All the power-point presentations from Symposium 28 Wed 15th April 2015 9th BASPCAN Congress Edinburgh

1. Translating Research into Practice:
Child Sexual Exploitation in
Northern Ireland
BASPCAN Congress
Edinburgh 2015

2. Child Sexual Exploitation in Northern Ireland:
The Context of Knowledge Transfer
Helen Beckett, The International Centre: Researching Child
Sexual Exploitation, Violence and Trafficking,
University of Bedfordshire
John Devaney, School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work,
Queen’s University Belfast

3. Background
• Northern Ireland has a population of 1.85 million people, of whom
34% are aged under 25yrs
• The issue of CSE is reflected in Government child protection policy
from 2003 in Northern Ireland
• Barnardo’s were providing a specialist service in the greater Belfast
area since 2004 funded through the Area Child Protection
Committee and Barnardo’s
• Funding secured from the Department of Health, Social Services and
Public Safety in 2009 to undertake research

4. ‘Not a World Away’: The sexual exploitation of
children and young people in Northern Ireland
Aim: To increase knowledge and
understanding of the sexual
exploitation of children and young
people in Northern Ireland, in order to
aid better prevention of, and
responses to, the issue in the future.
Author: Helen Beckett
http://www.barnardos.org.uk/13932_not_a_world_away_full_report.pdf

5. Key Messages
• Affects both girls and boys from across society
• Some children more vulnerable due to their circumstances and/or life
history
• Many of the young people involved or at risk of CSE do not perceive
themselves to be at risk or being exploited
• Young people perceived as ‘troubling’
• Professional and agency responses fragmented
• Opportunities missed to intervene more effectively with both victims
and the perpetrators

6. Young Life and Times Survey 2010
• 786 young people in Northern Ireland aged 16yrs completed a
module in the annual YLT survey on their experiences of sexual
violence and exploitation (64% female; 36% male)
• Majority (89%) opposite sex attracted
• A range of experiences reported:
- 11% reported grooming on at least one occasion
- 20% of those groomed believe the person to be 5-10yrs older than them
- 73% of those groomed said they were approached in person
Beckett and Schubotz (2014) Young people's self-reported experiences of sexual exploitation
and sexual violence: a view from Northern Ireland. Journal of Youth Studies, 17(4): 430-445

7. Health & Social Care Knowledge Transfer Awards
• Funded by the Research Directorate of the Public Health Agency
Northern Ireland
• Recognises that research findings should be translated into health or
social care benefits as quickly and efficiently as possible
• The funding should be used to enable effective two-way exchange
among researchers who have generated new knowledge, and
research users who require an evidence base
• Knowledge exchange will deliver practice, policy, social and/or
economic benefit in an area relevant to health or social care.
• Expected that applications will come from multi-disciplinary and
multi-sectoral teams who can demonstrate credible arrangements for
collaboration.

8. Growing Public Concern
In September 2013 the Minister
for Health, Social Services and
Public Safety established an
independent inquiry into CSE in
Northern Ireland led by Kathleen
Marshall (former Children’s
Commissioner in Scotland) and a
separate thematic review into a
small number of cases led by
Professor John Pinkerton
(Queen’s University Belfast)

9. Responding to child sexual exploitation:
knowledge transfer through learning for policy
and practice in Northern Ireland
Anne Lazenbatt, School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work,
Queen’s University Belfast
John Devaney, School of Sociology, Social Policy & Social Work,
Queen’s University Belfast

10. Evidence about the nature and extent of the
issue
Lack of awareness and understanding about
CSE amongst professionals;
Lack of awareness of CSE amongst young people;
Difficulties for professionals in identification and
assessment of CSE; and
Need for greater inter-disciplinary working and sharing of learning.

11. Knowledge Transfer (KT) Project
• Objective: To share the research evidence on Child Sexual
Exploitation (CSE) in Northern Ireland through knowledge transfer
(KT), and explore their implications for policy and practice.
• KT Project - Funded through 2013 Health and Social Care
Knowledge Transfer Scheme “Improving the Impact of Research”

12. The Knowledge Transfer Partnership
•Policy makers: Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
•Service Providers: Children’s social care; Police; Sexual health services;
Specialist service for working with CSE (Barnardo’s)
•Researchers: Queen’s University Belfast and University of Bedfordshire
•Knowledge translation specialists: Centre for Effective Services

13. Knowledge Transfer Activities
One-day awareness raising conference for professionals (300+);
4 inter-disciplinary thematic workshops for professionals;
An awareness raising resource for young people, created by young
people;
Professionals and young people working together to create
recommended principles for working with young people affected by CSE;
Reviewing potential use of a CSE risk-assessment tool;
A web-based CSE knowledge hub for professionals; and
Academic articles.
Overall aim of these strands is to share learning from the research in an
accessible form for different audiences, to raise awareness and
understanding of the issue of CSE, thereby better protecting children and
young people from this form of abuse

14. Knowledge Transfer - Results
• Development of an agreed definition for CSE that has been
adopted by the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
• Increased professional awareness and understanding about
CSE
• Increased awareness of CSE amongst young people
• Helped remove barriers and difficulties for professionals in
identification and assessment of CSE
• Highlighted the need for greater inter-disciplinary working
and sharing of learning

15. Evidence based learning opportunities
between knowledge producers and
knowledge users, in action
Helen McKenzie
Assistant Director, SBNI
Helen.mckenzie@hscni.net

16. The Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland
• Safeguarding Board (NI) Act 2011
• The SBNI is the key statutory mechanism for agreeing how
agencies will cooperate to safeguard and promote the welfare of
children in Northern Ireland and to ensure the effectiveness of those
agencies.
• In discharging its responsibilities, the SBNI will ensure that
organisational boundaries between professionals, agencies and
sectors do not act as barriers to protecting children and young
people
• SBNI does not have a statutory responsibility to lead on the issue of
child sexual exploitation in Northern Ireland

17. Why is SBNI a part of KTP?
By having the SBNI as a strategic partner of the CSE Knowledge
Transfer Partnership NI (KTP) the following objectives are met:
• Producing a mechanism for sustainability;
• Ensuring professionals and practitioners working in the CSE arena
are able to avail of the most up to date information; and
• Utilisation of this information to inform policy and practice for
children/ young people, parents and carers.

18. How does SBNI work as part of KTP?
SBNI is represented on the KTP Advisory Group along with
representatives from its own membership namely;
• policing;
• health and social care;
• voluntary sector;
• youth justice; and
• public health.
This affords both a strategic and tactical input to the out workings of
the KTP to facilitate maximum utilisation by knowledge users within
a community and multi-disciplinary arena.

19. What has this Partnership produced?
3 step approach:
• Research,
• Knowledge Transfer; and
• Implementation in Practice
This has provided a number of benefits:
• True collaboration of academics and practitioners,
• Real time utilisation of research into practice;
• Trust and confidence in the products emanating from the CSE KTP NI
by the SBNI membership and other interested parties; and
• A willingness of chief executive/ chief officer level staff to approve
implementation into the practice environment and public domain.

20. The key factor that distinguishes CSE from other forms of child
sexual abuse is the concept of exchange.
“Child Sexual Exploitation is a form of sexual abuse in which a
person(s) exploits, coerces and/or manipulates a child or young
person into engaging in some form of sexual activity in return for
something the child needs or desires and / or for the gain of the
person(s) perpetrating or facilitating the abuse.”
Child Sexual Exploitation - Professionals Definition NI
SBNI Professional Info – CSE Definition and Guidance
developed by CSE KTP NI

21. Conference
Workshops x4
Risk Assessment
Community Events
Lit Review
Perpetrator Review
Professional Hub

22. True Partnership working is multi-faceted however the KTP has
shown that where there is:
• a shared objective; and
• confidence of the membership in their respective deliverables,
roles and responsibilities
It is possible to take evidence based learning opportunities
between knowledge producers and knowledge users and see them
in action in a timely and opportune manner.
Knowledge Producers and Knowledge Users

23. Connecting Research with the Policy and
Practice World: Using Interactive Workshops
to Engage with Key Policy and Practice
Professionals in the Context of CSE
Joanne Walker
Joanne.walker@hscni.net

24. Objective
1. To share the findings of the research to enhance
understanding and application of evidence to policy makers
and practitioners
2. To road test and quality assure the research messages and
to see how the particular issues highlighted in the research
presented in certain sectors across Northern Ireland

25. Method
• Topic selection:
- Engaging senior policy makers in CSE policy development
- Working with CSE in the 16 plus age
- The role of education in responding to CSE
- Boys and young men affected by CSE
• Identifying participants
• Workshop approach

26. Common Themes
• No one scenario of CSE
• Drugs and alcohol
• CSE does not happen in a vacuum
• Increased interest in using evidence in policy and practice
• Increasing professional awareness of CSE in Northern Ireland
• Training and risk assessment tools have enhanced practitioner
confidence

27. Common Themes cont..
• General lack of knowledge and focus of certain aspects of CSE across all
sectors
- Beyond population of children in care
- Boys and young men
- Service available for post 18 age (post 16)
• Specific knowledge of the nature and extent of CSE was inconsistent
across organisations and sectors
• Need for better engagement with parents
• Multidisciplinary teams- beyond the police and social services
• Increase in services is not parallel to the increase in awareness
• Need to focus on early intervention and prevention: education programmes-
healthy relationships and resilience

28. Workshop specific recommendations
16 plus:
• Need continuity of care throughout the system
• The experiences of 16 & 17 year olds have been shaped by their earlier
experiences and should be seen as such
• A social model of consent should be promoted as opposed to the legal age
Boys and young men:
• Challenge masculinity- change questions asked
• Externalising responses need to be explored further
• Need to create a safe space for young men to talk about their sexuality
Education:
• Lack of support & training- more engagement needed with social care
• Curriculum driven by school ethos and parent reaction: communication with
parents and changes from above required
• Systems to ensure information is disseminated from Designated Teacher to the
rest of the school

29. Learning
• Topic selection
• Selecting participants
• Participative and interactive workshops:
- Enhanced professional knowledge
- Built networks between individuals and organisations
- Allowed individuals to integrate their personal experiences
with the research messages- enhanced KTP’s understanding of
CSE in Northern Ireland and also made evidence transferable
and relevant to people working in the frontline

30. Evidence based learning opportunities
between knowledge producers and
service users
Jacqui Montgomery-Devlin,
Safe Choices NI

31. Objective
To resource and equip service users (young people with
knowledge/experience of CSE) to consider how best to share the
relevant findings of the research with their peers and to develop
appropriate tools for doing so.

32. Method
• Facilitation of a 5 day residential
• Young people selected from those who worked with Barnardo’s Safe
Choices NI
• Involvement was risk assessed
• Worked with film company – ethos and practice – ‘understanding
through film’
• Exact outputs were not pre-determined – agreed with young people
involved

34. Result
• How the research was communicated to the young people
• The process of production
• Piloting the product
• Building on the product
• Plans for dissemination

35. Conclusion
• Research can impact on the lives of children/young people without
them understanding why/how
• The process and output is an exemplar of true user involvement
within CSE

36. Translating Research into Practice:
Child Sexual Exploitation in
Northern Ireland