Child Sexual Exploitation

Child Sexual Exploitation
The Social Care Training Hub

Tuesday 27 September 2016

Psychoactive Substances Training with The Social Care Training Hub


What are Psychoactive Substances?
Psychoactive substances often incorrectly called legal highs – contain one or more mind altering substances which produce similar effects to illegal drugs (like cocaine, cannabis and ecstasy.)

Although some of these ‘legal highs’ have been legal in the past, many are currently illegal. And it’s important to realise that when the Psychoactive Substances Act 2016 comes into effect on 26th May 2016, none of these drugs are now legal to supply, import or produce, (even for personal use) for human consumption.

New psychoactive substances may sound like an awkward term, but it’s more exact than legal highs. You’ll still hear people talking about legal highs, as it’s a commonly understood term, you might still find it used on anywhere you go. But now they are all illegal when the new law came into effect on the 26 th May 2016.




There is not enough known about many of these drugs to know about their potency, the effects on people, or what happens when they’re used with alcohol or other substances.' The packaging might describe a list of ingredients but you can never be sure that this is what’s inside. So you can’t really be definite what you’ve purchased or been handed, or what effect it’s likely to have on you or your friends.

Many NPS are sold under brand names like ‘Mary Jane’, ‘Bliss’, ‘Clockwork Orange’, ‘and some have been related to hospital admissions, poisoning, and, in some cases unfortunately death.
The main effects of almost all psychoactive drugs, can be described using four main categories:
  • stimulants
  • sedatives or downers
  • psychedelics or hallucinogens
  • synthetic cannabinoids
To learn more about Psychoactive Substances within Children’s Homes and Fostering call The Social Care Training Hub on 0161 870 6200 or visit www.thesocialcaretraininghub.co.uk

Monday 26 September 2016

Keeping children and young people safe against radicalisation and extremism


The carer and child relationship is the basis to keeping children safe and supporting their social and emotional development and educational achievement. Caring can be a challenging task. Maintaining a cohesive and positive relationship can sometimes be challenging as children develop and seek an individuality that may be different from their paternal families. Young people have a curiosity which as carers we want to encourage. However, as our young people develop we have to take different steps to ensure their safety. Currently, a number of young boys and girls have been convinced to leave the country against the wishes of their relations, or in secret, putting themselves in extreme danger.

Why might children be drawn towards extremist philosophy?

· Searching for answers about identity, faith and belonging
· Driven by the desire for excitement and adventure
· Driven by a need to raise their self-esteem
· Drawn to a group or individual who can offer identity, support and social network
· Influenced by events around the world and a sense of objection resulting in a need to make a difference.

How might this happen?

Online

The internet provides interaction. Young People may need to spend time on the internet while studying and they use other social media and messaging sites such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, etc. These can be useful but we need to be cautious there are influential networks and programmes that use these media to reach out to young people and can communicate extremist messages.


Peer interaction

Young people and Children at risk may display extrinsic behaviour, start getting into trouble on the streets or at school and mixing with other young people who behave badly but this is not always the case.
Sometimes those who are vulnerable may be encouraged, by the people they are in contact with, not to draw attention to themselves. As part of some forms of extremism and radicalisation parents may feel their child’s behaviour seems to be improving: children may become discreet and more solemn about their studies; they may dress more conservatively and mix with people that seem to be better behaved than previous friends.

TV and media

The TV and media provides a view on world affairs. However, this is often a very simple version of what is actually happening which are in reality very complex. Therefore young people may not understand the situation in detail or appreciate the dangers possibly involved in the views of some groups.

To learn more about Radicalisation and Extremism within Children’s Homes and Fostering call The Social Care Training Hub on 0161 870 6200 or visit www.thesocialcaretraininghub.co.uk

Sunday 25 September 2016

Children’s Homes Social Care Training by E-Learining



The majority of children in care will go into foster placements - it's the closest to ordinary family life.  But children's homes remain a possibility and nine percent of young people go there.  Generally, the number of children in the home will be small, typically less than 6.  
Largely children will be sent to a children's home rather than a foster family if they are older than fourteen, or if there are emotional & behavioural difficulties issues that need addressing. 

Failure to reach ‘Quality Standards’

The Children’s Home Regulations updated in 2015 describe what should happen in children's homes.  It includes how to give children medication how to prevent bullying, offering healthy food, helping children protect their valued possessions, build a network of contacts and make good plans for the future.  
There are really outstanding children's homes across the England.  Ofsted says that seventy-seven percent of children's homes are "good" or “outstanding”.  In real terms what this still means is that nearly one in four offers a "requires improvement" or worse service for looked-after young people.   This needs to be secure for young people. 

Children's homes and the law

The number of young people who go into the care system with no criminal record but who come out of it with criminal records for assaults on staff, damage to property, breaking curfew and being late, is very large.  By default of being in care, these young people are being given a criminal record, but no parent would report their child in most of these situations. 

Training for staff 

An important part of any residential care workers role in Children’s homes is to develop effective and understanding relationships with vulnerable young people, this can only be done through determination, empathy and interactive and engaging training. Training enables children's homes staff to develop the skills needed to respond effectively to children, balancing behaviour management with helping children develop self-efficacy and life skills to be successful beyond leaving care.

To learn more about training services offered within Children’s Homes and Fostering call The Social Care Training Hub on 0161 870 6200 or visit www.thesocialcaretraininghub.co.uk

Friday 23 September 2016

Self Harm with The Social Care Training Hub


Self-harm refers to purposeful acts that cause harm to one’s body and emotional wellbeing. Examples include cutting the skin with pieces of glass or razor blades; hitting oneself and burning, scratching or picking wounds or preventing wounds from healing; inserting objects into one’s body. Hair pulling; and cutting is the most common form of self-injury among today’s young people.

In a broad sense, behaviours such as alcohol and drug addiction smoking, bingeing on food and staying in a violent relationship can also be considered forms of self-harming.
People who self-harm may not be trying to kill themselves. Typically, they are not trying to end all feeling; they are trying to feel better.


People cope with difficult feelings, thoughts or situations in different ways. Some young people cope by harming themselves on purpose—and it may be the only way for them to feel better. Self-harm may seem upsetting, but it’s important to look beyond the scars and see what’s really going on emotionally.
Some people self-harm:
  • To cope with depression and anxiety
  • To cope with trauma, loss, violence, or other difficult circumstances
  • To punish themselves
  • To turn emotional pain into physical pain
  • To feel normal and counter feelings of desolation or emotionlessness
  • To feel euphoria
  • To regain control of their bodies
  • To simply feel better
People who self-harm are not trying to end their lives, but they can experience those thoughts. When they self-harm, they are trying to cope with difficult or overwhelming thoughts or feelings.
To learn more about Self Harm within Children’s Homes and Fostering call The Social Care Training Hub on 0161 870 6200 or visit www.thesocialcaretraininghub.co.uk

Thursday 22 September 2016

Child Protection and Information Sharing

The key values of embedding best practice in relation to child protection is ensuring that information relating to concerns are shared with or between relevant bodies in order to potentially protect children and young people. Organisations working with vulnerable young people need to consider the sharing of information about individuals who may be at risk, and about carers / adults working and volunteering with them, in relation to concerns, and information arising from recruitment procedures including criminal records checks.
The purpose of this blog is to clarify the position in relation to what info about a young person can be shared with another agency or organisation. If you have a concern it is best to discuss it with a designated safeguarding person within the company. This may be your Designated Safeguarding Officer or the Safeguarding lead who will provide support and advice and best practice. If you make a direct referral to the authorities such as Police and Children’s Social Care, to avoid any delay where levels of concern are high or there are felt to be immediate risks, you must always ensure that relevant people within the company are informed so that they can provide support or follow up. 



Golden Rules for Information Sharing

  • Data protection is not a obstacle to sharing information – but provides a structure to ensure information is shared suitably
  • Be open and honest – with the individual from the start about what, how, why and with whom information will, or could be shared with
  • Seek advice – if you are in any hesitation, without revealing the identity of the person where possible
  • Share with consent where applicable – and, where likely, respect the demands of those who do not consent to share private information
  • Consider safety and well-being – base information-sharing decision on reflections of the safety and well-being of the young person and others whom possibly may be affected by their actions
  • Necessary, balanced, relevant, precise, timely and safe – ensure the information you share is relevant for the purpose for which you are sharing it, is shared only with those who need to have it – Shared Securely
  • Keep a record – of your judgement and reasons for it.
To learn more about Child Protection within Children’s Homes and Fostering call The Social Care Training Hub on 0161 870 6200 or visit www.thesocialcaretraininghub.co.uk

Wednesday 21 September 2016

How child sexual exploitation happens

Child Sexual Exploitation


  • Boyfriend, girlfriend or friend


The offender, usually older, encourages a bond and relationship with the young boy / girl, whether as a friend or as their boyfriend or girlfriend. At first, the young boy / girl feel good about the relationship with the perpetrator giving them affection, alcohol, drugs/ psychoactive substances, money, jewellery and gifts or simply treating them like an adult. Over a period of time however, things change. The perpetrator might tell the young person that in order to recompense them or prove that they care or love them they need to have sex. This might be with the perpetrator themselves or the perpetrators’ friends.
  • Online

Online, it’s easy for the offender to pretend to be someone else of a different age or sex. Using websites, social media and forums, they will go about gaining the victim’s trust.
That done, they may suggest meeting up, fully determined on abusing the young boy / girl. Or, they may try to talk the young boy / girl into sending explicit photographs, taking part in explicit sexual activities via a webcam or smartphone, or having sexual conversations by text / social media. Sometimes they’ll encourage the victim by offering a gift or compliments in return.
  • Chance meeting

Child Sexual Exploitation can also happen rapidly without any relationship or grooming. The perpetrator may simply see a young person out late in the evening or congregating around a place for over 18s only – and spot a potential victim. Children who are visibly exposed are more likely to be targeted, for example those who go missing, are out late at night or go to adult environments. They’ll offer the young person a lift, money, alcohol, drugs, even a place to stay in exchange for sexual activity.

  • Same-age abusers

Offenders are not always older than the young people. In many cases an offender or group of offenders the same age as the young person – their peers – does the abusing.
This might start off as a seemingly normal relationship where the offender slowly manipulates the victim into doing sexual things with them or taking part in sexual acts with other perpetrators and victims.

  • Organised networks

Some organised setups of perpetrators work together to share images and videos of young boys and girls.  Other networks push young people into having sex with adults by inviting them to parties or events and encouraging the young people to bring their friends along too.
Once at the party / event the victims will be invited into a surroundings where drugs, drink and sex with strangers is normal and expected, putting them under stress to go along with things.
To learn more about Child Sexual Exploitation within Children’s Homes and Fostering call The Social Care Training Hub on 0161 870 6200 or visit www.thesocialcaretraininghub.co.uk