A pioneering approach to assess progress to tackle the sexual exploitation of children across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will result in agencies working towards the same goals, the Police and Crime Commissioner says.
For the first time a joint approach has been created, led by the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner in Staffordshire, to improve work to protect victims and tackle and prevent the crime.
Matthew Ellis said the approach was about providing “greater consistency in a complex environment”.
A pilot of the new approach will take place later this year as part of its development in Staffordshire. The pilot will look at how consistent data and information can be used across different public sector organisations to ensure an accurate clear picture.
Mr Ellis announced the pilot today on CSE Awareness Day, Friday March 18.
Mr Ellis said: “It’s vital that different agencies work towards consistent outcomes across different agencies to effectively tackle the sexual exploitation of children.
“Different organisations work in different ways and, without a joined up approach it is difficult to understand what is working and what is not in this area. This is about making sure everyone is working towards the same goals which will protect those at risk of exploitation.”
The joint approach is contained in a document which outlines a new approach to managing the performance of agencies to ensure they understand risk and improve the protection for children at risk of, or who have been, sexually exploited.
Mr Ellis said: “Tackling the abhorrent sexual exploitation of children is immensely complex and difficult. It is made all the more difficult where agencies, with the best intentions, take different approaches, use different data to measure success and are not as joined up as they could be. This new approach, I hope, will be a defining moment in multiple agencies involved aligning effort and resources to tackling this horrendous issue.”
The multi-agency joint approach, called the Child Sexual Abuse performance framework, covers areas including prevention; building resilience and education and awareness; as well as identification and information sharing, interventions and service commissioning. The framework is linked to Staffordshire’s CSE strategy and is designed to help inform targeted action to keep children safe and protected. The approach covers victims, perpetrators, parents, carers, businesses and communities.
The Police and Crime Commissioner is also supporting and highlighting a campaign taking place across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent to raise awareness about CSE and its signs to help combat the crime. Find out more at: www.knowaboutcse.co.uk
