Young people’s insights into what helps them Dr Caroline Paskell Strategy Unit, Barnardo’s 10 th April 2013

Barnardo’s CSE work Began in 1994: service, policy and research First service opened here in Bradford Provision: 23 services using 4 ‘A’s Research: Improving responses Policy: National Action Plan + Campaign: Cut them free Participation: What Works for Us

Our CSE service-users 1,425 young people supported in All backgrounds represented – but additional vulnerability for those in care, who go missing who are excluded from school or who offend. Of our service users in : 10% are male (25-30% in some services) 55% had gone missing 40% had been in care 1 in 4 had been trafficked for sex

No one set of victims 13 year-old girl forced into sex with many men having been groomed by network of older men 15 year-old girl in an inappropriate relationship with her step-father’s friend 16 year-old boy being exploited online through gay chat-rooms 12 year-old girl being routinely abused in a local park by boys in their late teens 17 year-old girl being exploited by her 26 year- old boyfriend to ‘exchange’ sex for drugs 14 year-old boy coerced into sexual assault on a younger girl to validate his gang membership

Young people’s insights Understanding the threats Reducing the risks of CSE and missing Being believed / being supported Improving relationships with parents/carers Developing confidence Stabilising lives

Understanding threats “People saying they're your friends but luring you in to vicious circles, where people glamorise prostitution.” “Look I have been through this and you think your mates are your mates but they're not trust me they're using you – trust, I have been there…” “It was very useful to learn how people do grooming so it will make us more vigilant. Hearing a real story shows that these things do happen.” [What helped you the most?] Being told about the risks

Reducing risks: CSE “I didn’t think I needed to talk to anyone ‘cos I didn’t think I had any problems to talk about. Then I thought, well maybe I do need to talk to someone. It was the worker’s confidentiality and how they give you respect, that’s what helped me stick with it. … We used cards and things to explain what you’ve been through, they’ve got the words to talk about it – but you can have a laugh too … as well as discussing risks and that.” “with Whitney [in East Enders] I didn’t think the offence [by child sex offender Tony] was that bad but in actual fact it was so at least I have more of a boundary and understanding of the law. It’s helped me quite a lot.”

Reducing risks: Missing “Don't trust people. They might seem nice but if they are helping you lie to your parents and helping you go missing they just want to use you” “I have been there, with no food no drinks no bath and the best advice I can give you is to go home or speak to someone – speak to your social worker and ask to be moved somewhere you're going to be happy or ring Childline and explain your situation … good luck” “When social workers, coppers and teachers have a go and shout it just makes us want to run off again! [My worker] never had a go and said he wanted me to be safe. No-one else said that.”

Being believed [What helped the most?] “Speaking to someone who had spoken with people who had been through the same stuff as me” “I don’t feel like I’m the odd one out” “I’ve been able to have someone that I can talk to every week about what’s going on and stuff. So it’s not like I have to find someone to talk to about it.” “If I had got different support I’d have heard what they said but it would have gone out the other ear and I’d still be doing the same things I was … but my Barnardo's worker helped me to decide what I really wanted, for myself.”

Being supported “I felt that other professionals told me what to do and what to think but my work with Barnardo’s encouraged me to reflect on my life without pushing me to.” “[Being able to] talk about more things knowing it’s not going to get out to anyone really” “I feel really comfortable with her and I know it’s private. She asks me good questions and I like that way it’s all set out. I just think it’s a good project” “There are things that I wanted to push for and weren’t able to do it because I don’t think my social worker is really paying attention and so [my worker] helped me to do that.”

Improving relationships “I’ve completely changed who I hang out with now, I just see a few people. I used to see loads of people and be out at all times, but now I just have a few friends, just a couple of friends. Some of them are the same that I had but most of them I don’t see now because I’m changed now.” “Sometimes when I’m not able to tell [my carer] something I’ll just tell [my worker] and she can advocate for me.” “I used to go missing as I kept having rows with Mum … but now we talk every day, we’re always talking now – although we still have our moments, you know what families are like!”

Developing confidence “ My social worker told me about [it] because I was going through a lot of distress with everything that had happened. At first, I was sceptical. But I soon found the work we did together extremely helpful to my happiness, confidence and well being. … there is still a lot of work to do but I feel happier, safer, more stable within myself and most importantly supported.”

Stabilising lives “I got my grades back up, that shows just how I changed since last year ‘cos I was saying I couldn’t do anything and now I’m seeing that I could really do something. … Now I’m finishing school and if I get my attendance back up then I might be able to stay on for Sixth Form ‘cos my grades are ok. I’m thinking if I do stay on then I’ll get a part-time job too, support myself a bit too.” “I feel better now, I feel basically happy with myself now – that’s how big a change there’s been! I feel better at school and more settled at home and with my friends and that. It gave me what I needed, it gave me confidence and that was what really helped me decide things for myself.”

Any questions? Thank you!

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