Keeping safe? An analysis of the outcomes of work with sexually exploited young people in Wales

End of project summary

Main messages

Results, Outcomes and potential Impact 

• While the original research aims focussed on the outcomes for those who experienced (or were at significant risk of experiencing) CSE, the quantitative analysis presents a troubling picture about the life circumstances and experiences for the entire cohort of young people regardless of whether they experienced CSE or not. Findings are therefore of interest to anyone working in/with children’s social care more broadly and with young people specifically.  

• The significant factors from the quantitative analysis connect to concerns with the response to CSE being constructed around risk in general and young people’s risky behaviours more specifically. In our analysis, none of the factors that could be understood as young people’s risk-taking (i.e. running away, offending etc) were significantly associated with CSE. This also connects to concerns revealed through the qualitative analysis about a risk focussed approach to social care, rather than a wellbeing approach. 

• Interventions commonly used for responses to CSE such as educative risk and healthy relationships work did not have a positive impact for the majority of young people who received this support. In some instances this is also associated with negative outcomes. This aligns with concerns from professionals, about the potentially harmful effects of a narrow focus on complex issues involving abuse. However this is not to say that it is educative healthy relationships or ‘keep safe’ approaches per se that are a problem, but rather suggests that there is a need to consider how and when these are delivered, and that, for some young people, such discussions should take place with and within the context of a trusted relationship, and accompanied by other supports. 

• Decisions can be driven by a ‘risk-adverse’ approach offering protection in the short term, but which does not easily facilitate positive outcomes in the longer-term (and sometimes even the shorter-term). The potential judgement of court, and any possible inquiry should a worse-case scenario occur, can drive decision-making. This is over and above what might be considered to be best for the young person at that time, given the circumstances. There can be minimal flexibility for managing risk ‘in the moment’, and for allowing and equipping young people to take calculated risks. There is a need for a more dynamic approach to managing risk, and a need to open up the possibility for wellbeing to be the driver for broader social care practice. 

• Placement moves are significantly associated with negative outcomes for children and young people, regardless of whether they were sexually exploited or not. There is a need to address the perception of local authority care as something inherently negative. This filters down to young people’s experiences and their understanding of their situation being in deficit. Being taken into care can be the right thing for a child or young person’s best interests, and this message is important for young people to hear. If there is a need to take a child into the care of the local authority, some children and young people thrive better in foster care; some children and young people cannot cope and do not want to be in a foster home with another family and would fare better in residential care. The best environment for out-of-home care should depend on the child or young person, their wishes, their support needs, and the reasons behind the need to take that child or young person into local authority care.