Symposium 7:

Extending the Reach of Child Sexual Exploitation

Services: Reflections on Family, Community, Religion and

Geography

Convenor: Professor Jenny Pearce

Not to be reproduced without permission from the author

Dimensions of Family Work in CSE Prevention

Findings from an evaluation of Barnardo’s Families and Communities against Sexual Exploitation (FCASE)

Programme

Roma ThomasBASPCAN April 2015

Presentation outline

1. FCASE Programme and Evaluation overview

2. Direct work with parents/carers and young people

- Family work programme

- Direct work programme - evaluation findings

FCASE Programme Overview

Community

Parents/Carers

Young Person

FCASE Programme Overview

• A distinctive model linking direct work with young people and their families with training of professionals and awareness raising among different communities

• Two year DfE funded pilot 2013 - 2015, University of Bedfordshire commissioned by Barnardo’s to evaluate effectiveness

• Piloted in three sites across England, urban, suburban & rural settings

FCASE Programme Overview

3 distinct programme elements:

1. Direct work with young people and their parents/carers (parallel support)

2. CSE training for professionals

3. Community awareness raising events

Significance of FCASE

• Existing literature: Lack of evaluated studies on parenting support and little research on CSE community awareness raising

• Contribution to evidence base relating to practice in CSE prevention/intervention

Evaluation Overview

Evaluation Aims• To evaluate the outcomes of the FCASE model in

relation to its aims and objectives in the three areas of training, direct work and community awareness.

• To identify the key mechanisms of change through which these outcomes were achieved.

• To explore the experiences of a sub-sample of 30 case studies as part of the direct work component of FCASE

Mixed methods included:

• 31 case studies - interviews with parents, carers, young people & workers

• 20 stakeholder interviews• 2 focus group discussions

with project workers• 2 literature reviews: - Community awareness

raising- Parental support

• Project documentation reviewed

• Observations

Focus groupDiscussions

Interviews

Project

Documents reviewed

Observations Literature reviews

Case Studies

FCASE Direct Work with families

A structured programme of 6 - 8 weeks direct work with young people and their parents/carers where a risk of CSE has been identified, therapeutic intervention & family support

Referral Allocation by FCASE Lead Practitioner

Introductory Meeting

& Programme Delivery

FCASE Direct Work

Key Features

• Separate but parallel sessions for young people & their parents/carers

• A separate key workers assigned to each young person & to their parent/ carer

• A Safer You meeting - based on family group conferencing principles

• Strengths based family work

FCASE Direct Work - Findings

Key mechanisms of change through which outcomes were achieved:

• FCASE staff as experts and advocates

• Flexibility

• Work with Parents

‘Working with [name of FCASE worker] was like talking to your best friend, I could tell her my deepest fears, and I trusted her, a trust that I’d never felt with an outside worker before’(Caroline, Carer)

‘It [the programme] was driven by what we needed’ (Tariq and Laura, parents).

FCASE Direct Work - Findings

Key mechanisms of change

• Special role of the Voluntary sector

• Educational Value and risk reduction

‘I’ve dealt with lots of different agencies. A lot of them make you feel talked down to; they can make you feel a little bit like you’re out of the circle ‘ (Ava, parent).

‘I learnt about types of abuse, how to avoid arguments, about internet safety... and I learnt more about myself... it gave me peace of mind because they were working with my family’(Louise, young person).

FCASE Direct Work - Findings

Challenges for the programme

• Referrals and inter-agency working

• Time pressures

• Escalation of risk factors

• Sustaining and embedding learning

‘As is often the case when other professionals are involved, once FCASE become involved professionals want to step away. Whereas it’s much better if there is a package of support around the child’ (Moira, FCASE worker).

FCASE Direct Work - Findings

Additional Benefits:

• Educational benefits – families sharing learning

• Adaptation and innovation in programme materials

• Longer term support and learning for some young people

FCASE Direct Work -Findings

Key benefits identified by young people and parents/carers included:

• Information & knowledge about keeping safe

• Improved trust & strengthened family relationships

• Improved self esteem in young people

‘You have to be aware without being frightened. We’ve got knowledge now’ (Joanne, parent).

FCASE Direct Work - Key Messages

• Working with parents and carers alongside young people using a strengths based approach

• Equipping families with the knowledge and information to help them safeguard their children.

• Promoting the role and value of the voluntary sector in developing working relationships with families

• Engaging workers with specialist knowledge, relational skills, and family centred/victim centred working.

FCASE Direct Work - Key Messages

• Assigning separate key workers to parents/carers and young people & providing worker continuity.

• Ensuring flexibility of sessions with families & young people.

• Promoting ‘Safer You’ family meetings as important spaces for resolving conflicts, improving communication and devising action plans to increase protective factors.

• Having wider CSE support within a service.

FCASE Direct Work

‘I went out and I was safe’

(Rosie, young person)

References

• D’Arcy,K.,Brodie,I.,Dhaliwal,S.,Thomas,R., with Pearce,J. (2015) Families and Communities Against Child Sexual Exploitation (FCASE) Final Evaluation Report, University of Bedfordshire

Available at www.beds.ac.uk/ic• D’Arcy,K. (2015 forthcoming) Exploring effective

approaches to support the parents of adolescents who have been affected by CSE: mapping and reviewing the literature. University of Bedfordshire

roma.thomas@beds.ac.uk

For more information on our work including research publications, short films and

outputs from young people please visit www.beds.ac.uk/ic

@uniofbedscse