Bexley Safeguarding Children Board
Child Sexual Exploitation
Strategy
Version 4.0 January 2015
BSCB CSE Strategy 2015
V 4.0 January 2015
1
Document Name
Bexley Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) Child Sexual Exploitation
Strategy and Action Plan
Document Author
Simon Deakin/Penny Davies, BSCB
Document Owner ©
Bexley Safeguarding Children Board, Vulnerable Children Subgroup
Copyright ©
Copyright Bexley Safeguarding Children Board. All rights reserved including the right
of reproduction in whole or in part in any form or by any means without the written
permission of the Author/Owner.
Summary of Purpose
This strategy is intended to assure the BSCB that a safe, responsive and effective
service is provided to children and young people who are at risk or experience Child
Sexual Exploitation in Bexley.
Review date
This document will be reviewed in March 2015.
This document can be made available in large print, or in electronic format.
Accessibility
How this document was
created
There are no copies currently available in other languages
Draft 1
Document created by Author
Draft 2
Consultation with BSCB Partners
Draft 3
Revised March 2014
Draft 4
Revised January 2015
Equalities Impact
Assessment
During the preparation of this strategy and when considering the roles &
responsibilities of all agencies, organisations and staff involved, care has been taken
to promote fairness, equality and diversity in the services delivered regardless of
disability, ethnic origin, race, gender, age, religious belief or sexual orientation.
These issues have been addressed in the policy by the application of an impact
assessment checklist.
Circulation Restrictions
Public Policy Document at Draft 4
Version
Detail of change
Date
1.0
Document Created
2.0
Document revised to reflect an London Child Sexual
Exploitation Operating Protocol, launched in February
2014
3.0
Version updated
3.1
Version updated – Action Plan moved to VCG Subgroup
Workplan
October 2014
4.0
Revision to reflect formation of Vulnerable Children
Subgroup
January 2015
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May 2013
March 2014
June 2014
2
Introduction
Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is recognised nationally as one of the most important challenges facing
agencies today. The Bexley Safeguarding Children Board (BSCB) recognises the serious long term and
lasting impact CSE can have on every aspect of a child or young person’s life, including their health,
physical and emotional wellbeing, educational attainment, personal safety, relationships, and future life
opportunities. The impact of CSE on family life can be significant, placing considerable strain on all
family members and can ultimately lead to family breakdown.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham (1997 – 2013), published in August
2014 - available here:
http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/downloads/file/1407/independent_inquiry_cse_in_rotherham increased public attention on the issue significantly, and the BSCB has responded by ensuring through
Board scrutiny that the efforts in Bexley are appropriate, robust and effective. It should be recognized,
however, that an outer London borough like Bexley is very different in terms of community and local
conditions to a northern town like Rotherham, and not all comparisons are helpful.
Sexual exploitation is a priority for Local Safeguarding Children Boards and agencies protecting children
across the UK, but records of incidents are not yet collated in a standardised and accessible manner
across the country and therefore statistical analysis of the situation is not yet robust. However, there is
a growing national evidence base through case studies, guidance and reviews which contributing
members of Bexley Safeguarding Children Board has considered as it has developed its action plan.
The key document is the Pan London Child Sexual Exploitation Operating Protocol, (‘the London
Protocol) launched in February 2014. This and other useful information is available here:
http://content.met.police.uk/Article/Launch-of-The-London-Child-Sexual-Exploitation-OperatingProtocol/1400022286691/1400022286691
This strategy is partly based on the principles of the London Protocol to give coherence to the work
regionally and locally; and it should be read in conjunction with the London Protocol, and the London
Child Protection Procedures, see: www.londonscb.gov.uk/procedures.
Local Safeguarding Children Boards have a key responsibility for ensuring that the relevant
organisations in each area co-operate effectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.
Statutory guidance and Working Together 2013 states that every LSCB “should assume that sexual
exploitation occurs within its area unless there is clear evidence to the contrary”.
This strategy promotes a multi-agency approach to addressing CSE: a shared understanding; prevention
through better information sharing; improved identification; shared response after identification;
preventing harm through improved awareness; protection of those at risk of sexual exploitation/being
sexually exploited.
Local Context
In 2006 a research paper by Barnardo’s (Meeting the needs of sexually exploited young people in
London’), suggested that Bexley had a medium level of prevalence of CSE based on a set of indicative
data. Recent work by the Met Police on prevalence seen by the BSCB supports this analysis. This
suggested that within Bexley fewer than 20 young people were likely to be victims at any one time.
However, a range of studies suggest that, due to its hidden nature, local areas should assume that CSE is
occurring in their area at a higher rate than is officially identified. It is also the case that Bexley children
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may be being exploited elsewhere – in neighbouring areas such as other London boroughs and into
south east England. There is little more recent work available, and it is a priority for this strategy to
achieve more up to date knowledge and intelligence about the extent of any issues or risk factors.
This strategy proposes a multi-agency approach to promote awareness of sexual exploitation of children
and to improve identification of cases.
To achieve this all professionals who come into contact with children and their carers need to be able to
recognise child sexual exploitation and know what to do when they identify it.
Definition
This guidance uses the nationally agreed ACPO definition of CSE:
Child Sexual Exploitation


Sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations, contexts
and relationships where the young person (or third person/s) receive ‘something’ (eg, food,
accommodation, drugs, alcohol, cigarettes, affection, gifts, money) as a result of them performing,
and/or another or others performing on them, sexual activities.
Child sexual exploitation 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.
Violence, coercion and intimidation are common. Involvement in exploitative relationships is
characterised by the child’s or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social,
economic or emotional vulnerability. A common feature of CSE is that the child or young person does
not recognise the coercive nature of the relationship and does not see themselves as a victim of
exploitation.
(Association of Chief Police Officers CSE Report - 2013).
Gangs
A relatively durable, predominantly street-based, social group of children, young people and not
infrequently adults who see themselves and are seen by others, as affiliates of a discrete, named group
who (Children’s Commissioners Report - 2012):
•
•
•
•
Engage in a range of criminal activity and violence.
Identify or lay claim to territory.
Have some form of identifying structural feature.
Are in conflict with similar groups.
Gang Associate
A Gang Associate is any individual that has one or more of the following features:
• Offends with or for gang members, either willingly or through coercion or exploitation but does not
identify themselves as a gang member and there is no other corroborative information that they are
a gang member.
• Is shown to associate with gang members by Police, Partner agencies, community intelligence or has
displayed though conduct or behaviour, a specific desire or intent to become a member of a gang.
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Groups
Child sexual exploitation by a group involves people who come together in person or online for the
purpose of setting up, co-coordinating and/or taking part in the sexual exploitation of children.
Principles
The principles underpinning a multi-agency response to the sexual exploitation of children and young
people include:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Sexually exploited children should be treated as victims of abuse, not as offenders.
All agencies should assume that sexual exploitation occurs within its area unless there is clear
evidence to the contrary.
Sexual exploitation includes sexual, physical and emotional abuse and, in some cases, neglect.
Children do not make informed choices to enter or remain in sexual exploitation, but do so from
coercion, enticement, manipulation or desperation.
Young people who are, or are at risk of being sexually exploited, will have varying levels of needs.
They may have multiple vulnerabilities and therefore an appropriate multiagency response and
good coordination is essential.
Law enforcement must direct resources against the coercers and sex abusers, who are often adults,
but could also be the child’s peers. However, it’s recognising that these peers may also be victims
themselves.
Sexually exploited children are children in need of services under the Children Act 1989 and 2004.
They are also children in need of immediate protection.
A Multi-agency network or planning meeting/discussion should take place for all children
considered at risk of sexual exploitation. Child Protection Procedures should always be followed as
appropriate in relation to the risk assessment.
Vulnerability Factors
Often children and young people who are victims of sexual exploitation do not recognise that they are
being abused. There are a number of signs that can indicate that a child may be being groomed for
sexual exploitation. These indicators include:
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Telltale Signs
 Going missing for periods of time or staying out very late
 Missing school regularly / truanting from school
 Association with older peers or adults older boyfriends or girlfriends
 Associations with gangs
 Appearing with unexplained gifts, new possessions or money
 Sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy
 Associating with other young people involved in exploitation
 Experience of domestic violence or family breakdown
 Substance or alcohol misuse
 Mood swings or changes in emotional wellbeing e.g. low selfesteem, self harming
 Disclosures made and withdrawn
 Experience of neglect, physical, sexual or emotional abuse
 Displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour
There is a strong link between child sexual exploitation and children who go missing. Approximately
140.000 children go missing from home or care each year in the UK. It is estimated that, as a result, a
quarter of these young people are at risk of serious harm. For some young people it is one of the ‘push’
factors in them running away.
Children who are already deemed vulnerable and particularly those looked after by the local authority
are at disproportionate risk of being sexually exploited. Those in residential care were particularly
vulnerable to exploitation.
The link between trafficked children and child sexual exploitation is a recognised factor.
Roles and Responsibilities
It is the responsibility of all agencies, not only the Police, Local Authorities and Health Trusts to
safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young people who are sexually exploited or at risk
of exploitation.
Bexley Safeguarding Children Board’s responsibilities are set out as for all LSCBs in the government
action plan.
“LSCBs have the key responsibility for ensuring that the relevant organisations in each local area cooperate effectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. The [statutory guidance]
emphasised the importance of LSCBs ensuring that the needs of children and young people who have
been or maybe sexually exploited and their families are considered as they:

Plan and commission services.

Develop policies and procedures.


Ensure that appropriate training is in place.
Communicate and raise awareness.

Monitor and evaluate the work that is being done.
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Strategic approach
Our aim is to intervene early at every stage.
Our approach is to:
 Raise awareness of the issues within the workforce, community, independent, private and voluntary
sectors.
 Map prevalence and identify hot spots.
 Prevent CSE by building resilience and education.
 Respond, support and protect victims and those at risk.
 Share information to enable disruption and prosecution of perpetrators.
Five key areas of work
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Identification
Response
Engagement
Prevention/ Disruption/ Dismantle
Monitoring Scrutiny and Impact
These are reflected in the CSE Action Plan which is a part of the Workplan of the Vulnerable Children
Subgroup.
Expectations of key partners in taking forward the strategy are:
The Metropolitan Police Service in London at borough level and through the Child Abuse Investigation
Command and Sapphire Unit (SC05) play a central role in gathering and acting on intelligence,
conducting investigations and actively preventing abuse through apprehension of offenders. Within
Bexley the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) will continue to monitor missing children and bring
them to the attention of Children’s Social Care and other partners. CAIT will consider a strategic
response across boroughs in SE London as well as within.
Children’s Social Care responsibilities include the identification of children in need and appropriate child
protection referral, offering access to specialist support and recovery where needed.
Schools and Education staff can raise awareness among professionals and also children and young
people in all schools. Child protection lead officers have an important prevention and identification role
to play, in conjunction with other agencies such as health and the police, to raise awareness among
staff and young people.
Health service staff particularly those working in mental health services, sexual health clinics and in
schools, can support identification of cases of CSE and become involved in prevention through raising
awareness of the issue and education. In addition, they can aid the recovery of a young person through
the regular checks and dialogue they have with young people.
Voluntary and community groups working with young people often provide therapeutic and practical
support over a long term that is not provided by NHS services.
Accountability structures – multi-agency planning meetings
The safeguarding of young people affected by CSE across services should be subject to regular review.
Agencies need to agree how CSE can be monitored and reviewed on a regular basis.
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The Strategic responsibility for this strategy rests with the BSCB Vulnerable Children Subgroup, formed
in November 2014, which monitors interrelated work on CSE, missing children, trafficking, gangs and
serious youth violence. A multi-agency MASE Group, as set out in the Pan London Protocol of the BSCB,
was established in February 2014 to address the operational response to the needs of children and
young people who are at risk of or currently experiencing sexual exploitation. Its focus is identification
of risk, prevention, protection and to review the management of cases and support multi-agency
planning for the young person. Referrals to specialist CSE services will be reviewed and considered. A
Missing Operational Group was also established to bring together the different strands of risk in missing
episodes:



Missing from Home
Missing from Local Authority Care
Missing from Education
This is aligned closely with the work on CSE, and there is considerable cross membership of both groups,
which meet on the same day.
Evaluation
As set out in Working Together to Safeguard Children 2013, safeguarding boards have a duty to monitor
and evaluate safeguarding arrangements. As such the BSCB will keep the implementation of the
strategy by agencies under review through regular reports on progress on the action plan. The
safeguarding dataset and audits will also provide an opportunity to review aspects of the impact of the
strategy through the BSCB Quality and Effectiveness Subgroup.
The BSCB will evaluate its training and the impact it is assessed to have on multi-agency practice;
agencies are expected to evaluate their own training and report this to the BSCB. This work is
monitored by the Training & Development Subgroup.
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The Bexley Safeguarding Children Board’s pledge to prevent, disrupt and
prosecute child sexual exploitation.
We will:

Seek to understand the prevalence of CSE in Bexley.

Take a proactive, multi-agency approach to ensure maximum impact.

Focus on early identification and providing early help, with a shared approach to raising awareness.
Support parents, communities and professionals to identify signs of vulnerability and know what
they should do and where to get help.

Establish the effectiveness of the MASH as a single point of referral, with links to other local
authority areas.

Develop new CSE guidance to promote an integrated approach with a shared risk assessment model
used by all agencies across a continuum of need (up to 25 years of age).

Ensure professionals working at all levels of need have access to expert advice and consultation.

Develop a model of good practice based on a child or person-centred approach to supporting
victims, involving them and their family.

Develop our information sharing and data analysis capacity.

Devise a strategic approach to disrupting and prosecuting perpetrators.

Monitor outcomes and learn from successes and failures.
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Risk indicators / Risk assessment tools
‘Spot the signs’ (Cut them free campaign leaflet for professionals); Barnardo’s (2012)
There are a number of tell-tale signs that a child may be being groomed for sexual exploitation, these
include:

Going missing for periods of time or regularly returning home late

Regularly missing school or not taking part in education

Appearing with unexplained gifts or new possessions

Associating with other young people involved in exploitation

Having older boyfriends or girlfriends

Suffering from sexually transmitted infections

Mood swings or changes in emotional wellbeing

Drug and alcohol misuse

Displaying inappropriate sexualised behaviour.
‘Out of mind, out of sight’; Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (2011)

Adults or older youths loitering outside the child’s usual place of residence.

Persistently missing, staying out overnight or returning late with no plausible explanation.

Leaving home/care setting in clothing unusual for the individual child (inappropriate for age,
borrowing clothing from older young people).

Acquisition of expensive clothes, mobile phones or other possessions without plausible explanation.

Truancy/disengagement with education or considerable change in performance at school.

Volatile behaviour exhibiting extreme array of mood swings or use of abusive language.

Getting involved in petty crime such as shoplifting, stealing.

Entering or leaving vehicles driven by unknown adults.

Hostility in relationship with parents/carers and other family members.

Returning after having been missing, looking well cared for in spite of having no known home base.
The Bexley MASE Group notification form also has a risk analysis tool – this is available on the BSCB
website CSE page:
http://www.bexleylscb.org.uk/page.php?section=policies&id=311
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Resources
Metropolitan Police, London Safeguarding Children Board and others.
Exploitation Operating Protocol, launched in February 2014.
Pan London Child Sexual
Association of Chief Police Officers, the BBC and Childline have produced a 20 minute video (press
release)
to
highlight
the
risks
of
vulnerable
young
people
to
sexual
exploitation: http://cse.siyonatech.com
Be Wyse 2 Sexual Exploitation – leaflets for young people
Cut them Free - Barnardo's
National Working Group for Sexual Exploited Children & Young People: www.nationalworkinggroup.org
Out of sight out of Mind: Breaking down the barriers to understanding child sexual exploitation (Child
Exploitation and Online protection Centre (CEOP) June 2011)
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham (1997 – 2013), published in August
2014: http://www.rotherham.gov.uk/downloads/file/1407/independent_inquiry_cse_in_rotherham
Rochdale Review of Multi-agency
http://www.rbscb.org/CSEReport.pdf
Responses
to
the
Sexual
Exploitation
of
Children
Safeguarding Children Abused through Sexual Exploitation, London Safeguarding Children Board, 2006
http://www.londonscb.gov.uk/procedures/supplementary_procedures.html
Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation: Supplementary
guidance to Working Together to Safeguard Children, DCSF, 2009
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DCSF-00689-2009
Tackling child sexual exploitation - Action plan, DfE, 2011
https://www.education.gov.uk/publications/standard/publicationDetail/Page1/DFE-00246-2011
What’s Going On: to safeguard children and young people from sexual exploitation: How local
partnership respond to sexual exploitation. S. Jago. L Arocha, I. Brodie, M. Melrose, J. Pearce, C.
Warrington. University of Bedford October 2011.
DfE information on child sexual exploitation www.education.gov.uk/tackling-child- sexual-exploitation
BSCB Child Sexual Exploitation page: http://www.bexleylscb.org.uk/page.php?section=policies&id=311
Leaflets
•
•
•
•
Spot the Signs for Children & Young People
Spot the Signs for Parents
Spot the Signs for Professionals
Spot the Signs for the Service Sector
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