Exploitation of Children and Young People: Resources

Page updated March 28th 2024

In recognition of National Exploitation Awareness day on the 18th of March, the Pan Berkshire forum hosted an event with key note speaker Dez Holmes. This online event focused on Safeguarding and Transition to adulthood.  The recording of this meeting is available below: 

 

A copy of the presentation shared by Dez in this  event can be found below:

Pan Berkshire Child Exploitation Dez Holmes Presentation 18.03.2024

Check out our resources below for information  and tools.

New Strategic Multi-agency Child Exploitation group formed.

This new group, made up of strategic leaders aims to bring together the work of the key partnerships, Youth Justice Board, the Community Safety Partnership and the safeguarding partnership to ensure we have a cohesive approach to tackling the challenges faced by young people and young adults to age 25 in Slough around violence and exploitation. The group is currently working on a new strategy and action plan, to include transitions to adulthood. More news on this will be available soon.

Exploitation Strategy is currently under review. A new one is anticipated soon. Take a look and comment!

Exploitation strategy

Are you concerned that a child is being exploited?

Complete the  Pan Berkshire screening tool: Simple Screening Tool

This tool is for anyone who works with children, including those who work in the voluntary sector. If you are worried that a child may be being exploited, this tool gives you a list of indicators to help you work it out and take appropriate action. Often, children do not recognise themselves as victims, or that they are being groomed. This tool aids the identification of exploitation. If you are concerned a child is being exploited, complete the tool and make a referral. Click on this link for further information on how to make a referral. Emergencies/Concerns - Slough Children First

If you are worried that a child is in immediate danger dial 999

Investigators  CLICK HERE    for the risk analysis and indicator tool

The National Working Group, on the link below, for more information.

https://www.nwgnetwork.org/ 

Protocol Thames valley police and children's social care missing children

Sharing intelligence

Everyone in Slough can help safeguarding vulnerable people by sharing information with police when they have a concern that a person,  or a group are exploited. This could lead to their protection. Information may at first seem unimportant, but when pieced together with other information the police have, it may lead to someone being made safe.

When promoting awareness about exploitation in the general community in Slough, the links below and phone numbers in them will be promoted to encourage the local community to share information if they suspect exploitation.

https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/give-information/forms/pre-form

Sharing intelligence: The role of the professional community including volunteers

All staff working or volunteering in Slough should be aware of what we mean by "intelligence" and what to do if they have a concern about . 

Police intelligence BRIEFING NOTE

POLICE INTELLIGENCE FORM 

The Slough operational MACE ,(Multi-Agency Child Exploitation) meeting  ensures that  there is a multi-agency risk management focus on children and young people who have been exploited or are at risk of exploitation in Slough.

This includes:  

• Children at risk of sexual exploitation
• Children at risk of criminal exploitation
• Children who are involved with gangs, county lines and serious youth violence.

The Panel aims to reduce risks to children and young people by developing a contextual understanding of the links between victims and offenders, locations and hotspots, identifying themes and trends, and using this knowledge to inform diversionary measures, intervention, disruption and enforcement.  It will achieve this by:

• Understanding the relationship links and how exploitation is occurring between perpetrators and the victims.
• Triangulating and sharing intelligence/information from partners to ensure all agencies are working together to address abuse and exploitation
• Mapping victims, perpetrators, local hotspot addresses through data analysis to provide a strategic oversight of trends and themes to inform a strategic partnership response and/or resource allocation
• Assessing the effectiveness of interventions in place to reduce risk
• Identifying and highlighting service gaps and barriers to the Slough Safeguarding Partnership.

The MACE does not at any point replace the management and oversight of any individual child’s case, this responsibility remains with the agency that has lead professional responsibility and those supporting multi-agency plans.

INFORMATION SHARING AGREEMENT

Information sharing is supported through the Pan Berkshire Information Sharing Agreement which has been signed up to be all partners https://www.proceduresonline.com/berks/slough/p_info_sharing.html

National Referral Mechanism (NRM) E-Learning Training and Best practice guidance

An NRM is a framework for identifying and referring potential victims of modern slavery to ensure they receive the appropriate support. The new online process allows First Responders to submit an NRM referral through a single online form. Further information can be found here NRM guidance

The following training links listed below are to opportunities for safeguarding professionals to gain further learning, understanding and confidence around their role within the NRM process.

Modern slavery organised immigration and crime have set up a 45 minute programme aimed at guiding all safeguarding partners through the NRM referral process, exploring best practice to equip you with the specific knowledge required to respond to child cases of modern slavery. The training covers child-specific indicators of modern slavery with particular focus on more prevalent forms of exploitation.

The aim of this course is to provide you with the knowledge and confidence needed to identify potential child victims directing them to receive the appropriate support. Click below to begin:

Child Victims of Modern Slavery Programme

The Home Office have set up a 45 minute programme aimed at guiding all First Responders to identify potential victims of modern slavery and how to refer a case into support. The training is sectioned into bitesize chunks the topics included are; Overview, Identify, Explain and Refer. Click below to begin:

Modern Slavery First Responders