The City of York Safeguarding Children Board CSE Screening Tool
This screening tool is used to help consider the level of risk a child or young person might be at through assessing their individual needs via their behaviour
and known information. It is not a full assessment of risk.
Emerging Concerns
(low risk)
Potential actions and/or considerations to discuss
with Designated Child Protection Office Manager
Examples of behaviour
Regularly coming home late or going missing
Overt sexualised dress
Consider flagging concern with City of York Advice Team
(see page 19)
Sexualised risk taking including on the internet
Unaccounted for monies or goods, eg, mobile phone
and/or credit
Associating with unknown adults, older peers or other
young people at risk of/or sexually exploited children
Reduced contact with family/friends
Ensure information is recorded on own agency IT system,
flagged at appropriate CSE risk level.
Consider CAF/ FEHA
Sexually transmitted infections
Consider completing North Yorkshire Police Information
Form and sending to Police Central Referral Unit (see page
22)
Experimenting with drugs/alcohol
Poor self image, eating disorder, some superficial selfharm
Physical injuries that cannot be explained sufficiently
Initial offending often in group situations
1
Escalating Concerns
(Medium Risk)
Potential actions and/or considerations to discuss
with Designated Child Protection Office Manager
Examples of Behaviour
Getting into cars with unknown or known CSE adults
Being groomed on internet
Clipping, ie, offering to have sex with the intention of
robbing the victim, then running before sexual activity
Disclosure of physical assault with no substantiating
evidence to warrant a S47 enquiry, followed by
withdrawal of complaint
Reports of potential involvement in CSE, such as seen
in hot spots, known houses or recruiting grounds
Has an significantly older boyfriend/girlfriend
If a child or young person is at immediate risk of sexual
exploitation or a crime is about to be committed – contact
the police on 999 and CSC.
Consider CAF/ FEHA
Consider whether the concerns meet the threshold for a
referral into Children’s Social Care Referral and Assessment
Service (with consent) (see page 19)
Consider completing North Yorkshire Police Information
Form and sending to Police Central Referral Unit (see page
22)
Non school attendance or excluded
Staying out overnight with no explanation
Breakdown of placements due to behaviour
Unaccounted money or goods, ie, mobiles, drugs,
alcohol, clothing
Multiple sexually transmitted infections
Where there is a service specific assessment such as ASSET
in place this should be updated and the additional
information used to inform pre-sentence reports.
Self-harming requiring medical assistance
Ensure risk information is recorded for the child/young
person on each agency IT system.
Repeat offending
Gang association or membership
Evidence of sending or receiving sexualised images of
themselves or others
Is at risk to others
2
Significant Concerns for
CSA&E
Potential actions and/or considerations to discuss
with Designated Child Protection Office Manager
Examples of Behaviour
Child under 13 engaging in sexual activity or any
young person with a learning disability of special
needs (up to age 21)
Pattern of street homelessness and staying with an
adult believed to be sexually exploiting them
Child under 16 meeting different adults and
exchanging or selling sexual activity
Being moved around for sexual activity
If a child or young person is at immediate risk of sexual
exploitation or a crime is about to be committed – contact
the police on 999
Make a safeguarding referral into Children’s Social Care
Referral and Assessment Service (see page 19)
Consider immediate disruption tactics.
Being taken to clubs/hotels for sexual activity with
adults or as part of a peer on peer exploitative
relationship
Disclosure of sexual assault and then withdrawal of
disclosure/statement
Abduction and forced imprisonment
Where there is a service specific assessment such as ASSET
in place, this should be updated and the additional
information used to inform pre-sentence reports.
Ensure information is recorded.
Disappearing from the system with no contact or
support
Being bought/sold/trafficked
Receiving a reward for recruiting other peers into CSE
Under 16 with multiple miscarriages or terminations
Indicators of CSE in conjunction with chronic alcohol
and drug use
Indicators of CSE alongside serious self-harming
3