Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)

1. Introduction - What is Child Sexual Exploitation?

Child sexual exploitation (CSE) is a form of child sexual abuse. It can take many different forms. It can include contact or non contact activities and can take place online or in person, or a combination of each. Any child or young person can be sexually exploited, regardless of their background; both boys and girls can be abused in this way.

Embrace fostering will provide supervision/support and training relating to this topic.

Often children are groomed into sexually exploitative relationships and may initially think their abuser is their 'boyfriend' or 'girlfriend'. Some children are engaged in informal economies that incorporate the exchange of sex for rewards such as drugs, alcohol, money or gifts. Others may have been bullied and threatened into sexual activities by peers or gangs which is then used against them as a form of extortion and to keep them compliant.

A child may have been sexually exploited before they became looked after; others may become targets of perpetrators when they are living with you. Child sexual exploitation is NEVER the child's fault - even if there is some sort of exchange - all children and young people under the age of 18 have a right to be safe and protected from harm.

2. Signs of Sexual Exploitation, Criminal Exploitation, and other Safeguarding Concerns

As a foster carer you are in a good position to notice the changes in behaviour and physical signs which can indicate involvement in sexual exploitation. To keep children and young people safe, and prevent serious harm it is important to try and identify children at risk of harm from sexual exploitation at the earliest opportunity.

Looked After Children can be more vulnerable to exploitation. The individual needs  and particular characteristics of the child such as ethnicity, culture, gender identity and sexuality, are particularly significant where child sexual exploitation is present. A risk assessment should be in place and  consider all of these factors, how these risks work together and what can be put in place to protect the child.

It can be difficult for children to tell their carers that they are being sexually exploited; initially they may not recognise that they are being abused. Once they are being sexually exploited, threats from their abusers or feeling that may be in some way to blame for their own abuse can make it difficult for young people to ask for help.

The key signs that a child or young person is being sexually exploited are:

• Unexplained money or gifts;
• Going missing (for short and long periods), or during the course of the school day;
• Being distressed or withdrawn on their return home;
• Secrecy around new friends;
• Having additional mobile phones, or worrying use of the internet;
• Sexual health problems, including pregnancy;
• Changes in behaviour / emotional wellbeing;
• Drug or alcohol misuse;
• Secretive behaviour;
• Involvement in criminal activity;
• Unexplained physical injuries.

Further discussed is other types of exploitation and safeguarding concern

Child Criminal Exploitation

Child Criminal Exploitation occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, control, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18, even if the activity appears consensual. Child Criminal Exploitation does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur using technology. Criminal exploitation often happens alongside sexual or other forms of exploitation. Child Criminal exploitation is broader than county lines and includes children forced to work on cannabis farms, to commit theft, shoplift or pickpocket, or to threaten other young people.

Child Criminal Exploitation is covered in the Modern Slavery Act 2015 which sets out the offences of slavery, servitude and forced and compulsory via forced labour, domestic servitude, and criminal exploitation. Children may be forced to work in cannabis factories, move drugs, money, or weapons across county lines or within their locality, launder money through their bank accounts or carry out crimes of theft or violence, particularly against other young people.

County lines is a form of Child Criminal Exploitation and describes the activities of gangs and organised criminal networks involved in exporting illegal drugs into one or more importing areas (within the UK), using dedicated mobile phone lines or other forms of "deal line". These gangs exploit vulnerable children to move (and store) the drugs and money, and they will often use coercion, intimidation, violence (including sexual violence) and weapons. Children face the risk of violence and intimidation from their exploiters and / or the drug users/dealers and unsafe physical environment featuring toxic substances and used needles.

Children can be trafficked, this is where children and young people are tricked, forced or persuaded to leave their homes and are moved or transported and then exploited, forced to work or sold. Children are trafficked for sexual exploitation, benefit fraud, forced marriage, domestic slavery like cleaning, cooking and childcare, forced labour in factories or agriculture, committing crimes, like begging, theft, working on cannabis farms or moving drugs. Trafficked children experience many types of abuse and neglect. Traffickers use physical, sexual and emotional abuse as a form of control. Children and young people are also likely to be physically and emotionally neglected and may be sexually exploited. Traffickers groom children, families and communities to gain their trust. They may also threaten families with violence or threats. Traffickers often promise children and families that they'll have a better future elsewhere. Trafficking is also an economic crime, and they'll make a profit from money a child "earns" through exploitation.

All criminally exploited children are at risk of neglect, emotional harm, sexual exploitation, and abuse, as well as substance misuse and extreme forms of violence. If a practitioner identifies that a child is involved in, or at risk of involvement in CCE they should respond following their individual agency's Safeguarding and Child Protection Procedures, alongside any specific local guidance for identifying and responding to CCE.

Knife Crime

Knife crime is any crime that involves a sharp or bladed instrument and can include anything from a kitchen knife or piece of glass to a potato peeler or a knitting needle. This can be for their own protection or fear of gangs and crime. The Police are working closely with partner agencies to increase public confidence in reducing knife crime by enforcing the law and increasing education from an early age about the dangers of carrying a knife and getting involved in violent crime. A change in the Law means that anyone aged 16-17 years old who is convicted of carrying a knife for a second time will automatically receive a detention and training order of at least 4 months.

Gangs

Gang membership and crime has also increased over recent years. Young people join gangs for lots of different reasons, fitting in with friends and other gang members, feeling respected and important, to be protected from bullying or from other gangs and make money. The government in its paper ‘Safeguarding children and young people who may be affected by gang activity’ distinguishes between peer groups, street gangs and organised criminal gangs.

• Peer group
  ‘A relatively small and transient social grouping which may or may not describe themselves as a gang depending on the context.’
• Street gang
  “Groups of young people who see themselves (and are seen by others) as a discernible group for whom crime and violence is integral to the group's identity.”
• Organised criminal gangs
  “A group of individuals for whom involvement in crime is for personal gain (financial or otherwise). For most crime is their 'occupation.”

Female Genital Mutilation

Female Genital Mutilation is carried out for several cultural, religious and social reasons. FGM is a harmful practice that isn't required by any religion and there are no health benefits. FGM is when a female's genitals are deliberately altered or removed for non-medical reasons. It's also known as 'female circumcision' or 'cutting’ but has many other names. FGM is a form of child abuse and a criminal offence in the UK It’s often performed by someone with no medical training, using instruments such as knives, scalpels, scissors, glass or razor blades and without anaesthetic. It's used to control female sexuality and can cause long-lasting damage to physical and emotional health.

Carers and staff must report any concerns regarding Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), trafficking or exploitation.

What to do if you have Concerns

You should record details of any concerns you have - as this can help identify patterns of behaviour, including potential perpetrators and other children who may be at risk. Concerns should be shared with the child's allocated social worker or the Children's Social Care Emergency Duty Team (if outside of working hours). If you have concerns that a child is in immediate danger, always ring 999.

3. What You Can Do to Support Children

When concerns about child sexual exploitation have been identified before the child comes to live with you, their Placement Plan should contain details of the day to day arrangements which have been agreed between you as foster carers and the placing authority / fostering service to keep the child safe.

If you have concerns that a child is being sexually exploited or is at risk of being exploited, you should always share these with the child's allocated social worker and your supervising social worker or a manager from the Fostering Service, so that action can be taken to help safeguard the child. Sexual exploitation of a child who is in foster care is considered a 'significant event' and must be reported to Ofsted by the Fostering Service.

Remember if you have concerns that a child is in immediate danger, always ring 999.

Ways you can support the child

• Building positive relationships with children in your care is vital, both to identifying sexual exploitation and supporting children through their experiences:
  • You should be supportive, non judgemental and ready to listen to children when and if they need to talk;
  • Always look beyond challenging behaviour; if children are aggressive, secretive or going missing ask yourself what might be going on in their lives?
  • Share information - When children who are known to be at risk of sexual exploitation go missing, this should be reported promptly to the police and the child's social worker so they can take action to locate them and return them to safety;
  • Whenever children who have been missing return to your home they should be made welcome and offered care and support;
  • Building good links with the child's education providers will help to ensure that you are notified promptly if a child does not arrive at their education establishment so protective can be taken.

Caring for a child who is being sexually exploited can be a stressful and upsetting experience, and you should seek support from your supervising social worker, local foster carer support groups and the child's allocated social worker.

4. Children and Young People Who go Missing

A significant number of children who are being sexually exploited may go missing from your home, or their school / education provider. Some go missing frequently, and the more often they go missing, they more vulnerable they are to being sexually exploited.

If a child in your care goes missing, you should follow the guidance contained in Missing Children.

5. Training Requirements and Support

The Fostering Service should provide you with good quality training so that you know how to prevent, recognise and support a child who is being sexual exploited. As a foster carer you should receive effective support from an  all partner agencies (children's social care, education and the police) to try and disrupt the abuse as well as ensuring the child is supported and not criminalised. See Training and Development Procedure.