Exploitation can take many forms, including sexual, emotional, criminal, or a combination of these and can lead to increased vulnerability, for example through grooming or radicalisation, modern slavery, or through other aspects of safeguarding.
Exploitation occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive any child or young person under the age of 18. At Paint Pots, we recognise that any child or young person is vulnerable to all or any if this activity and ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibilities to raise concerns with the DSL.
Within the local area, the acronym MET is used to identify all children who are missing, believed to be at risk of, or being sexually or criminally exploited or who are at risk of or are being trafficked. Given the close links between all these issues, there has been a considered response to join all three issues so that cross over of risk is not missed. We recognise that any child or young person is vulnerable to exploitation and ensure through our safeguarding training for all staff that they are aware of the importance of identifying risks, raising safeguarding concerns, using the Paint Pots Concern Form- however small they may seem, and sharing intelligence with Police using the CPI form.
See more information and guidance using the links on the links document.
The National definition of CSE is “Child sexual exploitation is a form of child sexual abuse. It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child or young person under the age of 18 into sexual activity either in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, or for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator. The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual. CSE does not always involve physical contact; it can also occur through the use of technology”.
Like all forms of child sexual abuse, CSE:
Can affect any child or young person (male or female) under the age of 18 years, including 16 and 17 year olds who can legally consent to have sex;
Can still be abuse even if the sexual activity appears consensual;
Can include both contact (penetrative and non-penetrative acts) and non-contact sexual activity;
Can take place in person or via technology, or a combination of both;
Can involve force and/or enticement-based methods of compliance and may, or may not, be accompanied by violence or threats of violence;
May occur without the child or young person’s immediate knowledge (through others copying videos or imagesthey have created and posting on social media, for example);
Can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and children or adults. The abuse can be a one-off occurrence or a series of incidents over time, and range from opportunistic to complex organised abuse; and is typified by some form of power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the abuse. Whilst age may be the most obvious, this power imbalance can also be due to a range of other factors including gender, sexual identity, cognitive ability, physical strength, status, and access to economic or other resources.
CSE is a complex form of abuse and it can be difficult for those working with children to identify and assess. The indicators for child sexual exploitation can sometimes be mistaken for ‘normal adolescent behaviours’. It requires knowledge, skills, professional curiosity and an assessment which analyses the risk factors and personal circumstances of individual children to ensure that the signs and symptoms are interpreted correctly and appropriate support is given. Even where a young person is old enough to legally consent to sexual activity, the law states that consent is only valid where they make a choice and have the freedom and capacity to make that choice. If a child feels they have no other meaningful choice, are under the influence of harmful substances or fearful of what might happen if they don’t comply (all of which are common features in cases of child sexual exploitation) consent cannot legally be given whatever the age of the child.
Signs to look out for:
Leaving home/care without explanation and persistently going missing or returning late;
Exclusion or unexplained absences from school, college or work;
Associatingwith other young people being sexually exploited