4.1.10 Children involved in Prostitution |
Contents
Guidance
How children become involved in prostitution
Identifying children involved in prostitution
Criminal proceedings against the child
Families where a parent is involved in prostitution
Introduction
The sexual exploitation of children is child sexual abuse, which includes children exchanging sex for attention, accommodations, food, gifts and drugs. Sexually exploited children are rarely visible on the streets, and grooming children for abuse via the Internet has contributed to the invisibility of the sexual exploitation of children.
Increasingly, victims are children under 16 years of age, across all cultures and including a significant proportion of Looked After children.
In some cases children may be drawn into sexual exploitation by peers who are already involved. Girls in particular are frequently coerced into sexual exploitation by an older man, who poses as, and how they view as their boyfriend. The girl is physically and emotionally dependent upon him, and this may be reinforced by the use of alcohol and drugs. Over time, access to friends and family becomes curtailed and the child becomes alienated from agencies which may be able to identify and interrupt the abuse.
How Children become involved in Prostitution
Children drawn into prostitution come from many different backgrounds.
Sexually exploited children commonly have low self-esteem and have experiences which include:
- Child sexual abuse
- Domestic Violence within the family
- Family breakdown
- Physical abuse and emotional deprivation
- Bullying in or out of school
- Family involvement in sexual exploitation
- Parents with a high level of vulnerabilities (drug/alcohol, mental health etc.)
- Drug/alcohol, mental health or other difficulties themselves
- Being Looked After in residential care
- Going missing frequently
The vast majority of children do not voluntarily enter prostitution. They are coerced, enticed or are utterly desperate. The child may have a strong attachment to the coercer and be physically and emotionally dependent upon them.
Identifying Children involved in Prostitution
Professionals in all agencies should be alert to the possibility that a child for whom they have concerns may be sexually exploited; they should discuss their concerns with their agencies child protection adviser.
Children exploited through prostitution may not necessarily be found on the streets. Many are kept in accommodation such as rooms and flats against their will. Parents or carers including foster carers, may become aware of a child’s relationship with an older person, who the child may describe as a friend, and/or frequent absences from home/school.
Professionals working with children may have concerns which lead to concern about prostitution. For example:
- Staff working in residential settings may become aware of a child being collected by unauthorised older persons in cars or being met by older persons outside the residential establishment.
- Teachers may become aware of older ‘boyfriends’ who collect girls from school and should be alert to changes in patterns of behaviour such as truancy.
- Health professionals, youth workers and teachers may become aware of children becoming isolated from their peers as a result of lack of attention and appropriate care from their families.
- Specialist drug agencies and outreach workers may become aware of children being involved in prostitution as a means to raise funds to buy drugs.
- Also health care professionals may become aware of children with a relevant physical symptom, e.g. a sexually transmitted disease or, in the case of girls, requests for contraceptive advice or the termination of a pregnancy.
In all these circumstances, professionals must be vigilant as to the child’s possible involvement in prostitution.
Additionally, children involved in prostitution may also come to the attention of the Police directly in the course of their duties, e.g. during the investigation of drug offences.
Criminal Proceedings against the Child
Children involved in prostitution should be treated primarily as the victims of abuse.
The identification of a child involved in prostitution, or at risk of being drawn into prostitution, should always trigger the use of these Inter-agency Child Protection procedures.
The primary law enforcement effort must be against abusers and coercers.
For children already involved in prostitution, the emphasis must be to protect them from further abuse and to support them out of prostitution.
Criminal justice action against children may be necessary in certain circumstances but only where all attempts to divert the child from the prostitution have failed and there is evidence that the child persistently and voluntarily returns to prostitution. Such a decision should be taken after prior inter-agency discussion to consider the child’s needs has taken place.
The decision on whether to initiate criminal justice action is for the Police and, at a later stage, the Crown Prosecution Service. However, any such decision will only be taken after inter-agency discussion has considered the full circumstances of the case and, in particular:
- The age and vulnerability of the child
- The needs of the child
- Any drug use by the child
- Whether the child’s return to prostitution is genuinely voluntary and/or whether there is any evidence of physical, mental or emotional coercion
and - Whether the child understands that criminal proceedings may follow, and the effect these may have in later life.
If the matter reaches the point of referral to the Youth Offending Team, this provides a further opportunity for positive intervention.
Families where a parent is involved in prostitution
Involvement of a family member or member of a child’s household in prostitution does not necessarily mean the child will suffer Significant Harm.
However, the risks to a child in these circumstances needs to be assessed. The child could be at risk from:
- Being exposed to unsuitable adults and sexual activity or materials, especially if the parent works from home
- Being left alone whilst the parent is working
- Having responsibility for younger siblings
- Receiving inconsistent care, e.g. if the parent is imprisoned
- Being affected by a parent or carer’s substance misuse and/or mental health difficulties.
Where a professional becomes aware that a child is living in a household where their parent, or another adult, is involved in prostitution, they should discuss this with their line manager and agencies nominated child protection adviser.
The professional should make a referral to Children’s Social Care Services where there is evidence that the child/ren are at risk of Significant Harm.
Procedure
Threshold for Child Protection Enquiries
Multi-Agency Planning Meetings
Child Protection Enquiry Strategy Discussion
Looked After children involved in prostitution
Involvement of groups of looked after children
Appendix: Contact details for SWISH
Definition
Coventry Safeguarding Children Board recognises that any coercion of Children (which includes their lack of free choice) to perform or partake in sexual activities in exchange for any payment, in either goods or kind, or through fear or isolation, is utterly unacceptable. This exploitation can destroy their self-respect, their dignity and their childhood. It can have long-term consequences for their physical and emotional well being and has ultimately resulted in the deaths of children in other areas of the UK.
Children involved in prostitution and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation should be treated primarily as victims of abuse and their needs require careful assessment.
Procedure
These procedures use the term used in DH guidance ‘Safeguarding Children involved in Prostitution’ although it is recognised that the term ‘abused through prostitution’ and the term ‘exploited through prostitution’ also apply.
Prostitution of children is a form of sexual exploitation of those under the age of eighteen whose ability to provide informed consent may be compromised for a variety of reasons. Children involved in prostitution and other forms of commercial sexual exploitation should be treated primarily as the victims of abuse, and their needs require careful assessment.
This exploitation takes the form of the exchange of sexual activities by these children for commodities such as money, drink, drugs, shelter, protection, accommodation etc. and is often perpetrated by an adult through violence or threats of violence.
See Safeguarding Children Involved in Prostitution DH 2000 for guidance on the management of young people involved in prostitution, and type the following into the search facility: Safeguarding children involved in prostitution: guidance review.
Legal Position
Prostitution is not in itself illegal, though there are offences that make the selling or buying of sexual services on a street or in a public place illegal.
Children under the age of sixteen cannot, by law, consent to sexual intercourse and anyone engaging in sexual activity with a child under the age of sixteen is committing an offence.
Primary law enforcement should be against abusers and coercers. Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit as a function of their expertise in working with children, have an important contribution to this multi-agency work, even where police responsibility lies with CID or vice squad.
Only rarely will it be appropriate for the child to enter the criminal justice system and then only if aged sixteen and over, when all attempts to divert the child have failed and in full knowledge of her/his circumstances after inter-agency discussion.
The Sex Offences Review recommended a set of specific offences relating to the sexual exploitation of children.....’it should be an offence to buy the sexual services of a child, recruit, induce or compel a child into commercial sexual exploitation, participate in, facilitate or allow the commercial exploitation of a child or receive money or other reward, favour or compensation’. [Rec. 5 HO 2002].
They are likely to be in need of a range of welfare service and – in many cases – protection under the Children Act 1989. Children involved in prostitution may be difficult to reach, and under very strong pressure to remain in prostitution. They may be fearful of being involved with the police or Children’s Social Care (Social Services), and may respond best initially to informal contact from health or voluntary sector outreach workers. Gaining the child’s trust is vital if he or she is to be helped to be safe and well, and diverted from prostitution.
Aim Of Intervention
The aims of intervention by agencies are to:
- Identify any child in the sex industry, including prostitution and the production or promotion of pornography
- Help the child understand the physical and emotional dangers of these activities
- Identify and prosecute those adults involved in either coercing or abusing the child
- Protect the child from further abuse and to support her/him out of prostitution
All agencies should establish whether those who are known to pay for sex with children are themselves parents or carers of children. If this is the case an assessment of the needs of those children should be considered, including whether they are at risk of, or are suffering, Significant Harm.
Recognition
Parents, carers including foster carers and staff in children’s homes must be alert to the following behaviours that may indicate a child’s involvement (or ‘grooming’ for involvement), but are not conclusive signs in themselves:
- Physical symptoms such as sexually transmitted diseases, or bruising consistent with physical or sexual assault
- Reports from reliable sources that a child has been seen soliciting or noticed in places where soliciting occurs
- Being contacted by unknown adult men outside the child’s usual range of social activities
- Development of a relationship, usually with someone older, who encourages emotional dependence and controls the relationship by violence and threats
- Persistent absconding or late return with no plausible explanation (also see missing children)
- Returning after being missing, looking well cared for without a known base
- Being picked up by unauthorised adults in cars
- Acquisition of money or possessions with no plausible explanation
- An adult loitering outside the home to meet up with the child
- Having keys to unknown premises
- Self harming behaviour
- Substance, drug and alcohol abuse
The most common predisposing factors associated with a child becoming involved in prostitution are low self esteem and a history of being a victim of abuse.
Response
Parents should report concerns to Children’s Social Care and/or Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit (CAIU).
Foster carers should report concerns to their supervising social worker or the child’s social worker.
Staff in children’s homes must report concerns to the manager of the home, who must refer the concern to the child’s social worker.
Uniformed police, CID or vice squad may become aware that a child is involved in prostitution through the course of their duties. Unless immediate action is required to provide protection they should inform the Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit and Children’s Social Care Service Children’s Social Care Services (Social Services).
Health professionals, youth workers and teachers should consult the designated and or named child protection adviser and subsequently refer to Children’s Social Care Services.
Professionals and volunteers involved with young people may have developed a trusting relationship with the child and be concerned that a referral to Children’s Social Care Services will result in the child withdrawing from support services e.g. contraception, counselling or substance misuse treatment.
A professional, together with their agencies child protection adviser, should consider the extent to which the agency is able to provide focused early intervention and diversion to meet the child’s needs as a single agency, and how to proceed if not.
Where appropriate, the child and their family should be made aware of the concerns, engaged in developing the diversion plan and involved in all subsequent interventions to review the plan. However, engaging the child and family and alerting them to the risks should be approached with a high level of sensitivity to avoid compounding risks of furthering alienation.
A concern that a child is involved or at risk of involvement in prostitution should be treated in the same way as any other child protection concern, as detailed in the Basic Procedures contained within Part 3 of this manual.
Referral
Any person concerned that a child is involved in or at risk of involvement in prostitution must refer their concern to Children’s Social Care Services. The professional identifying concerns should seek consent from the child or her/his parents unless this may:
- Place the child at risk of further significant harm e.g. alienate her/him from intervention or services
- Jeopardise a criminal investigation by alerting the alleged offender
All referrals must be shared between Children’s Social Care and Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit and should be regarded as ‘children in need’ who may be at risk of Significant Harm. This discussion will determine within 24 hours of the referral whether:
- The child is a child in need, at risk of sexual exploitation and an assessment of their needs is required (s.17 response)
- Whether the child is suspected of being at risk of significant harm (s.47 response)
- Immediate protective action is required
The above procedure represents the minimum response required.
Threshold For Child Protection Enquiries
The minimum threshold for a Section 47 Enquiry (Child Protection Enquiry) is:
- An immediate risk of Significant Harm
- Concern that prostitution / sexual exploitation is being actively encouraged by a parent / carer
- Concern that prostitution / sexual exploitation is facilitated by the parent / carer failing to protect the child
- Concern that a related or unrelated adult, in a position of trust or responsibility to the child, is organising or encouraging prostitution
- Concern about coercion by peers
The younger the child the more likely it is that child protection procedures will be appropriate.
As with all referrals child protection procedures should be initiated at any point that it is recognised that the threshold has been met.
Multi-agency Planning Meetings
Where the threshold for child protection enquiries has not been met an Initial Assessment must be completed within 7 days of the referral and a multi-agency planning meeting held, including the referrer and all professionals relevant to the child and family, including the police. The purpose of the meeting is to develop a safeguarding and support plan for the child.
The manager from Children’s Social Care Service’s should chair the meeting. Invitations should also be sent to the CAIU and the lead officers for education and health. If they are unable to attend, they should consult with the professional staff representing their agency.
The meeting should be sensitive to the views of a young person who may be seeking a confidential service.
The safeguarding and support plan should specify who is responsible for undertaking the work, a copy of the plan and minutes should be sent to all the agencies involved with the child and a date for a review meeting should be agreed, to take place no later than three months after the initial meeting.
Implementing effective diversionary and safeguarding and support plans for children may require professionals to be extremely persistent in continuing to offer support and services. It may be that a non-Children’s Social Care Services professional may be best able to provide a direct service (e.g. SWISH, see Appendix for further details).
Following careful consideration of the implications for the child, where possible, the parent/s and child should be invited to the meeting. If they are not present the meeting must consider when and how they will be informed.
The purpose of this meeting is to:
- Share and clarify information
- Establish the exact nature of the concerns
- Establish risks for any other children
- Consider the likelihood of prosecution of relevant adults
- Agree on action and make recommendations to address the concerns, provide a support plan for child and parents and an exit strategy
Unless no further action is agreed or child protection procedures are invoked, a date for a review meeting will be agreed to take place no later than 3 months after the initial meeting.
Child Protection Enquiry Strategy Discussion
Where the threshold for a Section 47 Enquiry (Child Protection Enquiry) is met, a Strategy Discussion/Meeting (usually a meeting) must be held involving Children’s Social Care Service’s (Social Services), Police Child Abuse Investigation Unit, the community paediatrician and other relevant agencies. In planning any intervention the strategy meeting must:
- Treat the child primarily as a victim of abuse and consider the need for immediate protection
- Provide the child with strategies to leave prostitution
- Consider the police role to investigate and prosecute those who coerce, exploit and abuse children
- Plan to assess the needs of any children in regular contact with those who abuse children
Looked After Children Involved In Prostitution
When a referral is received regarding a Looked After child, the social worker must immediately inform their line manager and the relevant senior manager and the Safeguarding Children Service. The multi-agency planning meeting Strategy Discussion/Meeting must be convened and should consider the additional factors:
- Risks to other children in placement
- Whether the child should remain in placement
- The feasibility of controlling the child’s movements and the likely effects of doing so
If a child is in a residential unit, the staff should be asked to take positive action to clarify and record suspicions and minimise the child’s involvement in sexual exploitation.
If the child is in foster care, the social worker and fostering link worker should meet with the foster carer to decide which of the above step could reasonably be taken by the foster carer. This needs to take place in consultation with the fostering team manager.
The meetings must consider and record the appropriateness and method of informing the child’s parents. Any decision that has implications for restriction of liberty or confiscation of property must have the written agreement of the service manager. The support plan will form part of the care plan for the child and pathway plan in the case of care leavers.
Involvement of Groups of Looked After Children
Where there is knowledge or suspicion that looked after children are involved together or being controlled by the same person there will need to be:
- Consideration of the need for the applicability of complex abuse procedures
- Efforts made to ensure that strategy meetings and /or multi agency planning meetings on different children result in consistent plans
- Involvement of a consistent chair for the meetings
Such a referral will be treated by Children’s Social Care Services as a child protection referral. Upon receipt of the referral, Children’s Social Care Services will carry out an Initial Assessment to decide if further enquiries, assessments and/or interventions are necessary under the Basic Procedures contained within Part 3 of this manual.
In every case where a child is first known or suspected of being involved in prostitution or attempts are being made to procure a child for purposes of prostitution, there should be a discussion between the Police and Social Services to share available information and agree an appropriate strategy for action.
During the course of these enquiries urgent action may be required such as arranging for the child to move to new accommodation.
As part of the initial assessment and Strategy Discussion Children’s Social Care Services should consult those with specific responsibility within their agency for children involved in prostitution.
The Strategy Discussion should ensure the coordination of information to assist in any criminal investigation to enable the Police to gather evidence about abusers and coercers.
Practitioners from all agencies should be aware of their responsibility under the Bichard recommendations to report sexual activity involving under age children to the Police.
APPENDIX: Details for SWISH
| Service Type | Information and Advice Managing Health Practical support services Testing for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections |
| Description | Services to female sex workers - including pregnancy testing, housing and benefits advice, access to drug services, education and training, counselling, health checks and court diversion scheme. |
| Address | 10 Manor Road Coventry CV1 2LH |
| Telephone | 024 7622 9292 |
| info.coventry@tht.org.uk |
|
| Opening times | Monday to Friday, 09:30 to 17:30 |
End