Recognising grooming and CSE What you need to know about targeting, grooming and Child Sexual Exploitation A guide for anyone working with young people

Before you go any further: Fill in the survey You need to know: The grooming line Targeting and disrupting CSE and vulnerability factors Consent to sex Reporting

All family professionals working in Staffordshire today need to keep up to date with developments in CSE to tackle this growing problem This support package should be used by Team Managers as part of a team briefing to ensure all staff: are confident and knowledgeable about spotting the signs of CSE, of someone being ‘targeted’ and ‘groomed ’ and know what to do about it understand the support available to professionals understand emerging issues and themes about CSE and consent to sex

Why more CSE and grooming awareness? Child sexual exploitation affects thousands of children and young people across the UK every year – and it’s happening in Staffordshire A new multi-agency public campaign from March will raise public awareness of CSE. A new outcomes framework is developing next year and every agency will be required to measure with regards to CSE. Because it’s everyone’s responsibility give professionals the vital tools needed to:

‘Grooming’ is now a criminal offence What is it? Grooming is when someone convinces a child that they are a safe and trustworthy person for the purpose of sexually exploiting them. A child will not always understand this is happening. This can be through a friendship or a boyfriend/girlfriend through manipulation - ‘’A ‘’relationship’’ It can happen: In person Via mobiles or ONLINE ‘Matt thought he knew’

Courtesy of Barnardo’s

A focus on targeting… What the offender does… Observes the child/young person, usually with a number of others – either online or offline Selection of child young person Be-friending - being nice, giving gifts, caring, taking an interest, giving compliments, etc Gaining and developing trust Sharing information about young people between other abusive adults

How can you spot a child being targeted Stay alert to changes in behaviour: 1)Befriending – Perpetrator will offer a young person a ‘reward’ or payment in exchange for sexual acts 2)Alienation from family and friends 3)Opportunistic targeting and grooming Watch - What targeting looks like

Disrupting ‘Targeting’ - how to help the child to ‘walk away’ Offline: Supervision of parents - Supervision by parents through a warm and trusting relationship Online privacy settings A child needs to know they can talk to an adult they you trust Using the computer in a family room Online: Online privacy settings Don’t give out personal and private details E-safety, sexting and cyberbullying (e.g. ‘’trolling’’) awareness

Child Sexual Exploitation is child abuse Perpetrators of CSE recognise vulnerability, and develop exploitative relationships; further compounding the child’s vulnerability. A child may think they are in a consensual relationship because they get affection, attention or gifts in sex. Relationships that appear to be ‘’loving’’ can change significantly, so that the child experiences fear, deception, coercion or violence. They are not in control. They have no choice. Victims: Any child of any age Any background Any gender or sexual orientation Any vulnerability

Child Sexual Exploitation Because they are targeted when they’re young, most victims: Don’t understand what a healthy relationship is May fail to recognise they are being abused May feel forced to send sexual images of themselves or have sex Most perpetrators: Use their power – physical, financial, emotional- over the child to sexually and emotionally abuse

Vulnerability/Risk Factors History of abuse Living in chaotic family environment Living in residential care, hostel, B&B or being homeless Gang association either through relatives, peers, intimate relationships or neighbourhood Lacking friends from the same age group Not engaging in education/training or employment Unsure about their sexual orientation or unable to disclose sexual orientation to their families Learning disabilities Young carer Recent bereavement or loss

Victims -under- reported cases: Young people with a disability Read: Research into increasing understanding of how to meet the needs of children and young people with learning disability Boys and young men Look at : BLAST website and resources for boys experience CSEBLAST website and resources for boys experience CSE Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender or questioning sexuality Read: Findings of scoping exercise into practitioners knowledge of CSEFindings of scoping exercise into practitioners knowledge of CSE Minority groups And all are vulnerable online

Spotting the warning signs of someone being sexually exploited Read real stories herehere

Consent to sex Someone consents only if they agree by choice and they have the freedom and capacity to make that choice. Consent may be given to one type of sexual activity but not another. Consent can be withdrawn at any time during sexual activity and each time activity occurs. Whilst it is accepted that most adolescents become sexually active in their teens, the legal age of consent is 16. Sex with a child of 12 or under is statutory rape. Can still be exploited even if they say yes -whatever their age

Consent to sex Myth : Children and young people are not being exploited if they are 16 or over. Do you know that any child under the age of 18, male or Reality: It can take place even when the victim can legally consent to sex - if their ability to give consent is affected by influence of drugs, threats of violence, grooming or a power imbalance between victim and perpetrator. This is why a 16- or 17-year-old can be sexually exploited even though they are old enough to consent to sexual activity. Watch: Consent is everything (Thames Valley Police)

Consent to sex Someone cannot agree to sex if they are: Under the influence of drink or drugs Asleep or unconscious Suffering from a medical condition, mental health problem or have a learning disability Old enough to consent (16+).

Act! Report it! You are not alone… Know your agency’s safeguarding procedures Know the signs of grooming and CSE If the child is at risk of harm: 1)Contact Staffordshire Police on 999 2)Refer the case to First Response in Staffordshire on following consultation with your own Safeguarding Lead or designated person if you have one. You can also contact Staffordshire Police on 101 or NSPCC on