Agenda and minutes

That the minutes of the last meeting were confirmed as a correct record.

Members are reminded of their responsibility to declare any pecuniary interest in respect of matters contained in this agenda.

If you have a pecuniary interest you must withdraw from the meeting. Normally you should leave the room before the business starts to be discussed. You do, however, have the same right to speak as a member of the public and may remain in the room to enable you to exercise that right and then leave immediately. In either case you must not seek to improperly influence a decision on the matter.

No declarations of interest were received on any of the agenda items.

Scoping review document previously circulated has been enclosed for information.

AGREED – That the scoping document be confirmed.

The Group will interview DI Steve Ryder to obtain his view to speak to him about policies and processes the police undertake in safeguarding vulnerable children in Chorley and what the authority does to support the work of the police in this field.

The Chair welcomed, Detective Inspector Steve Ryder who headed up Lancashire Constabulary’s Deter Team.

The Deter Team was committed to preventing child sexual exploitation, helping victims understand that they had been abused and bringing offenders to justice.  The team were responsible for those cases involving children and young people under the age of 18, and not within a family environment.

Child sexual exploitation was a crime that could affect any child, regardless of their social or ethnic background.  It involved offenders grooming young people and using their power to sexually abuse them.  It would take many forms whether it occurred through a seemingly consensual relationship with an older person or a young person having sex in return for attention, gifts, alcohol etc.

Many young people who had been abused in this way did not consider themselves as being a victim of abuse.  Some may think that they were a willing participant.

There were a number of signs that could indicated a young person was being sexual exploited –

·         Unexplained money or gifts

·         Using their mobile phone secretively

·         Having significantly older friends

·         Being picked up from home or school by someone they did not know

·         Associating with other young people know to be vulnerable or involved in exploitation

·         Playing truant from school or regularly going missing from home

·         If they had suffered a sexually-transmitted infection

·         Self-harming

·         Change in their appearance/mood

It is recognised that a holistic approach was essential to be able provide victims with the support they needed to rebuild their lives, which was why both a social worker and nurse were also employed within the Deter Team. 

It was important that the Deter Team engage with all communities, however, it was acknowledge that more could be done.  However, the Task Group were reassured that the victim’s cultural background was respected at all times.

Members will need to decide what questions they wish to ask DI Steve Ryder.

Listed below are a sample of suggest questions:

·         What is the scale of the issue from a policing point of view across Lancashire and the south team?

·         Do they have examples of case studies (anonymised)?

·         How does the police work with partners to raise awareness, prevent CSE?

·         How does the police tackle CSE from an enforcement point of view- work with offenders?

·         What can elected members do to help support police work in this field?

What is the scale of the issues from a policing point of view across Lancashire and the south team?

Since April, the Deter Team had received 271 referrals.  The referrals range from incidents of children posting naked pictures of themselves’ on line to rape.  It was noted that Chorley and Leyland had received a significantly higher amount of referrals when compared to Preston.  The cause for this was unclear, but one explanation was the people in Chorley and Leyland may be more aware of child sexual exploitation than those residents living in Preston.  It was clarified that all referrals would be investigated, but not all investigations would result in a prosecution as it was dependent on individual cases.  The welfare of the young person was the team’s main priority.  If a child was in danger of abuse, the Deter Team would remove the child from that danger even if it compromised an investigation.

Can you provide examples of case studies.

The Task Group received disturbing (anonymised) examples of case studies that were under current investigation in Lancashire.

In each case, the young people involved did not consider themselves as victims. When this happens, the offender can be remanded in prison while further evidence is gathered and the victim given the support they needed to come to terms with what had happened and recognise it as abuse.

How does the police work with partners to raise awareness, prevent child sexual exploitation?

The police led a multi-agency response to prevent child sexual exploitation.  Organisations for across all sectors met regularly to discuss cases and share intelligence about possible victims and offenders of abuse.  It was important the support was offered by the most appropriate agency which could differ from case to case. 

The Deter Team also work with other partners including Pace (Parents against Child Sexual Exploitation) as it was recognised families of those abused needed support during such a difficult time. 

A trial had taken place with taxi drivers receiving literature on CSE and how to prevent it to keep and hand out.  It was intended to roll out this trial to other licensee holders.  In addition members of the Task Group were informed that over the last week, taxi drivers, as part of the application process for a new or to renew a taxi driver’s licences had to undertake CSE prevention training.  It was intended that all taxi drivers applying for a new or to renew their license would have to undergo some CSE prevention training as part of their knowledge test in future. 

The reporting of child sexual exploitation was everyone bodies’ responsibility and education was key to prevention.  The team go in to schools to speak to the young people; they also visit various sites where young people congregate to educate staff about what signs to look for and report.

How does the police tackle CSE from an enforcement point of view?

·         All referrals are investigated.

·         Gather intelligence about possible victims or offenders

·         Offenders being included on the  ...  view the full minutes text for item 16.CSE9

The next meeting of the Task Group will take place on Thursday, 27 October 2016 at 4pm in Committee Room 1.

At this meeting the Group will receive representatives from the education sector, children’s services and the voluntary sector.

The next meeting had been scheduled to take place on Thursday, 27 October 2016 at 4pm.

The final meeting scheduled to take place on 10 November was to be rescheduled until the Child Sexual Exploitation Member Learning Session took place on 14 November.  The new date was to be confirmed.