Newcastle Sexual Exploitation Hub

• It follows a process of safeguarding and support, helping police gather evidence to convict perpetrators
• It helped Northumbria Police convict 18 members of a sexual exploitation ring, through Operation Sanctuary

ACTION

Newcastle Sexual Exploitation Hub's co-located professionals include four police officers working with victims or "complainants", who keep hub colleagues abreast of intelligence and investigations. They work alongside hub manager Sam Keith, one children's and three adult social workers, a nurse and voluntary sector representatives. Further adult and children's social workers are being recruited. "We've built really good knowledge of what we each can and can't do, helping us understand how we can all best support people," says Keith, Newcastle Council's safeguarding adults manager.

The hub's work was triggered in 2013 by a young woman's disclosure, which service manager for safeguarding adults Linda Gray says sparked recognition of the need for "a more bespoke response to sexual exploitation across the city". Northumbria Police launched Operation Sanctuary in January 2014 and social workers used their safeguarding and multi-agency information-sharing procedures to support those identified as at risk. The hub expanded into its current form in 2015, with £3.5m from the Home Office's Police Innovation Fund. "Evidence-gathering wasn't first and foremost for us, it was supporting people," Gray recalls. "Police recognised quickly that was a way of keeping people on board."

The hub now receives £708,000 annually from Newcastle Council. Members meet weekly to discuss cases emerging through intelligence from hub police officers and referrals by social workers and others, triggered by indicators including missing episodes. They follow a process of safeguarding, support and evidence. Keith says: "Our strength is that we don't wait for disclosure." Initial safeguarding could include supporting young people's families to increase safety; social workers have been trained in this by the charity Pace (Parents Against Child Sexual Exploitation).

A hub police officer may initially approach a suspected victim with a hub social worker, or other trusted professional. Hub workers support people whether or not they're willing to engage with police or acknowledge sexual exploitation. Its social workers don't have caseloads outside the hub, which Keith says frees them up to be "tenacious, determined and passionate". They provide emotional support alongside practical assistance with issues including health and housing, supporting the commissioning of services such as secure accommodation where needed. They also bring cases to a regular meeting with mental health professionals, easing access to services. A hub representative from local charity Bright Futures may deliver group and one-to-one sessions in a young person's school to increase understanding of sexual exploitation and healthy relationships. Meanwhile, the hub's systemic family therapist from Barnardo's may help strengthen family support networks. "People often don't think they're in abusive relationships when we believe they are," explains Keith.

Seamless support for those transitioning to adult services is a priority. The hub's children's social worker may continue supporting someone beyond 18 and those taken on at 17 may be supported by an adult worker from the outset, in collaboration with the children's worker.

Keith describes the intelligence sharing as a two-way process between police and social workers, who often contribute fresh information such as a new name or location, garnered from relationship-building with victims. "A young person often makes a disclosure to a social worker, but isn't ready to speak to police," says Keith. "We'll then put in place as many safety measures as possible; making parents, school nurses and neighbourhood police aware, ensuring everyone keeps an eye out and a key person is collating information." When victims feel ready to give evidence, their hub worker supports them through the process and afterwards.

The hub also spreads awareness of sexual exploitation, training other agencies to respond appropriately. Gray says this has led people to come forward "who wouldn't otherwise have done."

IMPACT

Operation Sanctuary identified 278 sexual exploitation victims, who were offered support. The operation led to 93 convictions, culminating in the conviction of 18 people in August 2017, after 22 victims were supported to give evidence. The hub is still supporting some of these, with further trials expected this year.

The hub won the CYP Now Awards 2017 Safeguarding Award.