Specific safeguarding areas

Explore statutory and non-statutory guidance and resources for particular safeguarding areas including child sexual abuse, domestic abuse, fabricated or induced illness and perplexing presentations (FII/PP), extremism, FGM, harmful sexual behaviour (HSB), mental health, online safety, parental conflict and other topics

Contents

Child criminal exploitation including child sexual exploitation, knife crime

“People jumped to conclusions…no-one asked me”. The voice of Leyla who was seriously assaulted by a male when she was 12 (A-Childs-Voice.pdf (sandwellcsp.org.uk)

During 2021/22 in England and Wales there were 17,486 crimes logged by police where children had been sexually exploited – an average of 48 offences a day (NSPCC).

**Please note- ESAS regularly update the SLN, however it is the responsibility of education professionals to ensure that the information (guidance, resources, posters etc) that are used are up to date and relevant**

 Guidance, training and learning

Guidance

Staffordshire specific guidance

  • Staffordshire police bladed weapon guidance
  • Staffordshire police Partnership Information Sharing Report Dec 2024 - Agencies, parents, carers and victims can provide information to the police about perpetrators.  This is gathered and used in situations where there may be no evidence available or the victim is either unwilling or unable to provide a police statement. This occurs in the vast majority of cases and therefore, the opportunity to provide intelligence means that the police can build a sufficient picture over a period of time and act upon it. 
  • Child sexual exploitation SCC Futures Matter Support- CSE Service Delivery information /CSE service referral form. Completed forms to be sent to CSEInbox@staffordshire.gov.uk, along with a completed CE active risk screening tool.
  • Youth offending prevention referral form
  • Child criminal exploitation Catch 22 referral form- C22 CCE Referral form 2025

Other 

 In addition to statutory guidance:

Training 

Learning

Responding to concerns about child criminal exploitation including child sexual exploitation.

  • If it has been determined that a child has come to significant harm, (SSCP threshold framework) or is at risk of significant harm, you should not wait to complete an CE active risk screening tool but contact Staffordshire families integrated front door (SFIFD) Tel: 0300 111 8007 / police. A risk screening tool can then be completed and submitted following the verbal referral to SFIFD / police. Parent should be notified (unless this would put child at risk of significant harm) of the referral, before contacting SFIFD.

 

Where there are not immediate concerns for a child's safety:

  • Consider what your concerns are. What have you seen, what evidence do you have and what do you think the impact will be on the child?
  • Speak to the child - Talk to them about what you have noticed (lateness, tiredness etc), explore what is happening. Ensure the child knows who they can contact in and out of school, if they need support or need to share information.
  • Speak to parents - Discuss your concerns and findings. Do they have concerns? Has there been any concerns about child being missing, new associates etc? What safety measures are in place? Offer advice and guidance.
  • Complete a CE active risk screening tool form (replaced the RFM). This can help to determine the level of risk and identify support. If the outcome is evidenced exploitation, parent should be notified and a referral made to SCAS. The active risk screening tool does not replace referrals to SCAS / police.
  • Consider a safety plan - If any exploitation concern has been identified ensure that you have considered the safety of the child when they leave your setting at the end of the day. Use safety plans and discussions with parents to ensure measures are in place.
  • Use the CE intelligence form (previously referred to as the police intelligence form)  to share information about potential concerns, including names of people, vehicles, places children are going to etc.
  • Consult the threshold document, along with the risk screening tool and with the families consent make referral to appropriate services.

 

Where there are concerns for a child around CCE/CSE completing the CE active risk screening tool will help to guide you to take the right action, at the right time.

Key points

  • Professionals do not need to complete training to complete the CE active risk screening tool.
  • An active risk screening tool should be completed at the earliest stage where there are concerns a child is, or may be being exploited.
  • If the active risk screening tool indicates evidenced exploitation, Staffordshire families integrated front door 0300 111 8007 must also be contacted and consider contacting the police. Parent should be notified, unless if to do so would put the child at risk of harm.
  • Where there is suspected exploitation, the threshold framework should be consulted to determine if a referral is appropriate to Staffordshire children's advice and support service.
  • All vulnerable to, suspected and evidenced exploitation risk screening tool forms should be sent the CSE team. The CCE Coordinator, if appropriate, will then refer to the relevant MACE panel.
  • Although the risk screening tool indicates vulnerable to exploitation, submitting this to the CSE team may change the level due to the information provided, which could include known associates to MACE.

 

Multi agency child exploitation panel (MACE)

MACE is the forum for safeguarding children at risk of exploitation within a partnership arena.

Agencies share information where there are children who are at risk of exploitation. 

 

Police partnership information sharing report (previously known as the police intelligence form)

  • Police intelligence form (CE intelligence form)

The police information sharing report identifies individuals or groups of individuals in an effort to anticipate, prevent, or monitor possible criminal activity.

The form should not be used to report a crime or share information to the police about a crime which is being investigated, nor does this replace the child exploitation risk screening tool for referrals to MACE panel.

As much information as possible, should be included on the form including dates and times of when the information occurred, suspects names/ descriptions and children’s names, dates of birth and addresses where possible.  

Please note: The form should be completed and submitted, even if the information has been verbally shared with the police. 

 

Responding to to concerns about knife crime- What should I do if someone brings a bladed article into my setting?

"Last year, 99 young lives were tragically cut short by violence in England and Wales. This is 99 too many. There were 467 cases of children being admitted to hospitals with injuries caused by a knife. Violence is geographically concentrated". "More children are affected by violence in London, West Midlands and West Yorkshire than in other parts of the country." (source youth endowment fund trends in violence July 2024) 

More often than not, children and young people involved in carrying knives are victims in some sense of the word, be it of criminal exploitation, gangs, fear of crime or perceived social/peer norms. 

 

Required actions if a child brings a bladed article into setting

Should a bladed weapon be found on a student in your setting, you must:

1. Recover the item if safe to do so, if anyone’s safety is immediately compromised please call 999, for non-emergency situations contact 101 or report via the digital format on Staffordshire Police Website.
2. In line with NPCC guidance (Child Centred Policing), unlike other matters that can be dealt with within the school, all students found in possession of a bladed weapon should be reported to the Police with the primary aims around safeguarding/ education and prevention. The police can help to ensure appropriate referrals are made to partner agencies to reduce safeguarding concerns.

3. Where there is intelligence regarding a bladed weapon, a Child Exploitation (CE) Intelligence form to be submitted to Staffordshire Police Knowledge Hub. The intelligence will be analysed and allocated to the relevant department to action/safeguard the individuals concerned and where possible prevent crime. In addition, this should not stop local police links having the information shared when on duty. 

4. Schools may also consider contacting the Youth Justice Services of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent if there is unconfirmed information that children are potentially carrying a knife within the school. YOS could offer a prevention/education package to address behaviours. So please contact YOS for support. 

5. All Staffordshire schools can call Staffordshire YOS North on 01782 297615, YOS South 01543 510103 and Stoke-on-Trent YOS 01782 235858 – relevant referral forms will be requested by these services and family consent required. Schools should consider reporting safeguarding concerns to relevant safeguarding Staffordshire County and SOT Child Social Care Front doors

6. CE active risk screening tool should be considered if the school believe that the child is at risk of child exploitation.

Support and services for children, families and professionals

Following completing the child exploitation active risk screening tool there are several services that you can refer the child to for additional support: If the level 4 threshold has been met, settings should contact SFIFD 0300 111 8007 and the police (if appropriate).

Support services for children and their families

Child sexual exploitation (CSE)

Staffordshire County Council team - Futures Matter

Staffordshire CSE team can complete direct work, intervention, and support where Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) has been identified.

Operates a North and South Model across Staffordshire, providing solution focused and child centred interventions to reduce the risk of Child Sexual Exploitation.

The Futures Matter Family Practitioners will provide direct work intervention and bespoke education and awareness raising.

The service is for any Staffordshire child under the age of 18 and residing within the Staffordshire area (where possible, a more flexible offers of support can be discussed for Staffordshire children placed outside of Staffordshire’s area through discussion with the Team). Intervention will support children who are deemed vulnerable to, or suspected of being, at risk of CSE and where appropriate, those who are at evidenced risk of CSE.

Programmes of support will consist of:

  • Bespoke 8-week programme of direct work (with 1-2 visits per week minimum), with a possible extension of an additional 4 weeks where required for rapport building or to work with children who have identified additional needs.
  • Bespoke plans will be built to reflect a restorative approach to working with the child and their parents/carers to reduce the risk of CSE.
  • Potential follow up sessions with Parents/Carer where capacity allows and/or where it is felt that a child is not yet ready to access support.
  • General support to be offered as part of the child’s multi-agency plans
  • Resource packs are also available at request, to support professionals who have established working relationships with children.

Referrals sent without a current CE risk screening tool will not be progressed.

Any queries should be emailed to the CSE team. 

Child criminal exploitation  (CCE)

Catch 22

Catch 22 provide specialist support for children at risk of child criminal exploitation.

This service works with children who are at risk of child criminal exploitation (CCE) and/or involved in gangs.

If you are working with a child you are concerned about, who is not already working with YOS or YOS prevention please send your completed referral form and CE risk screening tool to Catch22 and the CSE inbox.

 

Youth Justice (previously known as the youth offending service prevention team) for children aged 7-18)

Youth justice work with families where there are concerns of CCE and the child is coming to the attention of police.

  • To make a referral to the youth offending prevention teams, gain consent, complete the referral form and send to the appropriate team as directed on the form.  

The youth justice, early help and prevention service’s main objective is to deter and prevent children from requiring statutory intervention in the youth justice system. 

 

Early help 

An early help assessment should be considered for all children, where you have determined that the threshold has not been met for a referral to Staffordshire families integrated front door (SFIFD).

Other support services

  • Survivors provide a national online helpline, individual and group counselling for boys, men and non-binary people aged 13+ who have experienced sexual violence at any time in their lives. 

Children, parent and carers CCE and knife crime guides

Posters and leaflets

Advice services and resources for education professionals

Resources for education professionals to use with children

  • PSHE website - Exploitation, knife crime and grooming lesson plans and resources.
  • Knife Crime – Safe4Me- This toolkit aims to support and assist education staff, partner agencies and CYP practitioners in their work with children,  by providing information, advice and links to resources specific to knife crime.
  • Stephen Croshaw- A Warwickshire Police officer who complies short videos with impact on gang / knife crime and county lines using words of children and parents.

 Further information

Remember:

  • Children can become trapped by criminal exploitation.
  • Children might find themselves in debt, or if they try to resist exploitation, the perpetrators might threaten them and their families.
  • When children are criminally exploited, they can face extremely difficult and dangerous situations and decisions.
  • Children may be coerced into carrying weapons or begin to carry a knife because they think it will protect them from harm. 
  • Even if the activity appears consensual, a child can still be being exploited.

County lines

Child sexual exploitation

Knife crime

Trafficking

Missing children

Children who go missing from school are at greater risk of CCE/CSE.

If a child is believed to be missing (including not arriving at school):

  • Parents/carers should be contacted.
  • If it is not confirmed where the child is, your setting must contact the police (even if parent advises they will do this).

Where a child in Staffordshire is reported as missing from their home or care setting, a return home interview will be completed by Trinity Support Service. Referrals to the service are made via the police.

Child abduction warning notice (CAWD)

The issue of a Warning Notice is a safeguarding measure for the child or young person concerned.

The issuing of a CAWN holds no legal force; it is intended to inform a person should they continue to behave in that manner that they may commit an offence.

It the order is intended to disrupt the activities of an individual who repeatedly associates with a young person under the age of 16 if living at home, or under the age of 18 if living in the care of a local authority.

The CAWD police notice identifies the child and confirms to the suspect that they do not have permission to associate with or to contact or communicate with the child, including online.

The CAWN makes clear that if the suspect continues to communicate with the child, they may be arrested and prosecuted under existing legislation, including child abduction legislation.