Youth workers across Northern Ireland are being asked to look out for signs of child sexual exploitation.
The PSNI is hoping staff and volunteers in the sector can "raise the alarm if they think a child is at risk" by spotting signs ranging from young people being seen with expensive 'gifts' to socialising with older people.
On Monday, February 13, partner agencies attended a Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) training event hosted by the PSNI and Youth Work Alliance. Today was the first of three training events set up by police to support and ensure youth workers across can spot the signs.
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The training events are a part of a bespoke training package that has been developed over the last five months with Youth Work Alliance.
A PSNI spokesperson said: "CSE is a crime that is hidden in plain sight in every society, sometimes undiscovered by agencies that are providing a safeguarding role to young people. The Police Service wants to build the confidence of youth workers in Northern Ireland to be able to spot the signs and raise the alarm if they think a child is at risk."
Signs youth workers are being asked to look out for:
- If a young person doesn’t turn up to a few sessions or withdraws from participation altogether
- Other young people may report to the youth worker that someone they know has new older friends or has entered into a ‘relationship’ with an older person
- A young person reporting having been given ‘gifts’, wearing expensive clothing items to session or using a new device
- A young person that is now socialising more at ‘parties’ or gatherings and staying out late at night
- A young person being reluctant to discuss their relationships
- A young person 'normalising' having a relationship with someone older, for example using sentences such as "age is just a number"
- A young person being secretive around phone calls or appearing nervous with certain calls or messages
"Collaboration between Police and agencies such as Youth Work Alliance is crucial to effectively working together to provide knowledge and training to help protect children at risk," police added.
"At these training events, youth workers from all over Belfast, Mid Ulster and Derry City and Strabane will leave with an effective training programme they can use it their local units to upskill other workers attached to their organisation."
Detective Chief Inspector Kerry Brennan added: "As part of the Police’s ongoing efforts in the prevention of Child Sexual Exploitation, training events are being held for youth workers across Northern Ireland. It is vital that people who work with the young people in our communities and have built a rapport with them, especially vulnerable young people, are armed with the knowledge to spot the signs of CSE.
"Training events such as these give our local officers the opportunity to engage with local youth providers and build positive relationships. Collaboration is crucial to effectively work together to spot the signs, intervene early and put processes in place that allow us to successfully disrupt offending and bring perpetrators before the court to answer for their crimes.
"Improving knowledge and confidence will enable youth work staff to intervene and reduce the risk of the child who may not even realise themselves that they are being exploited.
"We as a police service remain dedicated and determined in raising awareness of CSE and safeguarding the children in our communities’ remains at the forefront of what we do. Today is one of many training events and awareness-raising exercises we will be undertaking, to provide our local communities with the tools they need to be vigilant to these crimes."
Keith McCaugherty, who is a senior youth officer with Youth Work Alliance said: "As a regional headquarter organisation for youth centres and projects across the region, we recognise and value the vital engagements and often critical interventions that youth work staff facilitate in the lives of young people.
"As part of our continuing work in upskilling our sector and ensuring that youth work staff have appropriate knowledge and understanding of all aspects of safeguarding, we are fully committed to providing opportunities, in partnership with the Police Service, to enhance the youth sector's awareness of CSE and highlight the role of the youth work staff in protecting young people from all forms of harm."
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