CSE Awareness Day: Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration and Barnardo’s Scotland – explaining CSE

SCRA and Barnardo’s Scotland are embracing the interest and have asked what is it in this research and report that has generated the coming together of so many factions.

Reflecting on the report and research Tam Baillie, Vice-chair of Child Protection Committees Scotland and a SCRA Board member, said:

“The report is a really good piece of research and I am confident it will be helpful to everyone concerned with children and young people.  Like much of child abuse, children tend first to act out in a series of ways and only later are they  able to articulate what is happening to them - this  is usefully identified in the report.

“You need to understand the signs; practitioners need to look at the pattern of behaviour and put all of the information they see in front of them together. The research illustrates this very well.  It explains clearly, the different types of exploitation and what effects they can have on a child, and to a child’s life – how the child acts, or acts out.  These are the signs practitioners, general public and police should be aware of and looking out for.

“The toolkit developed through the research helps practitioners identify vulnerability factors, drawing attention to significant and moderate factors. None of these will tell you a child is the subject of CSE, but an accumulation of them will help identify the increasing likelihood that they could be.  Whilst the toolkit is useful in identifying areas of concerns, this should never replace the good judgement that people need to exercise in dealing with CSE.

“The research also highlights factors which can increase the likelihood of children being at risk of CSE – children and young people with a disability and care experienced children and young people.  This is an important addition to our understanding of the vulnerability of these groups of young people.

This CSE Awareness Day, 18 March, marks the start of SCRA and Barnardo’s Scotland’s week-long social media campaign highlighting the many different ways children and young people can experience CSE.  

Daljeet Dagon, National Programme Manager for Child Sexual Exploitation at Barnardo’s Scotland, said: The aim of the campaign is to help organisations, social workers, practitioners, police, and the general public understand the different forms CSE can take, and what signs to look out for, so children and young people receive the support they need."   

On Child Sexual Exploitation Awareness Day (18 March) we are highlighting six case studies from our recently published research report ‘Sexual exploitation of children involved in the Children’s Hearings System’. 

Case Studies

Michael’s story    Joe’s story    Jasmine’s story    Iona’s story    Fraser’s story   Andrew’s story   Show your support on social media tagging #CEADay21. 

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Notes to Editors

Barnardo’s Scotland and SCRA developed the research using their own resources without any external funding.  The research was based on  information held in SCRA’s case files.  Research proposal was presented to the National CSE Group; the research was overseen by a Research Advisory Group with representation from colleagues from Social Work, Police Scotland, Scottish Government, Strathclyde and Stirling Universities.

Prevalence - The research confirms that CSE is a widespread form of abuse in Scotland, affecting children from all backgrounds in all parts of the country. It also confirms that CSE is happening to boys/young men as well as girls and young women

Sexual exploitation of children involved in the Children’s Hearings System  Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) and Barnardo’s Scotland

The research was based on the case files held by SCRA of 213 children. The research identified 44 cases where child sexual exploitation was reported by services and 30 where it was assessed that the child was a likely victim of sexual exploitation.

Of the 74 children, there were 53 girls and 21 boys who were victims or likely victims of sexual exploitation.  For almost a half, this abuse started before they were 13-years-old,  the youngest was 11-years-old. 

The study found that there were many similarities between boys and girls in terms of their social, family and behavioural vulnerabilities, and their histories of care.  Almost all were influenced by negative peers and/or older people, and/or had not had a protective, nurturing adult at some point in their lives; 50% had experienced a significant bereavement, while around a third had been exposed to sexual behaviour and/or have a learning difficulty.

Policy Report: Sexual exploitation of children involved in the Children’s Hearings System Barnardo’s Scotland

What is child sexual exploitation?  Child sexual exploitation is a type of child sexual abuse and a crime which can have hugely damaging and long-lasting consequences for its victims.  It occurs where an individual or group takes advantage of an imbalance of power to coerce, manipulate or deceive a child into sexual activity in exchange for something the victim needs or wants, and/or for the financial advantage or increased status of the perpetrator or facilitator.  The victim may have been sexually exploited even if the sexual activity appears consensual.  It does not always involve physical contact and can occur through the use of technology.

The Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration (SCRA) is a statutory organisation that is responsible for the administration of the Children’s Hearings System.  It is the only organisation in Scotland that holds information on all children involved in the Hearings System at a national level and also has a research team with expertise on looked-after children SCRA’s vision is that vulnerable children and young people in Scotland are safe, protected and offered positive futures”.

Barnardo’s Scotland work with more than 16,300 children and young people in over 140 specialised community-based services across Scotland and has around 100 shops.  We believe in children and we believe every young person has a right to thrive. Our vision is to realise Thomas Barnardo’s dream of a world where no child is turned away from the help that they need. Our work includes: fostering and adoption services and support; helping children break free from sexual exploitation; supporting young people leaving care; helping young people in to employment and helping children living in poverty.   

Media contacts

Barnardo’s Scotland Katrina Slater e: [email protected] t: 0131 446 7022

SCRA Maryanne McIntyre e: [email protected]    t: 0131 244 8580