Safe foster care for victims of child sexual exploitation

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucie Elizabeth Shuker
Keyword(s):  
At Risk ◽  
Foster Care ◽  
Young People ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Child Sexual Exploitation

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report on an evaluation of a pilot of specialist foster care for children at risk, or victims, of child sexual exploitation (CSE) and/or trafficking. Design/methodology/approach – The research adopted a multi-case study approach, gathering placement documentation, interviews and weekly monitoring logs throughout the duration of the 13 placements. Findings – This evaluation found that safety for those at risk, or victims, of CSE within the in-care population has both a physical and a relational element. The most successful placements were able to deploy restrictive safety measures effectively by tipping the balance of care and control towards demonstrations of compassion and acceptance. Good relationships in these foster homes unlocked other positive outcomes, including reduced missing incidences and increased awareness of exploitation. Research limitations/implications – The small sample size within this pilot project suggests the need for further research to test the applicability of the notion of multi-dimensional safety to young people’s welfare more generally. Practical implications – The findings confirm previous research that highlights the importance of stable relationships in child protection. They have implications for current tendencies to commission short-term CSE interventions that are unlikely to create the relational security that can improve community safety for young people. Originality/value – This is the first published evaluation of specialist accommodation for those affected by CSE in the UK, and its findings will therefore be of most value to commissioners and providers of care to looked after young people. The concept of multi-dimensional safety will be relevant to those with responsibility for child welfare/safeguarding.

Utilising the arts to tackle child sexual exploitation

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-55
Author(s):  
Claire Cody
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Creative Arts ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethical Implications ◽  
Child Sexual Exploitation ◽  
The Arts ◽  
Potential Use

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to consider the potential use of creative, arts-based methods to address child sexual exploitation (CSE) through connecting with and supporting young people affected by CSE; and engaging the wider community through awareness-raising and education to help keep young people safe. The use of the arts in building understanding, promoting agency, educating and countering negative portrayals of those affected by CSE are also explored. Design/methodology/approach – A literature review identified that there is currently a limited evidence-base surrounding the use of arts in addressing the negative outcomes for young people affected by CSE and promoting the inclusion and safety of young people in the community. To explore the potential use of the arts in engaging young people and the communities they inhabit, this paper draws from research with other “hard to engage” and stigmatised groups, and learning from efforts to tackle other sensitive and challenging issues that impact on communities. Findings – The paper suggests that despite the relatively young evidence base concerning the role of creative, arts-based methods to tackle CSE, there is relevant transferable learning that suggests that there is potential in utilising the arts to help prevent CSE and promote community safety. Research limitations/implications – There is a clear need to consider the ethical implications of this work and to further examine how the arts may be utilised to tackle CSE and bring about positive outcomes for both individuals and for the wider community. Originality/value – The paper brings together bodies of literature from other fields to explore the potential use of creative arts-based methods to tackle a significant contemporary issue of community safety.

“It put control back onto my family situation”: family experiences of positive behaviour support

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (3/4) ◽  
pp. 91-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sinead Botterill ◽  
Susan Cottam ◽  
Alex Fowke ◽  
Kate Theodore
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Best Practice ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Family Relationship ◽  
Family Engagement ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Support Network ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Positive Behaviour Support

Purpose Positive behaviour support (PBS) is currently considered best practice for managing challenging behaviour in young people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A key principle of PBS is that all members of the person’s support network participate in the assessment and intervention. It is, therefore, important to understand what factors act as facilitators or barriers to family engagement; however, research in this area is limited. The purpose of this paper is to conduct a novel piece of qualitative research analysis into experiences of family members of young people who have received family-based PBS. Design/methodology/approach Eight parents of a young person with an intellectual or developmental disability who had received PBS were interviewed about their experiences and factors they found helpful and hindering in terms of their engagement. Thematic analysis allowed a detailed and robust interpretation of the qualitative data. Findings Five superordinate themes were identified, namely, PBS is more than just strategies, considering the family context, the therapist/family relationship, acknowledging challenges and the ongoing nature of the problem and supporting family member change. Research limitations/implications Although research was rigorously conducted, the small sample size mean findings should be considered preliminary. Originality/value The literature related to family engagement in PBS is limited and largely based on the opinions of professionals. This study identified factors that parents themselves felt were helpful and hindering in terms of their engagement and offers practical suggestions for services and future research.

Child maltreatment: how can friends contribute to safety?

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debra Sue Allnock
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Child Maltreatment ◽  
Emotional Abuse ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Community Safety ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Abuse And Neglect ◽  
Rich Information

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present the findings of a study of support received by 60 young adults who experienced sexual, physical or emotional abuse and neglect in childhood. It is focussed on the support provided by friends in particular, and draws out relevant learning for child sexual exploitation (CSE). Design/methodology/approach – In all, 60 young people completed a questionnaire, complemented by a two hour follow-up interview to explore experiences of formal and informal support in disclosing abuse. In total, 13 young people were recruited on the basis of their prior participation in a larger, associated study of child abuse and neglect, with the remainder recruited via open invitation. Findings – There is rich information in the interviews about the ways that friends provided support to participants. Friends provided practical, moral and emotional support. They intervened to keep their friends safe. They offered emotional “escape” and a conduit to adults who could help keep them safe. Importantly, friends recognised that participants were in distress even when they did not know the participants were being abused. Practical implications – The results highlight that friends have a crucial role to play in helping children to keep safe and to feel safe, provided that they are equipped with information and knowledge of how to respond and where to seek help. Originality/value – The paper is original in considering the role of friends within a community safety framework. In addition, the study sample is larger than other studies of its kind, and considers a wider variety of child maltreatment experiences than previous studies, making clear links to CSE.

A delicate balance: intervention with mothers with dual diagnosis and their infants

2015 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 78-89 ◽  
Author(s):  
Menka Tsantefski ◽  
Alun C. Jackson ◽  
Cathy Humphreys
Keyword(s):  
Dual Diagnosis ◽  
Child Protection ◽  
Substance Dependence ◽  
Small Sample Size ◽  
Perinatal Period ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Substance Dependent

Purpose – Women with mental illness, substance-dependence or dual diagnosis are at increased risk of losing care of their children which leads to poorer outcomes for mothers. The purpose of this paper is to explore the service response to substance-dependent mothers, many of whom had a dual diagnosis, and reports outcomes for their infants from the perinatal period to the end of each infant's first year. Design/methodology/approach – This was a longitudinal case study of 20 women substance-dependent women and their associated care. Semi-structured interviews were held with mothers recruited from a specialist alcohol and other drug obstetric service at infant age six weeks, six and 12 months. Structured interviews were also held with counsellors from the obstetric service at infant age six weeks. Child protection (CP) workers were interviewed at infant age six weeks, six and 12 months regarding mothers involved with the service. Findings – By 12-month follow-up, CP services had been involved with 14 mothers and eight had lost the legal care of their infant. Mothers who retained legal care were more likely to have addressed their drug use and less likely to be in a domestically violent relationship. Domestic violence, homelessness and maternal recidivism to crime tipped the scales in favour of protection of the infant through removal from maternal care, essentially leaving mothers with minimal support for reunification and reduced incentive for treatment. Research limitations/implications – Reliance on mothers’ self-reports was a limitation of the study. The small sample size restricts generalisability of findings. Practical implications – Key workers should engage women (and their partners) during the perinatal period to provide support, advocacy and case-management to enable substance-dependent mothers to safely parent. Originality/value – This is one of few studies to report long-term outcomes for mother/infant dyads when substance-dependence and/or mental health are present that allows women to speak for themselves. The prospective design provides a contemporaneous account of events as they unfolded in situ.

Keeping it from the community

2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-66 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Sharp
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
South Asian ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Forced Marriage ◽  
Case Study Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Child Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the links between forced marriage, running away/going missing and child sexual exploitation. Design/methodology/approach – An extensive research review and interviews with experts and practitioners across the three fields identified a total of 22 cases in which young people (aged 18 and under) had experienced some combination of all three issues. Of these, nine case studies involving South Asian young people were explored in depth using a case study methodology. Findings – Through adopting constitutive intersectionality as an analytical framework, the power of “community” emerged as a distinct theme within the cases. Concern about both family and community “honour” impacted young people’s decision making and help seeking processes. “Honour” also impacted parental responses to the young people as well as how they engaged with the professionals seeking to support them. Research limitations/implications – The safety of mothers also emerged as an issue, suggesting that this is an area for further research. Practical implications – Practical implications for practice included: the need to address barriers to young people disclosing abuse and entering into the criminal justice process; difficulties associated with finding safe spaces to work with young people; the need to identify effective ways of working with abused young people who are unable to draw on relational and social support; and dangers associated with accessing support services. Originality/value – An extensive review of the relevant research literature failed to uncover links between forced marriage, going missing and child sexual exploitation. This led the author to assert that the risk of child sexual exploitation as it relates to young South Asian young people who run away from home to escape forced marriage has been both under-acknowledged and under-explored (Sharp, 2013). Empirical research undertaken by the author over a 15-month period confirmed this assertion.

scholarly journals Providing support and therapy for victims and survivors of child sexual exploitation

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 38-45
Author(s):  
Nick Frost
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexual Exploitation ◽  
Public Mental Health ◽  
Therapeutic Interventions ◽  
Public Health Issue ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Individual Interviews ◽  
High Profile ◽  
Child Sexual Exploitation

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyse the public mental health challenges arising in the field of child sexual exploitation (CSE) from the perspective of frontline professionals. Design/methodology/approach The methods included semi-structured face-to-face individual interviews (n=6) and focus groups (two groups with a total of eight participants = 8), all participants work with CSE-experienced young people. Findings Professionals report how they offer support and therapy to CSE-experienced young people. Findings are outlined in relation to support, therapeutic interventions, multi-agency working, what works and the challenges and issues faced in their professional roles. Research limitations/implications The paper reports briefly on a substantial amount of data. A further limitation is that there is a need to gather data directly from the perspective of young people. Practical implications The high quality of work undertaken and the need to further develop therapeutic work with the CSE-experienced young people emerges from the findings. Social implications CSE is a high-profile public health issue which attracts considerable public and political attention. Originality/value The data gathered reflect the contemporary views of frontline professionals in a challenging and complex field of practice.

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