Agenda item
Criminal Exploitation
Minutes:
Considered
A report presented by Adele Herdsman, Group Manager Multi Agency Screening Team and Multiple Vulnerabilities, and DCI Carol Kirk, Safeguarding North Yorkshire Police.
DCI Kirk pointed out that the 22 Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) referred to in the report, not all of them are linked to exploitation and extend into the York District. The 7 County Lines modelled OCGs which are soon to be archived demonstrate successful multi-agency working. Adele explained that there is an increased awareness around child exploitation and North Yorkshire is one of 10 local authorities chosen to be part of a pilot for the National Referral Mechanism (NRM), a national framework for identifying and referring and supporting victims of modern day slavery. The Single Competent Authority (SCA) has recognised North Yorkshire as one of the leading authorities in the NRM pilot.
Adele and DCI Kirk referred Members to the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership (NYSCP) website as the key mechanism for accessing training, resources and more information about the multi-agency safeguarding arrangements for North Yorkshire.
The Corporate Director for Children and Young People informed the Committee that in North Yorkshire, it is predominantly white males who are the perpetrators of sexually and criminally exploiting children.
Members of the Committee urged colleagues to find out who their youth workers are in their area to signpost young people to. North Yorkshire Youth can support young people who would like to set up youth activities.
The Committee had several questions:
If an OCG is closed, how are they monitored so that they don’t become active again?
If an OCG is archived, they are still closely monitored, and the Police receive invaluable intelligence from local communities. There is a partnership intelligence sharing form on the NYSCP website that people can complete in confidence.
Is data available concerning the number of young people who are at risk of modern day slavery?
The Assistant Director Children and Families confirmed that this information can be provided.
What role can Councillors play in tackling child exploitation?
Councillors can offer their support by signposting families to the NYSCP website and to trained professionals.
Is the service adequately funded?
All resources are utilised and much of the intelligence provided comes from the community. The service is a statutory area and will never be subject to budget cuts.
How can we ensure that professionals keep up to date with the advances around online exploitation? This is an area that is constantly subject to technical advances.
Specialist trained social workers receive training on the latest online apps and the Police follow the trends of particular platforms.
How can we tackle knife/weapon culture, particularly amongst young males?
The Police will carry out intervention work and there is a current campaign to hand in knives and knife bins have been installed across the county.
There was concern amongst the Committee about the increase in accessibility to weapons.
Members of the Committee can access further information via the following links to the North Yorkshire Safeguarding Children Partnership website (including how to access training and resources), the child exploitation strategy and Be Aware Hub:
https://safeguardingchildren.co.uk/
https://www.safeguardingchildren.co.uk/beaware/
In addition, North Yorkshire Youth’s (NYY) Change Direction Service supports young people at risk of criminality and at the bottom of the webpage is the referral form: https://www.nyy.org.uk/development/change-direction-youth-mentors
NYY also offer to help communities set up youth clubs:
https://www.nyy.org.uk/development/voluntary-youth-provision
Resolved
1) That, the Assistant Director Children and Families, provides data regarding the number of children at risk of modern day slavery in North Yorkshire.
2) That, the report is noted.
Supporting documents:
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