Trust and the Health and Wellbeing Board. This must also include effective liaison and inclusion with other local authorities where cross border CSE concerns arise.

CSE Successes in Merton • Successful bid for MOPAC post focussed on CSE prevention and gangs. • Strong linkage of Missing and Young Runaways to the CSE prevention and specialist support services. • Local Authority Commissioning priorities have supported the clear focus on CSE and robust intervention to help young people through recovery. • Establishment of a local Practitioners Group to support CSE best practice. • Established 2 support groups for young victims of CSE. • All out of borough placements are audited and analysed for potential CSE risk. • The common purpose of the Promote and Protect Young People group is endorsed through the lead member, DCS and LSCB/HWB.

CSE Challenges in Merton • Strengthening prevention and awareness amongst and with young people. • Joint chairing of Promote and Protect Young People group with Police and Children’s social Care. • Mapping known and suspected perpetrators and linking to successful prosecution. • Developing network of CSE champions in key agencies.

The Importance of staying the course- the positive benefits of working with a victim for two years and counting. At referral Emma was (name changed): • Using alcohol and cannabis. • Had no understanding of grooming. • Had been reported missing. • Was not attending school. • Had been bereaved. • Had self harmed.

Currently Emma • Is attending her apprenticeship • Is in a relationship with a stable peer. • Has not been missing for over 6 months. • Has not self harmed. • Can reflect on her exploitation and experience of grooming. • Is still living with her family who are more supportive and understanding. • Is not abusing alcohol or drugs.

CSE Developing a dependable service. The story in Merton. Lee Hopkins. Service Manager. Lee.hopkins@merton.gov.uk

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Child Sexual Exploitation Supporting the Child’s Journey