NOTTINGHAM CITY EARLY YEARS DSL NETWORK 15 TH

NOTTINGHAM CITY EARLY YEARS DSL NETWORK 15 TH MAY 2019

DSL Network Aims and Purpose • To promote connectivity with the Nottingham City Safeguarding Children Board • Act as a conduit for policy updates • A practice network which demonstrates professional behaviours and mutual support

Escalation Private Fostering Sam Danyluk Service Manager for C and F Direct, Duty and DART.

Safeguarding Children from Serious Youth Violence and Criminal Exploitation (Including County Lines Activity) Sonia Burton YJS

Serious Youth Violence What does the data tell us?

Further analysis – the link between YJS knife crime suspects and education…

Proposed Approach » Phase One – Development of a responsive, deployable and flexible resource through a multi-agency hub. » Phase Two – a systemic ‘public health’ approach to tackling the causative factors.

The Role of the Hub – young people and young adults (14 -25)

Identified risk factors for Serious Youth Violence

Our Prevention offer in partnership with Nottinghamshire Police Street Aware a tiered approach to weapon enabled violence. Tier 1 – Class presentation offered to all year 6 pupils Tier 2 - Assembly offered to year 7 pupils on positive citizenship Tier 3 - Assembly/Class Presentation offered to all year 7, 8, 9, and 10 pupils Tier 4 - Targeted 6 week group work session to prevent exclusion Tier 5 - Referral to Hub for consultation or targeted intervention

What is criminal exploitation? Criminal exploitation interlinks with a number of multiple vulnerabilities and offences including the child being exposed to and/or victim of physical and emotional violence, neglect, sexual abuse and exploitation, modern day slavery and human trafficking, domestic abuse and missing episodes. (Children's Society 2017)

County Lines The term County Lines is becoming more widely recognised and used to describe situations where young people may be internally trafficked for the purposes of criminal exploitation. ‘County Lines’ is a term used by government departments, law enforcement, local authorities and partner agencies to describe the use of mobile phone ‘lines’ by gangs looking to extend their drug dealing activities into locations outside of their metropolitan home areas. (NCA 2015).

Nottingham Picture • The local intelligence picture for county lines is limited although Nottingham is known to be an ‘exporter’ of county lines. • Local cases have found local young people in Oxford, Grimsby and London. They have been found in addresses with large quantities of Class A drugs. • Out of the current cohort open to the Youth Justice Service of 240 children, 18 have been referred to the National Referral Mechanism, due to concerns that they are victims of criminal exploitation.

This is not a new story?

Key factors • In most cases of county lines exploitation is the presence of some form of exchange (e. g. carrying drugs in return for something). • The victim is offered, promised or given something they need or want, the exchange can include both tangible (such as money, drugs or clothes) and intangible rewards (such as status, protection or perceived friendship or affection). • DEBT AND VIOLENCE CAN QUICKLY FOLLOW

Grooming Cohesion the common thread • Tricking young people into getting into their debt, for example, by arranging for them to be robbed. They will then be in ‘debt bondage’ to the gang, owing it a debt that may also have interest. • Giving them gifts, protection, using the word family making them feel they belong. • Peer grooming is common and takes place in schools, communities and via social media. • These methods can lead to children firmly believing they have made an active choice to join and to deny that they have been exploited whilst also being scared.

Victim? • What if they want to do it? • What if they are making money? • What if they know it is wrong • What if they feel looked after/protected? https: //www. ted. com/talks/sarah_jayne_blakemore_the_ mysterious_workings_of_the_adolescent_brain/up-next

Victim not suspect • There is currently poor awareness and understanding of CCE and it is often the case that victims are mistakenly viewed as having made a ‘choice’ to engage in criminal behaviour. • This is often exacerbated by the child’s refusal to recognise themselves as a victim.

Child Criminal exploitation • It is still exploitation even if the activity appears consensual; • Exploitation can involve force and/or enticement- based methods of compliance and is often accompanied by violence or threats of violence; • It can be perpetrated by individuals or groups, males or females, and young people or adults; • It is typified by some form of power imbalance in favour of those perpetrating the exploitation.

Impact and Trauma • Risk of significant physical harm from weapon enabled violence • Trafficking (arranged moves around country) • Criminal record • Psychological harm due to trauma of experiencing and or witnessing violence. • Unpayable debts. • Sexual violence and sexual exploitation. • Feeling trapped

Signs to look out for • Excess cash • New clothing • Going missing – (out of county) • Leaving home / care without explanation • Suspicion of physical assault / unexplained injuries • Increase in mobile phone use • Change in behaviours – ASB • The term O. T. (Out of town) / Gone Foreign/ Country • Suddenly employed working out of town, no previous mention of interview, limited details of role and company working for.

Signs to look out for continued • Regularly being found away or going to other cities; • Relationships with controlling individuals or groups these may be older; ( Don’t forget as with CSE, peer victims can be used to groom and recruit. ) • Significant decline in school results / performance; • Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well- being.

Vulnerability Factors • Having a prior experience of neglect, physical and/or sexual abuse. • Lack of a safe/stable home environment, now or in the past(domestic abuse or parental substance misuse, mental health issues or criminality, for example); • Social isolation or social difficulties; • Economic vulnerability; • Homelessness or insecure accommodation status; • Connections with other people involved in gangs; • Having a physical or learning disability • Having mental health or substance misuse issues; • Being in care (particularly those in residential care • and those with interrupted care histories).

Taking advantage of specific ‘windows of opportunity’ to assess and address • There are some specific, time-limited windows of opportunity when a criminal group-associated young person becomes more easy to identify and more likely to accept support. • These windows include: expulsion from school/education provision; the imprisonment of young person negative person of influence; the birth of a child; a visit to a sexual health clinic; and admission to accident and emergency (A&E) departments.

Lower Level Indicators • Change in behaviour; more secretive/withdrawn/isolated from peers or not mixing with usual friends. • Expressions around invincibility or not caring about what happens to them. • Possession of hotel keys/cards or keys to unknown premises. • Entering or leaving vehicles cars with unknown adults. • New peer groups and/or relationships. • Leaving home/care without explanation. • Significant decline in school results/performance. • Sudden loss of interest in school or change in behaviour. Decline in attendance or academic achievement (although it should be noted that some gang members will maintain a good attendance record to avoid coming to notice). • Sudden change in appearance – dressing in a particular style or 'uniform' similar to that of other young people they hang around with, including a particular colour. • Dropping out of positive activities. • Breaking off with old friends and hanging around with one group of people. • Starting to adopt certain codes of group behavior e. g. New nickname, ways of talking and hand signs, Graffiti style 'tags' on possessions, school books, walls.

Medium Level Indicators • Increased interest in making money. Increasing use of drugs or alcohol. • Unexplained absences from, or not engaged in school/ college/ training/ work. • Returned from missing episodes with injuries, or disheveled. • Disclosure/ Suspicion of sexual/ physical assault/ unexplained injuries, followed by withdrawal of allegation. • Self-harm or significant changes in emotional well-being. • Agencies unable to engage. • Parental concerns. • Repeated STI‟s and/or pregnancy. • Increase referrals to agencies for other known peers. • Staying out unusually late without reason, or breaking parental rules consistently. • Constantly talking about another young person who seems to have a lot of influence over them. • Associating with known or suspected gang members, closeness to siblings or adults in the family who are gang members. • Expressing aggressive or intimidating views towards other groups of young people, some of whom may have been friends in the past.

High Level Indicators • Frequent missing episodes and been found out of area. • Found with large quantities of drugs and carrying weapons. • Abduction or forced imprisonment. • Unexplained amounts of money, mobiles, credit, clothing, jewellery, new hair cut or other items/gifts. Receiving rewards of money or goods for introducing peers. • Increasingly disruptive, hostile or physically aggressive at home or school, including use of sexualised language and language in relation to drug dealing and/or violence. • Fear of reprisal from “gang‟ members or violence from young people or adults. • Reports being taken to parties, people’s houses, unknown areas, hotels, nightclubs, takeaways or out of area by unknown adults. • Gang association or isolation from peers or social networks. • Child seems to withdraw from family life/emotionally 'switched off', but also containing frustration / rage. • Being scared when entering certain areas and concerned by the presence of unknown youths in their neighborhoods. • Having multiple mobile phones, sim cards or use of a phone that causes concern - multiple callers or more texts /pings than usual.

How is this done? https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=p. Lh. Gp S 1 f-F 0 https: //www. youtube. com/watch? v=y 11 k. Nl Qmz-U

Ensuring an appropriate response • A multi-agency response is needed and not just from statutory agencies. • Young people to be treated as victims not offenders • The voluntary sector has an important role to play • Accommodation and relocation • Access to employment/education

Impact of CCE on Children/Young People and Families/Carers Children/Young People Every aspect of a child/young person’s life • • • Physical health Mental health Education and training Family relationships Friends and social relationships • Behavioural changes • Unable to trust or engage with professionals Families/Carers • • Physical health Mental health Work life Family cohesion Economic stability Social life Despair Limiting their capacity to respond to the needs of their children

Child Criminal Exploitation Pathway Identified CCE concerns/Young Person makes disclosure (immediate risk to self, others – call emergency services) Check agency records, inform your line manager. Complete CCE profiling toolkit. (include siblings if relevant). Open case to social care/YOT Not an open case Contact allocated worker Refer to Children & Families Direct – 0115 8764800 Send completed CCE toolkit to: • Service Manager – Duty/CFD/Mash & Principal Manager of IRO team (Samantha. Danyluk@nottinghamcity. gov. uk) (Evelyn. Hailwood@nottinghamcity. gov. uk) Strategy meeting agreed Arrange via diary. manager@nottinghamcity. gov. uk Invite all relevant professionals (including police). Strategy meeting not agreed Monitor case. Resubmit toolkit if appropriate. Strategy meeting to decide risk levels (Low/Medium/High) Referral to NRM to be considered. Safety plan for the child to be developed.

Additional information and useful links » https: //yjlc. uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Modern. Slavery-Guide-2018. pdf » https: //assets. publishing. service. gov. uk/government/u ploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/698009/s erious-violence-strategy. pdf » https: //www. gov. uk/government/publications/humantrafficking-victims-referral-and-assessment-forms

Safeguarding Updates • • • Evaluations Family Support Pathway Books from Timpson’s Certificates LADO arrangements memo Introduction Safeguarding training – Friday 24 th May 2019

Family Support Pathway (FSP) • This is a partnership document • It sets out the threshold for access to support and services for professionals working with children and families • Nottingham City’s threshold for support and safeguarding

Background - Family Support Pathway • Launched in 2011, guidance for practitioners, ‘earlier support, stronger families’ • Refreshed 2014, 2016 and 2018 to account for new legislation, serious case reviews and local arrangements • Created with multi-agency consultation /coproduction through the Safeguarding Board • Framework to provide a pathway to identify the right help at the right time for children and families

A Guide to Attachment, How to Create a Positive Future and Looking After Looked After Children. Sir John Timpson CBE has written three useful little guide books on Attachment, based on 30 years’ experience as a foster carer – These three books are available FREE from any Timpson, Max Spielmann or Johnsons the Cleaners store. The books aim to enlighten foster carers, inform educators and engage the wider public about Attachment using simple, jargon-free language and pictures. https: //www. timpson-group. co. uk/alex-timpson-trust/free -books/

DSL Network • • Where are we now? How the network has developed Moving forward DSL contact list

Next DSL Network: New Venue! • Wednesday 20 th November 2019 • Basford Hall Conference Centre • Goldcrest Road • Nottingham • NG 6 8 PT • 9 am for networking • 9. 30 am prompt start for presentations • Network ends by 12. 30 pm

DSL Network dates for 2020 Wednesday 13 th February 2020 Wednesday 20 th May 2020