Children Looked After and
Care Leavers Strategy 2014-2017
This strategy provides the framework to ensure we fulfil our duties and responsibilities, as
corporate parents of Children Looked After and Care Leavers in West Sussex.
Date:
11 December 2013
Updated:
21 September 2015
Owners:
Avril Wilson, Executive Director of Care, Wellbeing and Education
Annie MacIver, Director of Family Operations
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Foreword
As the Cabinet Member for Children – Start of Life, I would like to introduce you to the
strategy which is central for improving services and outcomes for children looked after and
care leavers in West Sussex over the next three years.
We have a strong ambition in West Sussex for our children who are looked after and our
care leavers to have everything that any good parent would want for their children. This
means that as corporate parents we want our children to be happy, healthy and safe. We
approach our role with the passion and commitment that any parent would so that each
child can reach their full potential.
Children and young people have made an important contribution to the development of the
strategy - to ensure that it reflects what they believe makes a difference in their lives. The
contribution of partner agencies, Corporate Parenting Panel, parents and families, foster
carers and workers to the development of the strategy has meant that there is a real
ownership of the strategy and associated improvement plans.
There is a joined up approach to the delivery of this strategy and each agency has a clear
understanding of their roles and responsibilities. We will ensure that we continue to work
together to provide a high quality service.
The strategy describes how we will develop our current arrangements for children looked
after and care leavers at all stages of their care journey. Whenever safe and possible to
achieve, we aim to keep families together and to minimise the number of children who
need to be looked after. Essentially, for all children, we want to ensure that the right child,
at the right time is in the right place.
The creation of a strategy marks only the start of the journey. It will of course require
coordinated and sustained effort across Children’s Services and its partners. A major
strength of this strategy is that there will be on-going development through continuous
review of the actions required. There will also be active engagement of children and young
people and partner agencies to achieve this.
I would like to thank all of those who have been involved in developing this strategy and
who will continue to have an important role in taking this forward to help provide the best
possible care and support for our children and young people.
Peter Evans
Cabinet Member
Children – Start of Life
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1. Introduction
Corporate parents
As corporate parents our aim for Children Looked After and Care Leavers in West Sussex is
that they are happy, healthy and safe. We want to give them every opportunity to achieve
their full potential and to have a successful transition into adulthood, with special attention
to those judged to be the most vulnerable. We also need to give young people the
necessary life-skills, experience and confidence for them to thrive when they leave care.
We want our children and young people to have everything that any good parent would
want for their children.
The responsibility for meeting the needs of Children Looked After and Care Leavers or
children at risk of coming into care rests across all areas of Children’s Services, and our
partner agencies who are key stakeholders for Children Looked After and Care Leavers. It is
important that the roles and responsibilities for meeting these needs are understood by all.
Purpose
In order to achieve this we have developed a strategy which reflects a ‘whole system’
integrated approach to supporting children and families. The intention is to bring together
the range of activity across the council and children’s partnership arrangements at all stages
of the care journey, including a clear focus on supporting families to stay together, wherever
it is safe to do so, and minimising the need for children to become looked after. In short our
service will ensure that the right child, at the right time is in the right place.
This strategy provides the framework for the Council, elected members, officers and
partners to fulfil our duties and responsibilities, as corporate parents of Children Looked
After and Care Leavers in West Sussex. It identifies overarching principles, strategic aims
and objectives, and describes what will change in relation to our work with children on the
edge of care, with Children Looked After and with Care Leavers.
Governance and Service improvement
The Multi-Agency Children Looked After Improvement Group (MACLAIG) is responsible for
the effective delivery of the strategy and will report to the Corporate Parenting Panel.
The strategy is accompanied by a Quality Improvement Plan (QIP) which will be updated,
monitored and evaluated quarterly through MACLAIG.
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Development of the Strategy
This strategy has been extensively consulted on and is informed by the following:

Consultations with Children Looked After and Care Leavers, parents, key partners
and stakeholders which took place within West Sussex between February 2013 and
June 2013 and between August 2013 and October 2013.

A survey of all Children Looked After and Care Leavers in West Sussex which was
undertaken in March 2013.

A comparative study undertaken to ascertain whether other local authorities had a
proactive strategy to change the age profile for Children Looked After.

Five separate reviews of services conducted in 2013 (Adoption and Fostering;
Therapeutic Support for Children Looked After and Post Adoption Services;
Overarching Review of the Adoption Panel and 2 Desktop Reviews of practice
concerning Children Looked After the second conducted by INGSON consultancy).

Information from OFSTED inspections: Adoption and Fostering inspections held in
2012; Services for the Protection of Children February 2013 and a thematic
inspection on children placed out of area and more than 20 miles away from home,
in August 2013.

Improving Permanence for Looked After Children consultation document (DFES
September 2013).

Children’s Care Monitor 2011: Children [commenting] on the state of social care in
England. Reported by the Children’s Rights Director for England (OFSTED)

Statutory Guidance on Promoting the health and well-being of Looked After Children
(DCSF, 2009)

Looked after children and young people, NICE public health guidance. Issued:
October 2010, last modified: April 2013
2015 Update of the Strategy
The creation of a strategy marks only the start of the journey. A major strength of this
strategy is that there will be on-going development through continuous review of the
actions required. It has always been the intention of Peter Evans, the Cabinet member for
Start of Life and the Service that the strategy be updated as and when required so that it
continues to reflect the best interests of Children Looked After and Care Leavers.
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In September 2015, the strategy was updated to reflect the need to fully address Child
Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). The additional chapter is
informed by:
CSE

Safeguarding Children and Young People from Sexual Exploitation supplementary
guidance to Working Together to Safeguard Children (DCSF, 2009)

The APPG for Runaway and Missing Children and Adults and the APPG for Looked
After Children and Care Leavers report from the joint inquiry into children who go
missing from care (June 2012)

Tackling child sexual exploitation: A resource pack for councils ( Local Government
Association, 2014)

Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation (HM Government 2015)

Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Exploitation in Rotherham ,1997 – 2013 (Alexis
Jay, 2013)

The sexual exploitation of children: it couldn’t happen here, could it? (OFSTED, 2014)

Pan Sussex Child Sexual Exploitation Strategy (2014)
FMG

Tackling FGM in the UK: Intercollegiate Recommendations for identifying, recording,
and reporting. London: Royal College of Midwives ( 2013)

Multi-Agency Practice Guidelines: Female Genital Mutilation (HM Government,
2014)
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2. Strategic framework
WSCC Children’s Services and our agency partners have the responsibility for meeting the
needs of Children Looked After and Care Leavers, and for children identified as at risk of
coming into care. To deliver the best possible outcomes in West Sussex, we have
developed the following strategic framework with overarching principles aligned to each
strategic aim. Each aim is then further developed giving ‘principles of practice’ and more
detailed objectives.
The table below shows the overarching principles and strategic aims of the strategy.
Achievement
1. The best
outcomes
2. Real
participation
3. Stability and
permanency
4. Strong networks
Overarching principles
Strategic aims
(Underpinned by further
‘principles of practice’)
(Underpinned by key objectives and
success criteria)
The vast majority of children are 1. To provide early help and intervention to
most likely to thrive and achieve
help families stay together including
good outcomes if they are cared
engagement with the extended family,
for within their own families.
kinship networks and use of connected
person care arrangements.
2.
Children’s rights include the right 3. To enable Children Looked After and Care
to participation in decisions made Leavers to participate fully in decision
about them and their lives.
making and service design.
4.
Placements should provide
5. To ensure permanency is at the heart of all
stability and permanency for
care plans with a clearly planned journey
children and young people at the
through care.
earliest opportunity.
6. To have a wide range of high quality
placements available that are flexible and
affordable.
7.
Placements should enable
8. To improve the health and wellbeing of
Children Looked After and Care
Children Looked After and Care Leavers.
Leavers to remain in their
9. To ensure all Children Looked After and
communities, maintain their
Care Leavers get a good education.
networks, minimise disruption in 10. To improve access to cultural and leisure
their lives and provide high quality opportunities for Children Looked After
local services in health, education and Care Leavers.
and leisure.
11.
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3. Principles for practice
To ensure that this strategy provides real outcomes for children and young people, the
following principles for practice give more detail to each of the four overarching principles.
1. The best outcomes - The vast majority of children are most likely to thrive and achieve
good outcomes if they are cared for within their own families.
Principles of practice:
a. Preventative services and early intervention to support children in need and
their families should be aimed at giving them every chance to stay together.
b. Risk will be managed confidently and families at the edge of care will receive
timely and good quality support thereby ensuring that the right child is
looked after for the right time in the right place.
c. Where children cannot be supported within their immediate family,
connected person care arrangements will be explored as the preferred
alternative arrangement.
2. Real participation - Children’s rights include the right to participation in decisions
made about them and their lives.
Principles of practice:
a. Children Looked After and Care Leavers should have the opportunity to make
their views known at every stage, and to ensure that those views influence
both their individual plans and also the shape and design of current and
future services.
b. Placement requests will be assessed and addressed in terms of the child’s
needs. The placement is then designed to meet these needs within the
available resources.
c. Children Looked After and Care Leavers should not feel different to other
children and young people, particularly in relation to their access to culture
and leisure activities.
d. Service provision will be sensitive and responsive to children and young
people’s age, disability, ethnicity, faith or belief, gender, gender identity,
language, race and sexual orientation and ensure that any associated needs
are met.
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3. Stability and permanency - Placements should provide stability and permanency for
children and young people at the earliest opportunity.
Principles of practice:
a. If children do require alternative care provision outside their family or
kinship network the majority will have their needs best met in a substitute
family provided by in-house services wherever possible and if not, with
Independent Foster Agency carers within West Sussex.
b. Residential placements should only be made where the child’s needs mean
that they cannot live in a family setting, or where a child expressly does not
want an alternative family and it is considered in their best interests. The
focus of the care plan should then be the successful return of the child to a
family placement unless there is clear evidence to the contrary.
c. Good physical and emotional health is a priority for our Children Looked After
and Care Leavers.
d. All Children Looked After of statutory school age should receive appropriate
education provision regardless of their placement and ability to access
school. Finding an appropriate education setting is just as important as
finding suitable carers for Children Looked After.
4. Strong networks - Placements should enable Children Looked After and Care Leavers
to remain in their communities, maintain their networks and minimise disruption in
their lives.
Principles of practice:
a. Out of authority foster placements or residential homes will only be
considered in exceptional circumstances when all options within the county
have been explored.
b. Placements should support positive transitions to adulthood, education,
employment and training enabling Children Looked After and Care Leavers to
positively contribute to their local community and wider economy and
succeed in independence.
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4. Strategic Aims
The scope of this strategy covers seven strategic aims. Clear key objectives and success
criteria accompany each aim.
1. To provide early help and intervention that help families stay together
Key objectives
a. Identify those children and young people who are suffering or likely to suffer
harm from abuse or neglect and who need referral to children’s social care.
b. Engage extended family and kinship networks
 Use of Family Group Conferences with specific reference to families where
problems are emerging.
 Use of short breaks and shared care arrangements
 Development of kinship/family and friends placements, including Special
Guardianship arrangements.
 Assessment and support as identified for informal Family Care arrangements
such as Private Fostering and Step Parent Adoption.
c. Provide good challenge and broader input at the gateway to care and reduce the
number of placements made in an emergency or at very short notice


Effective gatekeeping of entry into care through the Children Looked After
monitoring process.
Provision of robust ‘cusp of care’ services through:
o Provision of a Family Resource Team for over 10’s (for young people
aged 10 – 16).
o Assessment and Support of Youth / Older Children Looked After
(targeting 16 and 17 year olds on edge of care).
o Linking Older Children Looked After with the Young People’s
Homeless Project.
d. Developing an integrated community model to support struggling families using
existing approaches in the county
 A West Sussex Early Help and Intervention Strategy has been developed.
Some examples of services and prevention activities linked to this
strategy are as follows:
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o The development of the Troubled Families agenda
o The area based Local Children and Young Peoples Planning Forum
(CYPPF) the Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and Team around the
Child (TAC)
o Family Resource Service under 10 s’ and Children Centres
o Family Resource Service over 10’s preventative services such as the
‘Solutions’ service, Family Futures Parenting groups, Informal Family Care
and Fostering Emergency Support Programme (FESP)
o Support for Young Carers
o Preventative services for Youth Offending
o Learning and Schools services focusing on reducing exclusion and
improving attendance
o Short breaks for disabled children and their parents/carers
o Multi-agency working to prevent young people becoming involved in
criminal activity and reduce the numbers of CLA remanded to Youth
Detention Accommodation and/or sentenced to custody
e. Improve professional development to support confident risk management

The development and implementation of specific evidence based tools and
interventions which can produce a shared method for understanding of risk
and protective factors. E.g. Signs of Safety and attachment and
developmental trauma interventions.
Success Criteria



Reduce the number of children looked after in an unplanned way
Increase the number and percentage of children who, having been assessed as at
risk of coming into care, are provided with services that resolve that risk.
Increase the percentage of children and young people at risk of coming into care
who are supported by family and friends to remain at home or who become
private foster carers or Special Guardians to the child if this is not possible.
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2. To enable children and young people to participate fully in decision
making and service design
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child 1989 Article 12 recognises that
children and young people have the right that their views and opinions should be taken
seriously in matters that affect them. The involvement of children and young people in
service development will have benefits for young people. Participation will result in
responsible citizenship which will promote resilience, and develop self-esteem so that
they can enjoy and achieve.
For participation to be effective young people need to be involved in planning and
decision making in relation to plans that affect them and contribute towards overall
service development. This can range from having a say over individual circumstances
and being able to express one off views about quality of services, through to actively
campaigning for changes in local authority policy.
Existing provision
There is currently an effective Children in Care Council (CICC) in West Sussex which have
developed a corporate pledge for Children in Care and Care Leavers. This pledge outlines
11 promises that West Sussex as a corporate parent commits to fulfilling. These are
listed in Appendix 1.
Key objectives
a. Raise awareness of the advocacy service to ensure that children have timely
access to this service
 When a child or young person has difficulty in expressing their views about
any decisions being made, they are offered an advocate to help them voice
their views and be involved.
 To ensure Children Looked After and Care Leavers are routinely informed of
their right to be supported by children’s rights services at any time they feel
necessary whilst they are looked after by West Sussex.
b. Children and young people are involved in and understand the decisions made
about their lives.
A report by the Children’s Rights Director in 2011 identifies that there are three
decisions whereby children believe they should have more say than they do now.
These are:-
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o Care decisions about their future,
o The people they will live with; and
o Contact arrangements with family and friends.

The views of children are important at every stage of their care planning and
placement. We will ensure that children’s wishes and feelings are sufficiently
heard and they are involved in a meaningful way in all their plans for help and
protection through sufficient preparation. The views of children will
therefore influence decisions such as where they live and who they may have
contact with whilst in placement and for the future.
c. They know how to get the information, advice and support they need, and how
to complain.
 We will ensure that all young people are made aware of their rights,
responsibilities, choices and the things they are entitled to, including their
right to complain if they are unhappy. They will understand their right to
confidentiality.
d. Ensure that Children Looked After and Care Leavers influence service provision
and future service design
 WSCC Children’s Service will deliver a strategic approach to ensure that the
collective voice of children in West Sussex is sufficiently heard. This includes
those who receive services from the Early Help offer, Children in Need and
Children Looked After and Care Leavers.


o Children and young people should be clear about what participation
involves including the duties, roles and responsibilities.
o Participation will involve all children and young people including those
who are ‘hard to reach’ e.g. all ages, children out of county, asylum
seekers, refugees, disabled children and young offenders, children
from different ethnic and religious backgrounds and children on the
edge of care.
We will be flexible and creative in our approach to engaging with children
and young people.
Young people will make a positive contribution by their active involvement
and responsibility for service delivery.
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Success Criteria





Participation Strategy in place by April 2014 and is underpinned by an action plan
New arrangements in place for advocacy by April 2014
Complaints and compliments are actively used to improve the service
Young people are provided with opportunities to influence service design and
delivery and they receive feedback in relation to any improvements made e.g.
outcomes from the Challenge Card for County Councillors
Feedback from children and young people states that they contribute to their
care plans and service development.
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3. To ensure that permanency is at the heart of all care plans with a clearly
planned journey through care
We will ensure that permanence is at the heart of all care plans, and is the underpinning
framework for all social work in West Sussex so that children and young people in our
care have the best outcomes and potential for their future.
Key objectives
a. WSCC Children’s Service will provide a Permanency Policy and practice guidance.
b. We will ensure that all Children Looked After and Care Leavers have a plan for
permanency with a clear and planned journey through their care irrespective of
their age
 All children will have a permanency plan with milestones and timelines by the
child’s second statutory review.
 All placement decisions to be supported by integrated assessment and
planning.
 All children will enter care in a planned way unless it is an emergency
situation.
c. Ensure we find the right placement, right from the start
 We will make sure that there is a wide range of high quality placements using
independent providers to complement our in-house provision when the
needs of the child require this.
 Complete information on a child to assist the matching process and
placement planning.
 Timely sharing of information (e.g. health or education plans) and
 Improve resettlement planning for young people from secure
accommodation.
d. Ensure that as quickly as possible, children have stability and permanence

We will make sure that a child has a sense of permanency including a sense
of security, continuity, commitment and identity as foundations to their
emotional development throughout childhood and beyond, i.e.:
o emotional permanence (attachment)
o physical permanence (stability)
o legal permanence (the carer has parental responsibility for the child)
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
Whilst routes to permanence might vary, they should be underpinned by
common principles and have equal value ensuring the best solution is
provided for each child. Types of permanence that will be offered include:
o
o
o
o
Reunification with family
Living with family or friends (including a return to a home)
Placement with a family for adoption
Placement with a family for long term fostering
e. Ensure that young people are prepared for adulthood and make incremental
increases in their independence
A vital part of our role as corporate parents is to prepare the children and young
people we look after for their independent adult lives.
West Sussex effectively uses the Pathway Plan to help Care Leavers to prepare
for independence and experiment safely with their increasing freedom and
develop responsibilities associated with adulthood, whilst still having the
appropriate level of support from an appropriately experienced and qualified
staff team.
Young people are actively involved in deciding on the level of support needed.
The service will enable young people, via the support delivered, to move on from
a permanent, full time care setting and increase the likelihood of them
maintaining future accommodation resources. To achieve this goal the following
actions will be taken:



We will provide a range of services to meet the needs of Older Children
Looked After (OCLA) aged 16 to 25.
o Services will deliver four categories of support and accommodation
resulting in a complete pathway of support. Some young people may
not need certain categories of support whilst others will progress
through all four stages.
The Service Provider(s) will support the young person with transition to
independence in line with the Young Person’s Pathway Plan e.g. providing
guidance and support to find permanent housing, accessing education
employment and training, practical living skills such as financial management,
budgeting and claiming benefits.
We will provide a county-wide contract for Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers
(UASC) as outlined in the UASC service specification. This service mirrors that
provided to all older children looked after with the exception of pre-tenancy
partnership work with foster carers.
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
There will be a review of the planning for placements and transitions for
Disabled Children and those who have Special Educational Needs (SEN)
within specialist residential provision. This review will be in collaboration with
health and adult services.
Success Criteria



A Permanency Policy and practice guidance in place by April 2014
A permanence planning forum in place by April 2014
A Quality Assurance and Audit framework in place which addresses the
timeliness and quality of care planning by April 2014
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4. To have a wide range of high quality placements available that are flexible
and affordable
We will have the right range of placements for Children Looked After to promote
positive experiences and outcomes whatever their needs.
Key objectives
a. Increase the number and capacity of in-house fostering and adoptive
placements
 We will ensure that there is sufficient accommodation for Children Looked
After and Care Leavers within our local authority area. Particular attention
will be given to the following:
o Disabled children
o Children with challenging behaviour
o Children from sibling groups
o Children and young people from different ethnic backgrounds
especially from black and minorities groups



New government initiatives such as ‘fostering to adopt’ will be implemented.
This will provide older children with an opportunity to be considered where
appropriate for legal permanency through adoption or Special Guardianship
Orders (SGO’s).
WSCC Children’s Services will further improve the quality of the adoption and
fostering service, with the aim being to create a centre of excellence in
relation to the recruitment, preparation, assessment, matching and support
of foster carers and adopters with an emphasis on the therapeutic reparenting of children.
We will increase the range and volume of adopters and foster carers to
ensure that families are available to match with children as soon as a
Placement Order is granted or permanency plan for long term fostering
agreed. If the latter, matching will include discussion in relation to future
potential for SGO application.
b. Reduce dependence on Independent Fostering Agencies


Implement a strategic approach to commissioning and deployment of
fostering placements.
Develop a long term, successful recruitment and retention strategy for the inhouse service with the goal of improving the range and quality of the carer
resource.
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
Independent Fostering Agencies will continue to play an important role which
complements our in-house provision, but in the future they will be
commissioned to provide a specific type of placement for specific cohorts of
children.
c. Make fewer residential home placements for children and make them closer to
home
 For some Children Looked After, a residential home will be the best
environment to meet their needs. Where this is the case there should be a
positive choice for this type of provision. Being with a larger staff group and
alongside their peers in a residential placement offers children and young
people a greater variety of relationships, and allows 24 hour support for the
highest levels of need and most challenging types of behaviour.
 The permanency plan will be to return children to a family environment
whenever possible and appropriate in meeting the needs of the child
 Where Children Looked After have a disability we will work with health
services to ensure appropriate training and equipment is provided through
therapy and nursing staff.
 A significant proportion of disabled Children Looked After are cared for in
school-based settings which are out of county and have been identified to
meet their holistic needs. We will continue to commission services that will
enable them to live closer to their families and local communities.
d. Commissioning of accommodation for children between the ages of 16 and 25
that provides a pathway between care and independence
 The West Sussex Pathway Plan for young people in care provides a flexible
range of support and different types of semi-independent accommodation
which supports different levels of independence and transitions to
adulthood.
 A range of placements are commissioned to meet the needs of children who
have come through the care system and are moving towards independence
and also those children who come into care as 16 or 17 year olds as
Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers.
 West Sussex will also increase and improve the capacity for Supported
Lodgings for the 16 – 19 year group. This will provide accommodation and
support to young people who cannot ‘stay put’ or who wish to move. This will
include provision of placements for vulnerable children and those with
complex needs such as disabled children and youth offenders.
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Success Criteria



Reduction in the number of Children Looked After and Care Leavers in IFAS and
residential placements
An increase in the capacity and numbers of in house foster carers and adopters
An increase in the capacity for supported lodgings provision.
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5. Improve the health and wellbeing of Children Looked After
Many children who enter care, including those in youth custody, are likely to have
experienced neglect, poor levels of routine care and missed out on preventative
messages at school on issues such as healthy eating or alcohol and drug awareness.
Furthermore, if a child experiences placement instability or disrupted education then
there is a risk that they may also have poor access to routine health-care unless health
services are wrapped around the child. In West Sussex we will work in partnership with
children and young people and their carers to ensure that children have a healthy
lifestyle and good access to health care.
Key objectives
a. Ensure that each Child Looked After and Care Leaver has an up to date statutory
health assessment and a plan that outlines how their physical and emotional
health needs are to be met.
 Health Assessments and Health Plans will be improved and will be timely
and of high quality.
 Health Plans will include personal and family health histories in order to
enhance the value of health plans and facilitate better awareness of health
needs, including when children return home.
b. Ensure that Care Leavers receive advice and support from health services to
enable the transition into adulthood.
 The Designated Doctor and Designated Nurse will investigate how to
develop a service for care leavers and liaise with commissioners to ensure
this service is provided.
 WSCC and the CLA health team will ensure that Care Leavers have advice on
health matters prior to moving on to independence or semi-independence
and have on-going support.
o This will include equipping them with knowledge of their health
history so that they are empowered to manage their own health
needs.
o The last statutory health assessment before a child leaves care will
include a discussion between the Designated Nurse and the young
person about their overall health needs and future health prognosis,
based on assessment of their health chronology and assessments
that have been undertaken.
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c. Raise awareness of good health and the importance of this for children and
young people, their carer’s and professionals
 We will work with young people and their carers over physical and emotional
health issues, and identify what is important to them about their health.
 We will ensure that the young person’s health plan and wider care plan or
pathway plan enables Children Looked After and Care Leavers to understand
how they can promote their own health in future years by healthy lifestyle
choices.
o Areas for advice include: diet, substance misuse, risk taking
behaviours and emotional well-being, pregnancy, keeping safe,
sexual health and the benefits of sports and exercise.
o Young people who offend may require intensive support on areas
such as risk taking and substance misuse. Additional support will be
available to these children and young people through the Youth
Offending Team and partners in health.
 Children Looked After Nurses will continue to provide a link to every West
Sussex residential unit.
d. Promoting positive emotional and mental health
The recent reviews of therapeutic services for Children Looked After and Post
Adoption Services have led to recommendations which will be addressed within
this strategy.


There will be a review of commissioning arrangements for emotional health
and wellbeing services including services for Children Looked After:
o To address any inequity in service provision which may exist and
reduce waiting times for CAMHs services for Children Looked After
and Care Leavers.
o To explore potential options for extending referral criteria to include
access for all Children Looked After and Care Leavers to emotional
health and wellbeing services. In particular it will prioritise short term,
new placements, placements which may be at risk of breakdown and
care leavers. The difficulties faced by Care Leavers in receiving mental
health services has been highlighted by young people in West Sussex
and their need in this area will be addressed within the review.
Policy and guidance will be developed so that all children and young people
can have access to support and specialist services to help them understand
their past and the reasons why they became looked after. For example
through direct work, such as life story work, revisited at key stages as they
grow up.
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
Work will be undertaken with the Child in Care Council to develop a website
which will advise Children Looked After and Care Leavers on bullying. Young
people in care have told us that bullying is an issue for them, although they
felt that this was no different to what other children who were not in care
were experiencing.
Success Criteria
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To meet timescales for Health Assessments and to improve the quality of health
assessments in line with statutory and NICE guidelines
A commissioned service which ensures that all West Sussex Care Leavers
receive advice and support from health services to enable their transition into
adulthood by April 2014
An Emotional Health and Wellbeing Strategy in place which prioritises Children
Looked after and Care Leavers and provides services to meet their needs
Clear policy and protocols are in place in relation to life story work and life story
activities
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6. Ensure all Children Looked After and Care Leavers have a good education
Research shows that Children who are Looked After tend to move schools more
frequently than their peers, which has a strong negative effect on attainment. They are
also more likely to have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). In West
Sussex 71% of CLA have SEND. Although some of these children do well, their average
attainment is significantly lower than that of their peers.
Young people are to be supported fully in their transition to higher education or further
education, employment and training. The future life-chances of Care Leavers are
dramatically improved if they can be supported to move into education, employment or
training and we recognise that young people within the care system are often at the
disadvantage of a poor start and require assistance to catch up and maintain progress.
Virtual School
West Sussex Learning Service has appointed a Head Teacher and Board of Governors for
the Virtual School for Children Looked After. They champion the education of Children
Looked After and Care Leavers, including those placed out of authority. This has led to
an improvement in services for these children.
All West Sussex Schools have a named Designated Teacher responsible for addressing
the needs of all Children Looked After and Care Leavers regardless of which Local
Authority is responsible for them. The Designated Teacher has a leadership role in
promoting a culture of high expectations and aspirations for the learning of Children
Looked After and Care Leavers.
The need for stability in education is important for Children Looked After. Coming into
care means a dramatic change for a young person. A change of school at the same time
can mean a break from all previous routines, friendship groups and support networks
simultaneously.
Key objectives
a. To improve educational attainment and close the attainment gap between
Children Looked After and Care Leavers and other West Sussex learners.
 West Sussex will offer a range of support to meet the individual needs of the
child. We will work with parents, carers and young people to ensure they
have the right support to enable children to achieve their full potential,
including provision of 1 to 1 tutoring.
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Foster carers will play a key role in creating a suitable environment for study,
providing space, privacy and encouragement, maintaining contact with the
school
Young people will play a role in offering advice and support in school through
use of peer mentors, school council members or buddy groups.
Children Looked After will receive a minimum of 25 hours education per
week
b. Find the right educational setting
 If a transfer is necessary a Child Looked After should only attend schools
assessed by Ofsted to be good or better, depending on geography and sibling
placement.
 The Virtual School will advise and lead on transfers to new schools.
 Children and young people will have a say on any changes of schools.
 Additional amenities and specialist services such as tutoring and counselling
will be provided where a child requires additional support.
c. Improve joint working between social care, health and education in mainstream
education, academies and links colleges
 Ensure there is joint training and planned improvements to the Personal
Education Plans (PEP). The Independent Reviewing Service and ‘Looked After’
Teams within the Children’s Service will work with the Virtual School to
ensure this.
 Consistent behavioural management between schools and foster carers.
 Avoidance of unofficial exclusions for children and young people through
provision of alternative day care support if a child is out of school by using
the vulnerable and challenging pupil placement panels.
 A flexible and creative use of the Pupil Premium. This may include
equipment, transport, tuition and out of school activities. The Virtual School
will advise social workers, foster carers and schools on effective use of the
Pupil Premium.
 There will be a consistent presence of CLA Nurses and a Social Worker at the
Designated Teacher Forum each term.
d. To ensure that Care Leavers have an equal footing with their peers when moving
into education employment and training
 PEPs will be developed for young people 16 years old and over.
 The Virtual School will take on the responsibility of education for young
people over 16 years old.
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Foster carers, social workers and teachers will work in partnership to have an
active role in supporting a transition into education, employment or training
(EET).
We will increase the proportion of those aged 16 who get qualifications
equivalent to 5 GCSEs (A*-C).
Care Leavers will be given specialist advice and support when applying for
further or higher education and careers guidance.
We will continue to deliver on the Care2Work work plan increasing internal
and external career taster opportunities through apprenticeships, work
placements, work experience and internships. This scheme has been highly
successful and West Sussex was awarded the Care2Work quality mark in
2013.
e. To improve the quality of Personal Education Plans
 The number of PEPs completed in a timely way is high within West Sussex
(92.6% in September 2013). This must be maintained and the quality of PEPS
improved with particular reference to participation and aspirations.
Success Criteria
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
The number of children looked after who receive less than 25 hours education is
less than 3 % at any time
The number of young people looked after achieving 5 A*- C at GCSE and Maths
improves within the range of 3% to 5% each year
The numbers of care leavers who are in employment education and training
increases from 97 % in Y12 to 98%
Increase the number of PEPS audited as good to a minimum standard of 80%
and maintain targets in timeliness
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7. Ensure all Children Looked After and Care Leavers have access to cultural
and leisure opportunities
Access to culture, leisure and sporting opportunities is important for all young people
having many benefits for overall life chances and opportunities, and their preparation
for independence and adulthood. These opportunities can enable Children Looked After
and Care Leavers to express themselves, improving their social participation, improving
their management of money, relationship with their peers, self-esteem and identity and
their understanding of societal expectations and cultural values. Children Looked After
and Care Leavers can be at a disadvantage in their access to cultural and leisure
opportunities, owing to placement moves and unsettled life-styles. This therefore will
impact on their health and economic well-being.
Culture and Leisure Opportunities
West Sussex provides and enables a wide range of facilities and services for children
such as libraries, play schemes and play facilities, sport, parks and leisure centres, events
and attractions, museums, theatre and arts centres. Consultation with our Children in
Care Council has been positive about the range of activities provided whilst in care.
There are also some existing specific initiatives for Children Looked After which are
improving their opportunities such as provision of free music tuition, and free early
years provision through the Early Childhood Service for Under 5s.
Key objectives
a. We will develop protocols between, the Youth Support Service, Family Centres
and other agencies to promote the needs of Children Looked After and Care
Leavers in Culture, Leisure and Sporting pursuits.
b. Foster carers, social workers, teachers and partners in health and voluntary
agencies will work together with young people to encourage and enable
participation in community and school based activities and interests.
c. We will ensure that service specifications with providers of supported
accommodation for Care Leavers enable them to make appropriate use of local
facilities and develop social links.
d. The Independent Reviewing Service will monitor and evaluate the impact of
extra-curricular creative and leisure activities for Children Looked After and Care
Leavers
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e. Raise awareness of the benefits of accessing Culture and Leisure including sports
and ensure that all partners have knowledge of existing opportunities.
f. Ensure that Children Looked After and Care Leavers, from black or minority
ethnic backgrounds or different cultural backgrounds, can create links with
community support groups to provide continuity of their cultural experience.
g. Ensure that the needs of ‘hard to reach’ children for Culture and Leisure are met.
Success Criteria


Increased numbers of looked after children engage in leisure sport and cultural
activities
Improvement in the provision of information about the role and availability of
creative and leisure activities for Children Looked After and Care Leavers
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5. Strategic Updates
Tackling Child Sexual Exploitation- Updated September 2015
A new challenge that has risen to the attention of local authorities in recent years is Child
Sexual Exploitation (CSE).This has received a large amount of government and media
interest, as well as the implementation of national guidance to support front line
practitioners from both statutory and voluntary agencies to identify, address and disrupt
CSE activity.
The particular vulnerability of Children Looked After and Care Leavers with regards to CSE
has been identified through national research and review. According to Barnardo’s, nearly
one-third of children who are sexually exploited in England are Children Looked After. The
West Sussex Safeguarding Children Board and the Multi Agency Children Looked After
Improvement Group (MACLAIG - which is an officer group comprising lead officers from
across the local authority and key partners) are two forums within West Sussex whereby the
risks and needs of these young people have been examined .This work has ensured that
there is a commitment by the council and by the Children’s Services partners in relation to
CSE for these young people.
This addition to the Strategy will provide a strategic overview of how West Sussex Children’s
Services and its partners can:


Do everything possible to prevent Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) where Children are
Looked After and Care Leavers ; and
Protect and support victims who have been sexually exploited.
Specific Principles for CSE
The following principles are drawn from the supplementary guidance to Working Together
(2009) and build upon the underlying Principles for practice (part 3) listed above:



A child centred approach. Action should be focused on the child’s needs, including
consideration of children with particular needs or sensitivities, and that children and
young people do not always acknowledge what may be an exploitative and/or
abusive situation.
Taking a proactive approach focused on prevention, early identification and
intervention as well as disrupting activity and prosecuting perpetrators.
Parenting, family life and services. Taking account of family circumstances in
deciding how best to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and young
people.
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The rights of children and young people. Children and young people are entitled to
be safeguarded from sexual exploitation, just as agencies have duties in respect of
safeguarding and promoting their welfare.
Responsibility for criminal acts. Sexual exploitation of children and young people
should not be regarded as criminal behaviour on the part of the child or young
person, but as child sexual abuse.
An integrated approach- Working Together sets out a tiered approach to
safeguarding: universal, targeted and responsive. Within this, sexual exploitation
requires a three-pronged approach tackling prevention, protection and prosecution.
A shared responsibility. The need for effective joint working between different
agencies and professionals underpinned by a strong commitment from managers, a
shared understanding of the problem and effective co-ordination by the Local
Safeguarding Children Board (LSCB).
Scope
This document will address the commitment for the following groups of young people:


All Children Looked After and Care leavers for whom West Sussex has a corporate
responsibility – within the county or placed outside the county. For the majority of
these young people this will be until they are 21 years of age For young people who
attend further education or training this support will extend until they are 25 years
of age
All Children Looked After who are placed by other local authorities within West
Sussex County
Who is at risk?
There is evidence that there are certain categories of children who are more at risk than
others of being sexually exploited or groomed. The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for
Runaway and Missing Children and Adults and the APPG for Children Looked After and Care
Leavers (2012) found strong evidence that there is a clear link between children in care who
go missing and those being groomed or sexually exploited. The report found that some
perpetrators target children who are looked after in residential homes because of their high
vulnerability and because they can easily access these children. The inquiry reported that
those children who live far away from home are more likely to go missing and therefore
there is often an elevated risk in terms of CSE for children placed across local authority
boundaries. Furthermore, the report indicates that trafficked children from abroad are
particularly being let down and their needs ignored because the authorities view child
trafficking as an immigration control issue. Hundreds of them disappear from care every
year, many within 48 hours and often before being registered with children’s services. The
majority of these children are never found again. (N.B Some trafficked children do not come
from abroad and these may also be at risk).There is often an overlap with other areas of
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need such as young people involved in offending behaviour. (For a fuller list of the overall
risk factors, which have been identified by Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre
(CEOP), Barnardos and the NSPCC refer to Appendix 2).
West Sussex Children’s Service and its partners have adopted a sexual exploitation risk
assessment framework (SERAF) - which was developed by Barnardos. This evidence based
tool supports the identification of risk factors and ensures that there are plans to intervene
and safeguard children at risk or abused through CSE.
Strategic Aims and objectives
West Sussex Children’s Service is committed to the participation and involvement of young
people in their futures. Therefore further work on all areas of CSE will include young people
in service design and delivery.
The following aims and objectives outline current strategic plans to safeguard Children
Looked after and Care leavers from CSE.
1. Prevention and Disruption
West Sussex Children’s Service and its partners will ensure that there is:
A) Strong strategic leadership regarding arrangements for: - 1) Children Looked After
and Care Leavers on a local basis; and 2) Children Looked After placed out of the
area. This will be informed by national research, local issues and self-assessment.
This will link up with other local strategic plans so that there is a coordinated and
joined up response. There will be development of sound strategic agreements with
other authorities.
B) Strong scrutiny and challenge by elected members , the Local Safeguarding
Children’s Board (LSCB) and MACLAIG.
C) Collection and sharing of information which is needed with partners - in order to
have an accurate picture of the full extent of child sexual exploitation in their area.
D) Awareness raising and provision of information for young people, families, fostercarers, residential staff, personal advisors, elected members and other key
professionals ( in social care, health, education ,youth services) and the wider
community.
E) Establishment and maintenance of a targeted preventative and self-protection
programme on child sexual exploitation for Children Looked After and Care Leavers.
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F) High quality, stable placements available in- house (the joint inquiry found that many
older children with complex needs are placed in poor quality and unsuitable care
placements, and often a long way from home, family and friends) .This includes
ensuring that foster carers and residential staff are equipped to identify and respond
to the vulnerabilities and risks associated with CSE.
G) A focus on early identification and providing early help, especially for children on the
edge of care. This will be aligned to the West Sussex Early Help Strategy which
outlines a common approach across the partnership.
H) Accessible services for young people, families, carers and professionals to modify
sexual behaviours (which can cause harm for Children Looked After and Care
Leavers. This will be age-sensitive and developmentally appropriate).
I) Engagement and participation of young people so that there is an understanding of
their views and wishes in all areas of their care plan. It must be ensured that they
receive support to express their wishes if needed.
J) Engagement with women and men from minority ethnic communities on the issue of
CSE and other forms of abuse.
K) Effective collaboration with police to challenge grooming and exploitation of
Children Looked After and Care Leavers. (This includes peer exploitation).
L) Collaboration with the Crown Prosecution Service to secure convictions.
2. Protection
West Sussex Children’s’ Service and its partners will ensure that:
A) There is an up to date multi-agency risk assessment and preventative plan in place
for all children in care or Care Leavers within West Sussex who have been identified
as being abused through, or at risk of CSE in keeping with the scope of this strategy.
B) There are timely and effective interventions for children Looked After or Care
Leavers to safeguard those vulnerable to sexual exploitation.
C) Child protection procedures are always initiated.
D) There is protection of other children in placement or in the community when a
young person may be a perpetrator (as well as a victim).
E) The risk of CSE is integrated into all current working practices .This includes Children
Looked After reviews, pathway plans, Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaires (
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SDQs) , any assessments and plans of young people who are in care and Care
Leavers.
F) Management and supervisory practice safeguards young people in care and care
leavers - through scrutiny and robust quality assurance. The Independent Reviewing
Officers will play a critical role in the assessment of risk within Children Looked After
Reviews.
G) There is robust quality assurance of CSE for Children Looked After and Care Leavers
through themed audit with a focus on risk assessments.
H) Data is routinely collated and analysed. This will identify learning and continually
inform the child sexual exploitation action plan and the Quality Improvement Plan.
I) Robust commissioning arrangements are in place that safeguard children placed in
Independent Fostering Agencies and residential care (including return interviews for
all children who go missing) and that will quality assure the contracts for individual
placements or services.
J) Where a cross boundary placement is being considered the risks of such a placement
are fully assessed.
K) Information is maintained and shared effectively with partners and the host local
authority on children placed from out county, ensuring their safety.
L) Ensure that reporting of sexual exploitation and abuse in minority ethnic
communities is tackled.
M) Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) will be accommodated (under
Section 20 of the Children Act) and they will be subject to the reviewing processes
and procedures in place for Children Looked After.
N) A safety plan will be put in place for those for whom there are concerns that they
have been trafficked. This is crucial in ensuring a speedy and effective response from
relevant agencies, particularly the police.
O) UASC who are in the care of the local authority and who go missing will continue to
remain Children Looked After.
P) There is a well understood local policy and protocol on children missing from care
that sets the context for individual strategies to keep individual children safe.
3. Support
West Sussex Children’s Service and its partners will:
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A) Identify the range of services available for Children Looked After and Care Leavers
who are exploited or at serious risk; and identify the contribution of foster-carers,
substitute families, secure care and local residential units. This will include improved
arrangements for supporting children in out-of-area placements so that they are not
disadvantaged when moving across local authorities or health boundaries.
B) Ensure there is effective transition to adult services for Care Leavers so that there is
effective on-going care and support available.
C) Deliver a sustained programme of single agency and multi- agency training to
professionals and to others whose involvement impacts on the lives of young people.
This will not only involve those providing front line services - it will also involve
training of elected members and managers and those who may benefit from having
a working understanding of CSE in the community.
D) Develop tailored approaches to caring for and supporting children who have been
sexually exploited (recognising the critical role that foster carers and residential
workers play.)
E) Provide effective support for witnesses during and after court proceedings.
F) Ensure that young people who are victims of sexual exploitation receive a range of
support - which is persistent in efforts to engage with young people and is tailored to
their needs. These services may include:

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individual therapeutic work;
group based therapeutic work;
family counselling;
youth work support;
education, training and employment support;
sexual health and relationship education;
work with sexual behaviour which indicates or can cause harm;
drug and alcohol support; and
supported placements.
This list is not exhaustive. Young people who are, or at risk of being sexually exploited will
have varying levels of needs. They may have multiple vulnerabilities and therefore an
appropriate multi-agency response and good coordination is essential.
Female Genital Mutilation- Updated September 2015
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There is a growing consensus that more needs to be done to intervene early in a child’s life,
and to safeguard those girls at risk of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) as identified by the
UK Intercollegiate recommendations for identifying, recording and reporting (The Royal
College of Midwives, 2013). Furthermore there has been recent guidance issued within the
Multi-Agency Practice Guidelines: Female Genital Mutilation (HM Government 2014) which
sets out a multi-agency response and strategies to encourage agencies to cooperate and
work together.
The guidance available on FGM from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) and from HM
Government is educative and does not replace statutory guidance within Working Together
to Safeguard Children (March 2013) in England. West Sussex and its partners will adhere to
statutory guidance and local procedures in relation to Children who are Looked After and
Care Leavers and will be informed by the principles and practice guidance supplied by the
RCN and HM Government. This will ensure that that the interests of this vulnerable group
are safeguarded.
Strategic Aims and Objectives
The following aims and objectives for tackling FGM in the UK have been adapted from the
report from The Royal College of Midwives, (2013) to update this strategy. Coupled with
practice guidance, these aims and objectives form the basis of the current approach to FGM
within West Sussex. West Sussex Children’s Service and its partners will ensure that:
1. FGM is treated as child abuse: FMG is a severe form of violence against women and girls.
It is child abuse and must be integrated into all child safeguarding procedures in a
systematic way.
2. Information is documented and collected: Document and collect information on FGM and
its associated complications in a consistent and rigorous way.
3. Information is shared systematically between health and social care agencies, the
Department for Education and the police.
4. Frontline professionals are empowered: Develop the competence, knowledge and
awareness of frontline professionals across all services for Children Looked After and Care
Leavers. In particular - develop the skills of foster carers and residential staff - to ensure the
prevention and protection of girls at risk of FGM for Children in care and develop the skills
of personal advisors for Care Leavers. Also ensure that all professionals -including foster
carers and residential staff - know how to provide quality care for girls and women who
suffer complications of FGM.
5. Identify girls at risk and refer them as part of child safeguarding obligations. Identify girls
at risk of FGM as early as possible. All suspected cases should be referred as part of existing
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child safeguarding obligations. Sustained information and support should be given to
families to protect girls at risk.
6. Report cases of FGM: All girls and women presenting with FGM must be considered as
potential victims of crime, and should be referred to the police and support services.
7. Hold frontline professionals accountable: Strong scrutiny and challenge by elected
members, the Local Safeguarding Children’s Board (LSCB) and MACLAIG
8. Empower, engage and support affected girls and young women (both those at risk and
survivors). This should be a priority public health consideration; health, education and social
care professionals should work together to integrate FGM into prevention messages
(especially those focused on avoiding harm, e.g. NSPCC ‘Pants’ Campaign, Personal, Social
and Health Education, extracurricular activities for young people).
9. Raise awareness of FGM that ensures that there is a shared understanding across the
Children’s Service and key partners. This will include all front line staff ,young people,
families, foster-carers, residential staff, personal advisors, elected members and other key
professionals ( in social care, health, education ,youth services) and the wider community.
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6. Conclusion
This strategy sets out how we will deliver our commitment to Children Looked After and
Care Leavers and their families over the next three years.
However we recognise this is only the start of the journey. It will be the delivery of this
strategy in real terms that will make the difference to the lives of children and young people
in our care. It requires coordinated and sustained effort across Children’s Services and our
partners to continue to improve service standards and everyday practice, as well as meet
the challenges that the current economic climate brings.
Quality Improvement Plan
This strategy and the associated Quality Improvement Plan will continue to be live
documents, regularly updated. As we move forward, our commitment to Children Looked
After, to the principles in this strategy and to working together to provide the best possible
services will remain constant.
CSE and FMG
An effective strategy is just the beginning of how West Sussex and its partners will tackle
CSE and FMG for Children Looked After and Care Leavers. An action plan, new policies and
procedures have been produced. There have been additional resources employed to ensure
that progress and development is timely and effective. This will support professionals to
work together and share information effectively. This activity, when combined with a whole
system approach of awareness raising, early identification of both victims and perpetrators
and disruption and prosecution, will ensure that Children Looked After and Care Leavers are
protected and supported.
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Appendix 1
The pledge
The Children in Care Council (CICC) in West Sussex have developed the following corporate
pledge for Children in Care and Care Leavers. This is referred to in Objective 1 of the
strategy. This pledge outlines 11 promises that West Sussex as a corporate parent commits
to fulfilling.
The Pledge
We promise that:
 All children will be returned to the care of their birth family when it is safe for them
to do so and such will maximise their wellbeing.
 If it is not possible for a child to return to the care of a birth parent we will seek to
place a child within the extended birth family or close family friend as long as this
will be safe and maximise their wellbeing.
 If it is not possible to place a child within the family we will identify alternative
adoptive or other permanent or long-term carers able to fully meet the care needs
of the individual child. Relevant contact with birth family members will be
maintained as long as this is what they want and it is in the best interests of the
child to do so.
 All plans will be made taking into account the individual needs of the child and
particularly any arising from any disability or their heritage and culture
 Children will be placed as close as possible to their family, local peers and school
where this is safe.
 All looked after children will go on a holiday every year, have a passport and a
savings account.
 Every Child Looked After will have a named social worker who will ensure that their
wishes and feelings are known and considered in all aspects of their Care Plan.
 All Children Looked After will have a designated Independent Reviewing Officer who
will discuss their Care Plan with them and make sure that their wishes and feelings
are known and demonstrate how this is reflected in their Care Plan.
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 All Children Looked After will be helped to learn in an age appropriate way. All
children will have a place in a school best able to meet their needs and have their
own Personal Education Plan that details how this will be achieved.
 All Children Looked After will be registered with a Doctor and Dentist and helped to
lead a healthy lifestyle. Each child will have an individual health plan and be
provided with the services that maximise their physical and emotional wellbeing.

Every child will have a Pathway Plan at the age of 16 to ensure that they are advised
and supported towards successful independence.
The Pledge is signed by the Director for Children Services, the Lead Member (as Lead
Member and as the Chairman of the Children’s Trust), and the Chairman of the
Corporate Parenting Panel.
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Appendix 2
Definition of CSE
The Management Instructions (38) in West Sussex has defined CSE as:
“Sexual exploitation of children and young people under 18 involves exploitative situations,
contexts and relationships where young people (or a third person or persons) receive
‘something’ (e.g. 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. In all cases, those exploiting
the child/young person have power over them by virtue of their age, gender, intellect,
physical strength and/or economic or other resources. Violence, coercion and intimidation
are common, involvement in exploitative relationships being characterised in the main by
the child or young person’s limited availability of choice resulting from their social/economic
and/or emotional vulnerability.”
There is supplementary guidance to “Working Together to Safeguard Children” covering this
area within “Safeguarding Children & Young People from Sexual Exploitation” which uses
the above definition throughout.
N.B. Sexually exploited children should be treated as victims of abuse, not as offenders.
Local authorities have previously referred and responded to child victims as ‘promiscuous’
or ‘prostitutes’. This is not acceptable.
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Appendix 3
Recognised Risk Factors of CSE
Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre ( CEOP), Barnardos and the national Society
for Protection of Children ( NSPCC) acknowledge that certain groups of children and young
people are at greater risk of being sexually exploited Children and young people particularly
at risk of sexual exploitation include:
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Missing, runaway or homeless children
Children looked After
Children with prior experience of sexual abuse, physical abuse or emotional abuse or
neglect
Adolescents or pre-adolescents
Girls (current research suggests most victims are girls but boys are also at risk: boys
are considered less likely to disclose which may make boys more vulnerable and may
explain the gender imbalance in known cases)
Children not in education through exclusion or truancy or children regularly absent
from school
Children socially excluded from services such as health services
Children from black and minority ethnic communities
Children from migrant communities
Refugee children and unaccompanied asylum seeking children
Trafficked children
Children with mental health conditions
Children who use drugs and alcohol
Children with learning difficulties and disabilities
Children involved with gangs, with links to a gang through relatives or friends, or
living in communities or neighbourhoods where there are gangs
Children with a history of delinquent or criminal behaviour
Children from families or communities with offending behaviours
Children from families where there is substance misuse, domestic violence or
parental mental health issues
Young carers
Children living in poverty or deprivation
Children who associate with young people who are sexually exploited
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Children lacking friends or lacking friends from the same age group
Children with low self-esteem or low self-confidence
Children who have experienced bereavement or loss
Care leavers.
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Right child Right time Right place
A strategy for Children Looked After
and Care Leavers in West Sussex
2014 to 2017
Contact: Annie MacIver, Head of Children’s Social Care (Tel: 01243 752036)
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