An evaluation of the third year of the Prevention Programme, which works nationally to tackle and prevent child sexual abuse (CSA) and exploitation (CSE), child criminal exploitation (CCE), modern day slavery and human trafficking on a regional and national basis across England and Wales. The Prevention Programme in year 3 has been organised under three main thematic priorities: everyone’s responsibility - supporting businesses and general public to understand that preventing exploitation and abuse is everyone’s responsibility; reframing narratives - challenging assumptions and bias to improve the response to victims and better safeguard exploited children; increasing collaboration - building strong relationships across different sectors and geographies to come together and tackle child exploitation. The evaluation found that 15,000 people were reached through workshops, training and engagement activity in the first three quarters of the year - 12,000 were police or statutory service providers; 89% of people who did #LookCloser training said their learning will impact their practice and 96% said the training improved their knowledge and understanding. The report suggests that year 3 of the Prevention Programme has successfully led to incremental systemic change through improving knowledge and attitudes towards exploitation. There are, in addition, some examples of structural change (i.e., practice and processes) being influenced by the Prevention Programme. The Prevention Programme has raised awareness at local, regional and national levels of issues that were relatively little understood; raising awareness is the first step to structural change which is likely to be realised later down the line with further input and maintained momentum from the Prevention Programme. The recommendations below indicate some success factors to contribute to this longer-term systems change. The Prevention Programme has successfully taken steps to improve the effectiveness of multiagency efforts at sub-regional and regional levels to better understand, identify and disrupt exploitation.
(Edited publisher abstract)
An evaluation of the third year of the Prevention Programme, which works nationally to tackle and prevent child sexual abuse (CSA) and exploitation (CSE), child criminal exploitation (CCE), modern day slavery and human trafficking on a regional and national basis across England and Wales. The Prevention Programme in year 3 has been organised under three main thematic priorities: everyone’s responsibility - supporting businesses and general public to understand that preventing exploitation and abuse is everyone’s responsibility; reframing narratives - challenging assumptions and bias to improve the response to victims and better safeguard exploited children; increasing collaboration - building strong relationships across different sectors and geographies to come together and tackle child exploitation. The evaluation found that 15,000 people were reached through workshops, training and engagement activity in the first three quarters of the year - 12,000 were police or statutory service providers; 89% of people who did #LookCloser training said their learning will impact their practice and 96% said the training improved their knowledge and understanding. The report suggests that year 3 of the Prevention Programme has successfully led to incremental systemic change through improving knowledge and attitudes towards exploitation. There are, in addition, some examples of structural change (i.e., practice and processes) being influenced by the Prevention Programme. The Prevention Programme has raised awareness at local, regional and national levels of issues that were relatively little understood; raising awareness is the first step to structural change which is likely to be realised later down the line with further input and maintained momentum from the Prevention Programme. The recommendations below indicate some success factors to contribute to this longer-term systems change. The Prevention Programme has successfully taken steps to improve the effectiveness of multiagency efforts at sub-regional and regional levels to better understand, identify and disrupt exploitation.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
intervention, evaluation, prevention, child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, modern slavery, human trafficking;
This is the eleventh annual report on the wellbeing of children in the UK, and marks the tenth anniversary of the series. It presents the most recent trends in children's subjective well-being and this year looks in more detail at how children feel about school, recognising the pivotal role it plays in their lives. The report presents data from a variety of sources that capture children's own views on how their life is going (or their self-reported well-being). It includes: an overview of the latest trends in subjective well-being in the UK, including variations by gender; a detailed analysis of children's responses to questions about their happiness with and experiences of school; an exploration of what has been achieved in three case study areas as a result of measuring well-being in schools. The report reveals that the current cost of living crisis is having a significant effect on families, with 85% of parents and carers surveyed in 2022 saying they are concerned about how it will affect their families in the next year; girls are significantly more unhappy with their appearance than boys, with almost 1 in 5 (18%) - this is a worrying jump for girls from 1 in 7 (15%) being unhappy with their appearance ten years ago; The pandemic's damaging impact is laid bare, with 1 in 9 children (11% aged 10 to 17) saying they did not cope overall with changes due to Coronavirus, despite many of the restrictions being lifted when the survey was taken. Months of lost learning, facing in-person exams for the first time and mounting pressure could all have had a detrimental effect on children's wellbeing.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This is the eleventh annual report on the wellbeing of children in the UK, and marks the tenth anniversary of the series. It presents the most recent trends in children's subjective well-being and this year looks in more detail at how children feel about school, recognising the pivotal role it plays in their lives. The report presents data from a variety of sources that capture children's own views on how their life is going (or their self-reported well-being). It includes: an overview of the latest trends in subjective well-being in the UK, including variations by gender; a detailed analysis of children's responses to questions about their happiness with and experiences of school; an exploration of what has been achieved in three case study areas as a result of measuring well-being in schools. The report reveals that the current cost of living crisis is having a significant effect on families, with 85% of parents and carers surveyed in 2022 saying they are concerned about how it will affect their families in the next year; girls are significantly more unhappy with their appearance than boys, with almost 1 in 5 (18%) - this is a worrying jump for girls from 1 in 7 (15%) being unhappy with their appearance ten years ago; The pandemic's damaging impact is laid bare, with 1 in 9 children (11% aged 10 to 17) saying they did not cope overall with changes due to Coronavirus, despite many of the restrictions being lifted when the survey was taken. Months of lost learning, facing in-person exams for the first time and mounting pressure could all have had a detrimental effect on children's wellbeing.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
children, wellbeing, happiness, poverty, quality of life, surveys, education, attitudes;
This document seeks to provide guidance to professionals on the appropriate use of language when discussing children and their experience of exploitation in a range of contexts. These include when speaking directly with or discussing children, within recording and case management systems and when delivering relevant training or other learning interventions. The persistent use of victim-blaming terminology is likely to alter the perspective of a professional. This language is both symptomatic of and a contributor towards compassion fatigue and can therefore also have a negative impact on staff wellbeing and effective practice across teams and services. The guide provides alternatives to inappropriate terms such as ‘sexual activity with” (which implies consensual sexual activity); ‘putting themselves at risk’ (which implies that the child is responsible for the risks presented by the perpetrator); ‘prostituting themselves’ (this implies that the child or young person is responsible for the abuse). The document can inform and help frame discussions during child protection and multiagency meetings, or other settings where professionals are discussing children and young people who are at risk of or subjected to exploitation or any activity an agency undertakes to disrupt and tackle child exploitation. This is the latest version of the guide which we first created in 2017.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This document seeks to provide guidance to professionals on the appropriate use of language when discussing children and their experience of exploitation in a range of contexts. These include when speaking directly with or discussing children, within recording and case management systems and when delivering relevant training or other learning interventions. The persistent use of victim-blaming terminology is likely to alter the perspective of a professional. This language is both symptomatic of and a contributor towards compassion fatigue and can therefore also have a negative impact on staff wellbeing and effective practice across teams and services. The guide provides alternatives to inappropriate terms such as ‘sexual activity with” (which implies consensual sexual activity); ‘putting themselves at risk’ (which implies that the child is responsible for the risks presented by the perpetrator); ‘prostituting themselves’ (this implies that the child or young person is responsible for the abuse). The document can inform and help frame discussions during child protection and multiagency meetings, or other settings where professionals are discussing children and young people who are at risk of or subjected to exploitation or any activity an agency undertakes to disrupt and tackle child exploitation. This is the latest version of the guide which we first created in 2017.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
child sexual abuse, child sexual exploitation, child abuse, modern slavery, human trafficking, child criminal exploitation;
Tenth in a series of annual reports about children's well-being in the United Kingdom, carried out by the Children'sSociety in partnership with the University of York. The report draws together children’s views on a range of issues and includes trends children’s subjective well-being, analysis of child-centred measures of disadvantage and their relationship with wellbeing, and analysis
(Edited publisher abstract)
Tenth in a series of annual reports about children's well-being in the United Kingdom, carried out by the Children'sSociety in partnership with the University of York. The report draws together children’s views on a range of issues and includes trends children’s subjective well-being, analysis of child-centred measures of disadvantage and their relationship with wellbeing, and analysis of poverty and wellbeing. It also looks at children’s own views of what makes a good childhood, and their worries about the future. The report estimates 306,000 (7 per cent) 10-15 year olds in the UK are unhappy with their lives. The report also finds that young people have been incredibly resilient during the pandemic. Most 10-17 year olds seem to have coped well with the disruption. However, an estimated quarter of a million hildren did not cope well with changes during the pandemic. The report also found that school, friendships and appearance continue to cause the greatest dissatisfaction in adolescence.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
attitudes, children, happiness, poverty, wellbeing, quality of life, surveys;
An evaluation of By Your Side, a service that provides holistic support for separated asylum seekers, refugee and migrant young people aged 14 to 21. The service delivers critical support across London to young people that have no support from social care and high levels of need. The service model has four key elements: holistic casework; direct referral route to The Children'sSociety's
(Edited publisher abstract)
An evaluation of By Your Side, a service that provides holistic support for separated asylum seekers, refugee and migrant young people aged 14 to 21. The service delivers critical support across London to young people that have no support from social care and high levels of need. The service model has four key elements: holistic casework; direct referral route to The Children'sSociety's therapeutic service; befriending; and youth group. Key findings include: the By Your Side service has built hope in the lives of young people who would have otherwise been alone, and living in circumstances detrimental to their wellbeing; the service has had a significant positive impact on local communities and systems through a range of mechanisms, including adding capacity in the sector, upskilling professionals and changing practice, and making systemic change through feeding into the work of central teams; volunteering for the By Your Side service has given befrienders increased levels of life satisfaction and improved mental health and wellbeing, as well as developed their skills and confidence, and given them a new perspective on life; there a number of critical success factors, which have facilitated the positive impacts that the service has had on young people, volunteers and local communities and systems; while there are challenges for the service and opportunities for development, there is a significant demand for this service as it is, and without it, there would be a detrimental impact on young people’s hope for the future.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Open access hubs are designed to offer easy-to-access, drop-in support on a self-referral basis for young people with emotional health and wellbeing needs, up to age 25. These services can be delivered through the NHS, in partnership with local authorities, or through the voluntary sector. This briefing intends to set out the case as to why we believe these hubs are essential for the emotional health and well-being of children and young people. These services share common characteristics: dedicated services for young people, often up to the age of 25; available to all young people without the need to meet thresholds for support; a single, visible trusted location where services are delivered under one roof; a safe and youth-friendly environment; accessible in terms of location and hours of operation; provide a timely response to young people; combine a range of expertise from youth work skills, advice workers and counsellors; take a youth-centred approach. A mix of clinical staff, counsellors, youth workers and volunteers provide a range of support on issues related to wellbeing, while a range of services can be co-located under one roof; offering wrap-around support across, for example, psychological therapies, housing advice, youth services, employment support and sexual health. If left unaddressed, these areas are known to have an impact on mental health and well-being. Evidence suggests there are a number of key benefits to the open access model. The report sets out three key priorities that need be taken forward by the Government to ensure these services are put in place across the country: put in place a clear strategy for young people’s well-being; ensure dedicated and sustainable funding for emotional health and well-being services; collect and improve outcomes data collections across the children and young people’s mental health system.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Open access hubs are designed to offer easy-to-access, drop-in support on a self-referral basis for young people with emotional health and wellbeing needs, up to age 25. These services can be delivered through the NHS, in partnership with local authorities, or through the voluntary sector. This briefing intends to set out the case as to why we believe these hubs are essential for the emotional health and well-being of children and young people. These services share common characteristics: dedicated services for young people, often up to the age of 25; available to all young people without the need to meet thresholds for support; a single, visible trusted location where services are delivered under one roof; a safe and youth-friendly environment; accessible in terms of location and hours of operation; provide a timely response to young people; combine a range of expertise from youth work skills, advice workers and counsellors; take a youth-centred approach. A mix of clinical staff, counsellors, youth workers and volunteers provide a range of support on issues related to wellbeing, while a range of services can be co-located under one roof; offering wrap-around support across, for example, psychological therapies, housing advice, youth services, employment support and sexual health. If left unaddressed, these areas are known to have an impact on mental health and well-being. Evidence suggests there are a number of key benefits to the open access model. The report sets out three key priorities that need be taken forward by the Government to ensure these services are put in place across the country: put in place a clear strategy for young people’s well-being; ensure dedicated and sustainable funding for emotional health and well-being services; collect and improve outcomes data collections across the children and young people’s mental health system.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
young people, access to services, mental health services, wellbeing, youth work, psychotherapy, advice services;
This exploration of housing insecurity stems from the research project Understanding Childhoods: Growing up in Hard Times, a qualitative, longitudinal, broad-based study of growing up in low income households in England. There were three waves of fieldwork: in 2015, 2016 and 2017. While the initial sample size was 63 at the start of data collection, a year later this had reduced to 59, and by the final year the study sample had reduced again, this time to 48, as a number of children moved on. The overarching themes emerging from the data are: the costs of housing insecurity – financial, time-related, relational; the losses associated with housing insecurity – belonging, safety, social status; the uncertainties of housing insecurity and its effects on anxiety, the physical home environment, hope and disappointment; and coping with housing insecurity – making friends, staying at school, home-making activities. In the report these themes are explored chronologically, through the voices of four individual case study participants. The report identifies three key – interrelated – senses in which the normalisation of housing insecurity among children in low income households operates. First, housing insecurity becomes normal for a young person when it has been a fact of life for them growing up, or in recent times. Second, housing insecurity can become normal for transient young people in the sense that it is felt to be expected, given who they (feel they) are. Third, housing insecurity can become normalised in the sense that young people themselves can try to normalise it in a bid to stave off the stigma attached to it, or to its constituent elements.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This exploration of housing insecurity stems from the research project Understanding Childhoods: Growing up in Hard Times, a qualitative, longitudinal, broad-based study of growing up in low income households in England. There were three waves of fieldwork: in 2015, 2016 and 2017. While the initial sample size was 63 at the start of data collection, a year later this had reduced to 59, and by the final year the study sample had reduced again, this time to 48, as a number of children moved on. The overarching themes emerging from the data are: the costs of housing insecurity – financial, time-related, relational; the losses associated with housing insecurity – belonging, safety, social status; the uncertainties of housing insecurity and its effects on anxiety, the physical home environment, hope and disappointment; and coping with housing insecurity – making friends, staying at school, home-making activities. In the report these themes are explored chronologically, through the voices of four individual case study participants. The report identifies three key – interrelated – senses in which the normalisation of housing insecurity among children in low income households operates. First, housing insecurity becomes normal for a young person when it has been a fact of life for them growing up, or in recent times. Second, housing insecurity can become normal for transient young people in the sense that it is felt to be expected, given who they (feel they) are. Third, housing insecurity can become normalised in the sense that young people themselves can try to normalise it in a bid to stave off the stigma attached to it, or to its constituent elements.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
children, poverty, low income, housing, temporary accommodation, homelessness, user views;
...on children’s subjective wellbeing, including measures of the wellbeing of children in different countries in the UK; and a closer examination of patterns in children’s happiness with their friends. Drawing on the Understanding Society survey data for children aged 10 to 15, the report reveals that between 2009–10 and 2017–18 there was: a significant decrease in happiness with life as a whole and friends
(Edited publisher abstract)
This is the Children’s Society’s ninth annual report on the wellbeing of children in the UK. The report draws together a variety of national and international sources that examine children’s self-reported wellbeing, and includes: an overview of the latest statistics and trends in subjective wellbeing in the UK, including variations by gender; analysis of the latest international data sources on children’s subjective wellbeing, including measures of the wellbeing of children in different countries in the UK; and a closer examination of patterns in children’s happiness with their friends. Drawing on the Understanding Society survey data for children aged 10 to 15, the report reveals that between 2009–10 and 2017–18 there was: a significant decrease in happiness with life as a whole and friends – the dip in happiness with school reported in last year’s report was also sustained; no significant change in happiness with family, or schoolwork; in the latest wave of the survey, there was also a significant decrease in happiness with appearance (compared to when the survey first began). In addition, international data shows children in the UK fairing less well than their European counterparts, and that the gap between genders is much greater here than in other countries. Specifically, the UK ranks lowest of 24 European countries for the proportion of children with high life satisfaction (it also ranked lowest based on mean scores for life satisfaction); 9th for the proportion with high happiness; however, it ranks 23rd for low sadness (i.e., it had the second highest level of sadness); and it ranks lowest for purpose in life.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
children, young people, mental health, wellbeing, surveys, happiness, quality of life, gender;
The report combines findings from the Children’s Society’s annual household survey conducted in April-June 2020 with over 2,000 young people aged 10-17, and a consultation with 150 children, seeking more in-depth information on the impact of Coronavirus and the associated lockdown on their lives. Parents report a wide range of impacts on their family, and on their children’s happiness with friends and how much choice they have in life and anticipate long term negative impacts on their children’s education. Encouragingly, given the range of impacts reported, only around half expect a long-term negative impact on the happiness of adults / children in the household. Most children reported having coped to some degree with the changes made as a result of the pandemic but felt the impact of not being able to see their friends and family and felt isolated. While most children are happy / satisfied, a greater proportion than usual scored below the midpoint on the preferred, and usually stable, multi-item measure of life satisfaction, which suggests that some children’s cognitive wellbeing has been adversely affected. Parents felt that some children were happier with their time use than before lockdown and children responding to the consultation also highlighted advantages, such as being able to pursue hobbies, and appreciating more what they have in life. The self-care strategies described by children are reminiscent of the Five Ways to Wellbeing, with their main focus being on connecting with others followed by being active and creative.
(Edited publisher abstract)
The report combines findings from the Children’s Society’s annual household survey conducted in April-June 2020 with over 2,000 young people aged 10-17, and a consultation with 150 children, seeking more in-depth information on the impact of Coronavirus and the associated lockdown on their lives. Parents report a wide range of impacts on their family, and on their children’s happiness with friends and how much choice they have in life and anticipate long term negative impacts on their children’s education. Encouragingly, given the range of impacts reported, only around half expect a long-term negative impact on the happiness of adults / children in the household. Most children reported having coped to some degree with the changes made as a result of the pandemic but felt the impact of not being able to see their friends and family and felt isolated. While most children are happy / satisfied, a greater proportion than usual scored below the midpoint on the preferred, and usually stable, multi-item measure of life satisfaction, which suggests that some children’s cognitive wellbeing has been adversely affected. Parents felt that some children were happier with their time use than before lockdown and children responding to the consultation also highlighted advantages, such as being able to pursue hobbies, and appreciating more what they have in life. The self-care strategies described by children are reminiscent of the Five Ways to Wellbeing, with their main focus being on connecting with others followed by being active and creative.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
Covid-19, surveys, children, wellbeing, social isolation, quality of life, happiness;
This briefing sets out key concerns about children in care and care leavers and the systems and structures that have been affected by COVID-19. It outlines the short-term and long-term actions that national and/or local government should prioritise when planning their support for children in care and care leavers in the context of COVID-19. The extent of the impact of the pandemic and ‘lockdown’ on the care system and care experienced young people is yet to be fully understood but emerging concerns include: placement breakdowns; safeguarding of children and young people in unregulated accommodation; children missing from care; impact on children and young people’s mental health; contact with families; out of area placements; care leavers; sufficiency and operational capacity. To address the impact of the pandemic on care experienced young people now and in the future, the briefing recommends that the Government: protect the rights and entitlements of care experienced young people; ensure care experienced young people can access education; support mental health and wellbeing of care experienced young people, ensuring trauma-informed approaches underpin the support children in care receive; be ambitious for, and supportive of, the needs of care leavers; put children’s interests, wishes and experiences at the heart of the Care Review, addressing early support work with families, sufficiency and commissioning of care placements, use of unregulated accommodation, trauma-informed practice, and support for social care professionals and carers.
(Edited publisher abstract)
This briefing sets out key concerns about children in care and care leavers and the systems and structures that have been affected by COVID-19. It outlines the short-term and long-term actions that national and/or local government should prioritise when planning their support for children in care and care leavers in the context of COVID-19. The extent of the impact of the pandemic and ‘lockdown’ on the care system and care experienced young people is yet to be fully understood but emerging concerns include: placement breakdowns; safeguarding of children and young people in unregulated accommodation; children missing from care; impact on children and young people’s mental health; contact with families; out of area placements; care leavers; sufficiency and operational capacity. To address the impact of the pandemic on care experienced young people now and in the future, the briefing recommends that the Government: protect the rights and entitlements of care experienced young people; ensure care experienced young people can access education; support mental health and wellbeing of care experienced young people, ensuring trauma-informed approaches underpin the support children in care receive; be ambitious for, and supportive of, the needs of care leavers; put children’s interests, wishes and experiences at the heart of the Care Review, addressing early support work with families, sufficiency and commissioning of care placements, use of unregulated accommodation, trauma-informed practice, and support for social care professionals and carers.
(Edited publisher abstract)
Subject terms:
childrens social care, Covid-19, looked after children, care leavers, safeguarding children, residential child care, placement, mental health;