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Child Sexual Abuse

Call to Action 

This resource has been created to raise awareness and aim to strengthen the multi-agency approach in identifying and responding to Child Sexual Abuse in Salford.  

As we work together to improve information sharing and quality of practice across the partnership, the prevention and protection of Child Sexual Abuse remains a priority for the SSCP.  Our commitment to children, young people and their families is set out in our Child Sexual Abuse Strategy 2023-2026.

Collectively we can make a difference. We are calling for your action to ensure all practitioners, managers and leaders access and share training and information across your workforce and with children/young people, parents/carers and community members.

For continued improvement and provision of resources please complete the short survey with your feedback and recommendations – this will support us to evidence impact and build a confident and skilled workforce.

For any queries related this page, contact Sharn Shahanara.Begum@salford.gov.uk 

Thank you for your continued commitment and hard work to protect Salford children from harm.

Diane Kinsella, SSCP CSA Subgroup Chair.

Designated Nurse, Safeguarding Children and Cared for Children (Salford)

NHS Greater Manchester

Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023 clearly defines sexual abuse, children may or may not realise what is happening and activities can include non-contact activities too. Sexual abuse can take place in and outside the home including online. Perpetrators of sexual abuse can be male or female including older children.

Sexual abuse Involves forcing or enticing a child or young person to take part in sexual activities, not necessarily involving a high level of violence, whether or not the child is aware of what is happening. The activities may involve physical contact, including assault by penetration (for example, rape or oral sex) or non-penetrative acts such as masturbation, kissing, rubbing and touching outside of clothing.

They may also include non-contact activities, such as involving children in looking at, or in the production of, sexual images, watching sexual activities, encouraging children to behave in sexually inappropriate ways, or grooming a child in preparation for abuse. Sexual abuse can take place online, and technology can be used to facilitate offline abuse. Sexual abuse is not solely perpetrated by adult males. Women can also commit acts of sexual abuse, as can other children..

Child sexual abuse has a long-term impact on the child lasting well into adulthood and potentially causing physical and psychological problems later in life (see The impacts of child sexual abuse | CSA Centre). This type of abuse is one of the most difficult for children, young people and adults to speak about and for family members and professionals to identify, and often remains hidden even in plain sight ( For more information on the experience of survivors see Truth Project | IICSA Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse)

Sexual abuse is just as common as other forms of childhood abuse. Children who have been sexually abused may display a range of emotional and behavioural reactions which professionals should be alert to Effects | The National Child Traumatic Stress Network (nctsn.org).  

Sexual abuse is difficult for children and young people to talk about, research, guidance and children have told us to notice the signs and indicators that a child is being sexually abused, to listen and ask them about what is happening and not wait for them to tell a professional or otherwise (Communicating-with-children-guide.pdf - csacentre.org.uk).

It is estimated that 15% of girls/young women and 5% of boys/young men experience some sexual abuse before the age of 16 ( Infographics | CSA Centre) the SSCP Child Sexual Abuse Strategy 2023-2026 highlights our commitment to identify and respond to child sexual abuse appropriately whilst listening to children.

The Home Office launched a public consultation into setting out proposals for a mandatory reporting duty in child sexual abuse and on related policy issues.  The consultation closed on 30 November 2023. Find out more: Child sexual abuse: mandatory reporting

A national review into child sexual abuse within the family environment has been launched by the The Child Safeguarding Review Panel. The SSCP will consider the recommendations on local and national safeguarding practice improvements once published.

Please note that resources shared this week are in addition to your mandatory safeguarding training requirement. Multi-agency training for child sexual abuse and harmful sexual behaviours will also be available soon via the SSCP Training Programme.

Whilst most of the resources and training will be free of charge, there may be a cost attached to some.

For continued improvement and provision of resources please complete the short survey with your feedback and recommendations – this will support us to evidence impact and build a confident and skilled workforce.

You may find the SSCP’s proposed training levels helpful as a reference to determine the level of learning you should access.

SSCP Proposed Training Levels

Members of the workforce and members of the public with any level of contact with children, young people and adults who may identify possible abuse or neglect.

Members of the workforce with regular, co-ordinated and targeted contact with children, young people parents/carers adults and their carers. This group may be in a position to identify concerns about possible abuse or neglect, including those that may arise from the use of early help assessments and multi-agency support.

Members of the workforce providing regular, co-ordinated, targeted and specialist support to children, young people parents/carers and adults and their carers could lead and contribute to assessing, planning, intervening and evaluating the needs of a child, adult and wider family where there are safeguarding concerns including statutory, specialist, early help assessments and multi-agency support.

Members of the workforce with leadership or management responsibilities for safeguarding children and adults within their role or service, including named or designated lead professionals for their organisation or setting. This group may also be required to undertake specialist or strategic level training to implement the multi-agency safeguarding children and adult arrangements, in line with regulations, policies and emerging needs.

Courses – Face to Face, Virtual, Recordings and E-learning

Description Dates Further information

Identifying and responding to intra-familial child sexual abuse – a free eLearning course for professionals – CSA Centre

E-learning

eLearning | CSA Centre

The CSA Centre have produced a 12-part short film series for professionals, by professionals. 

Recorded series

Introduction to our videos (01/12) - YouTube

CSA latest events and training - Free and charged including but not limited to:

  • Spotting the signs and indicators of child sexual abuse
  • Identifying and responding to CSA for DSLs 
  • Supporting parents/carers when their child may have been sexually abused
  • Responding to harmful sexual behaviour in education settings
  • Speaking to children about sexual abuse
  • Using the Child Sexual Abuse Response Pathway in practice

Various dates 

Events | CSA Centre
Unpacking Complex Trauma - UKTC

Webinar

Thursday May 16, 2024, 05:00 PM – 06:30 PM  - UKTC Insight Series - UK Trauma Council

The UKTC’s online event will explore what complex trauma means, how it might be defined, and considering the impact on children and young people. 

The live event is aimed at professionals supporting children and young people who have experienced trauma.

UKTC Insight Series - UK Trauma Council

Recognising and Responding to Children's Disclosures of Sexual Abuse 

 

Date: Wednesday, 8 May 2024

Time: 10am-12pm (London, UK) with a ten-minute break

 

Webinar: Recognising and Responding to CSA Disclosures (careknowledge.com)

Introduction to CEOP education and Online Safety – SSCP

Various Dates 2024-2025

E-Safety Essentials flyer

SSCP Training Programme | Salford Safeguarding Children Partnership

Multi-Agency Sexual Health in the Community – SSCP

Various dates in 2023 - 2024

Face to Face training

Sexual health training flyer

Trauma Informed Practice - SSCP

Various dates from January 2024

trauma-informed-practice-flyer-jan-24-apr-24.

Using the Child Sexual Abuse Response Pathway in practice - CSA Centre 
  • Wednesday 6th March 2024
  • Monday 15th April 2024
  • Wednesday 15th May 2024
  • Wednesday 5th June 2024
  • Wednesday 3rd July 2024 
  • Wednesday 4th September 2024
  • Wednesday 9th October 2024

Events | CSA Centre  

Anti- social Media Webinar - The violent, sexual and illegal content children are viewing on one of their most popular apps

Recorded webinar

Anti-social Media Webinar - YouTube
NSPCC Developing an Understanding of Child Sexual Abuse Training

Range of dates promoted -Fully booked.

 

Further dates will be promoted in future via the SSCP once available

Understanding medical examinations for child sexual abuse concerns

 

YouTube Recording

Understanding medical examinations for child sexual abuse concerns (The CSA Centre) - YouTube
Harmful Sexual Behaviour - NSPCC

Podcasts

Podcast: harmful sexual behaviour in schools

Podcast: assessing sexualised behaviour

Podcast: preventing harmful sexual behaviour | NSPCC Learning

Managing a disclosure of sexual harassment or assault – Brook

E-learning

Managing a disclosure of sexual harassment or assault – Brook

Understanding and responding to Child Exploitation – SSCP

 

Session 1: Wednesday 22 November, 9.15am - 12.15pm
Session 2: Wednesday 29 November, 9.15am - 12.15pm

Understanding exploitation flyer

Responding to harmful sexual behaviour in education settings, for advice on using our safety planning in education guide – CSA Centre

21 November - Webinar

Responding to harmful sexual behaviour in education settings

NOTA Conference- Preventing child sexual abuse: where we are, how far we have travelled, and current and developing good practice

22 November - Conference

Prevention Day Conference 2023 - NOTA

 

The Association of Child Protection Professionals and Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse will hold a Learning Week between 13-17th November 2023

13-17 November 2023
Online events

Understanding child sexual abuse online: Full Week 13 to 17 November - AOCPP - Association of Child Protection Professionals
HSB in children and young people – CYP Now

29 November, 12 noon to 1pm

Webinar

Webinar: HSB in children and young people: how to recognise it and respond effectively by MA Exhibitions (bigmarker.com)

IICSA One Year On: Victim Care Mandatory Reporting on the Frontline - CareKnowledge

30 November, 1-3pm

Webinar

Webinar: IICSA One Year On: Victim Care Mandatory Reporting (careknowledge.com)

SSCP, Salford and Greater Manchester

Government and National 

Centre of expertise on child sexual abuse 

NSPCC

Further reading 

Experts by experience

  • Lads Like Us are on a mission to educate a million professionals with their lived experience
  • REIGN is an independent collective of survivors of child sexual exploitation and other forms of abuse.

 

 

We understand how difficult it is for children to talk about sexual abuse. Whether it's happening now or happened in the past, Childline can be contacted 24/7. Calls to 0800 1111 are free and confidential. Children can also contact Childline online.

Childline has information and advice for children and young people about sexual abuse and rape and sexual assault.

Child Sexual Abuse Practice Week 17-24 November 2023

This is the SSCP’s first multi-agency practice week and call to action for Child Sexual Abuse

During this week we will raise awareness and aim to strengthen the multi-agency approach in identifying and responding to Child Sexual Abuse in Salford. Working together to prevent sexual abuse and protect children from its harm, whilst we improve information sharing and quality of practice across the partnership. The prevention and protection of Child Sexual Abuse remains a priority for the SSCP, our commitment to children, young people and their families is set out in our Child Sexual Abuse Strategy 2023-2026.

We are calling for your action to ensure all practitioners, managers and leaders who work with families take part in the CSA practice week. Collectively we can make a difference, please access and share the training resources across your workforce.

For continued improvement and provision of resources please complete the short survey with your feedback and recommendations – this will support us to evidence impact and build a confident and skilled workforce.

For any queries related to the CSA practice week, contact Sharn Shahanara.Begum@salford.gov.uk 

Thank you for your continued commitment and hard work to protect Salford children from harm.

 

Diane Kinsella, SSCP CSA Subgroup Chair.

Designated Nurse, Safeguarding Children and Cared for Children (Salford)

NHS Greater Manchester

Support and services

 If you, or someone you know, has concerns of child sexual abuse there are places and people who can help.

Worried about a child

Every child and young person has the right to be safe.

All reports or enquiries concerning the welfare or safety of a child must go straight to the Bridge Partnership, call: 0161 603 4500 or complete the online referral form on the worried about a child page.

The Bridge Partnership is available Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. If you need to speak to someone outside of office hours, please contact the Emergency Duty Team (EDT) on 0161 794 8888. (4.30pm to 8.00am weekdays and 24 hours over weekends and bank holidays).

If a child is in immediate danger of being harmed or is home alone, call the police on 999.

If you are worried about an adult

You can speak to the Adult Social Care Contact Team on 0161 206 0604 (Monday to Friday 8.30am to 4.30pm). Make a safeguarding referral through the online portal https://adultsportal.salford.gov.uk/web/portal/pages/home

If you need to speak to someone urgently outside of office hours call 0161 794 8888 (4.30pm to 8.00am weekdays and 24 hours over weekends and bank holidays)

Call 999 in an emergency or where you believe a serious criminal act has taken place

Managing allegations against adults who work with children (LADO) - Children and young people can be subject to harm by those who work with them in any setting. This may be by a professional, staff member, foster carer or volunteer. If you have concerns about an adult working with children please use the resources refer to the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO).

Emotional Health Service Directory | Partners in Salford – is to support anyone working or volunteering with children and young people. The directory will help you access useful information about different types of resources and services that are available to support children and young people's social, emotional health and well-being and to provide guidance when making a request for support or referral into services. 

Get support | CSA Centre

Contact the NSPCC Helpline on 0808 800 5000 or by emailing help@nspcc.org.uk. Our trained professionals will talk through your concerns with you and give you expert advice. 

The Lucy Faithfull Foundation | Training and Services

Self care, support and services

Aside support, supervision and services available to us in our organisations to support you and your colleagues, you should also prioritise taking better care of yourself and pay attention to what you need.

The following information and resources have been identified to support the wellbeing of our people and teams in the workplace including how we look after ourselves.

Latest news

Details of all the latest news from the Salford Safeguarding Children Partnership.

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