CSE in Middlesbrough ‘a growing problem'

A review of CSE procedures across the North East city by Middlesbrough Council’s community safety and leisure scrutiny panel heard evidence that the problem in the area was more severe than first thought and that younger children as well as teenagers were being targeted by abusers.

Its report said: “Exploitation had been identified as an emerging issue in Middlesbrough and the numbers were significantly higher than in the other Tees Valley areas.  

“Worryingly, members heard that the risk was not only to secondary school pupils and that incidences of primary school pupils being targeted had been picked up in the transition process from primary to secondary school.”

The report follows the recent abuse scandals in Rotherham and Doncaster, on the back of which the government has ordered all local authorities to carry out an audit of their CSE procedures.

Martin Burnett, assistant head teacher at Acklam Grange secondary school, also told the panel that CSE is a “growth industry”, but said local schools were developing ways of tackling the problem rather than “burying their heads in the sand”.

The school has experience of working with young girls who have been victims of exploitation and has put in place “robust” training for teachers to help them identify pupils at risk; information and advice is offered to pupils from 11 to 16; and strong links have been forged with the area’s CSE multi-agency team.

The panel heard that most schools had designated members of staff trained to spot CSE but it recommended they should have access to safeguarding experts to lead CSE prevention work and deal with problems when they arise. Schools could pool budgets to employ counsellors, while staff should also be offered supervision when supporting an abused pupil.

It also called for the expansion of Operation Stay Safe, a multi-agency unit involving Barnardo’s, the police, social workers and youth services that sees a team patrol the streets of the city 20 nights a year stopping every young person they come across to ask what they are doing.

The panel described the initiative as a “valuable service that should take place more regularly”, but was being held back by lack of resources. The report describes a case where a 12-year-old girl was stopped with three 18-year-old young men. She was returned home and a CSE awareness programme and support was provided to the girl and her family.

“In recognition of the seriousness of the problem and the potential benefit the van can have to safeguarding children, the panel considered that effort should be made to increase its use,” the report states.

According to the report, 42 under-18s are currently being monitored by the area’s multi-agency exploitation and trafficking team because they are deemed at risk of CSE, although the number had been as high as 68 over the past year.

The panel’s report is due to be discussed by the council next week.