Agenda item

8.1

The Committee received the Sheffield Sexual Exploitation Service – Annual Report 2014-15, which contained details of the work of the Service and its partner agencies, to address child sexual exploitation in the City.  The report contained data and analysis, together with details with regard to achievements and development around the five priority areas - prevention, protection, pursuit, prosecution and partnership working.  The report also contained a number of case studies and attached, as appendices, details regarding the Service’s structure, meetings map and the City’s CSE model. 

8.2

In attendance for this item were Phil Ashford, Service Manager, and Gail Gibbons, Chief Executive Officer, Sheffield Futures.

8.3

Members of the Committee raised questions and the following responses were provided:-

·                Councillor Jackie Drayton (Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families) and the Executive Director of Children, Young People and Families, following discussions at the Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board (SSCB) had written to the Ministry of Justice, expressing concerns following the receipt, by a number of the victims involved in the Operation Alphabet case, of rejection letters regarding their criminal injuries compensation claims.  A letter of response had been received from the Ministry.  A number of the victims had met with national decision-makers to talk about their experiences.  It was suggested that a Notice of Motion should be passed at a future Council meeting, requesting the Minister to look into this issue as a matter of urgency.

·                The majority of research in terms of CSE was undertaken when young people reached adolescence on the basis that the practice largely took place outside the family home and often involved children in their early teenage years.  The process of grooming started in the early teenage years and a number of young people at this age were already at risk of becoming, or already being, abused.  The Service was in the process of piloting work in primary schools, with special consideration being given to how this very sensitive issue was dealt with.  The Service was also looking to move to a more preventative approach, rather than reactive.

·                Schools were a very key source of information, and it had been found that there had been a drop in the number of referrals during school holiday periods.  The Service worked closely with charities, such as Barnardo’s and the NSPCC, in connection with holding activity sessions for young children during holiday periods.

·                There was evidence that incidences of sexual grooming by men on young men was under-reported.  There was specific training available on this issue, including the lunch-time seminars.

·                The Service was currently youth-proofing the training it delivered.  It was considered that the focus should be on how the information was presented, rather than the content.  It was also considered that the training would be considerably more effective if it was delivered by those younger people who had been a victim of CSE. 

·                The Service was well aware of the increasing problems of online abuse, and was working closely with Julia Cadman and Julie Hague, Sheffield Safeguarding Children Board, to look at the best ways of tackling this form of abuse.  Whilst advances in technology obviously had benefits, it could also create problems, both in terms of making it considerably easier for perpetrators to share images and information, and in those circumstances where a young person accidentally sends information or an image they had not intended to.  A number of young people had been trained up as co-advisors to work in schools on this issue, which had proved very effective.

·                There were no statistics available in terms of the percentage of children and young people targeted by family members, although it was known that the majority of perpetrators were not related to their victims in any way.

·                The majority of cases were referred to the Service, which was part of a multi-agency service based at Star House.  Other agencies included the police and social care.

·                The Service used social media to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation in Sheffield, having a Twitter account.  One of the actions following the independent review into current practice in regard of tackling child sexual exploitation, undertaken by Dr Kathryn Houghton, was to agree a communications strategy.

·                Young people’s understanding of consent and the law is a significant piece of work for the Service and partner agencies. Practitioners also need reminding of the law surrounding consent.

8.4

RESOLVED: That the Committee:-

(a)       notes the Sheffield Sexual Exploitation Service’s Annual Report 2014-15 now submitted, together with the comments now made and the responses to the questions raised; and

(b)       thanks the officers for attending the meeting and responding to the questions raised.