Child Exploitation Board

Sandwell’s multi-agency Exploitation strategy 2022 – 2025

Sandwell exploitation strategy has been revised by the Child Exploitation Board (CEB) a subgroup of Sandwell Children’s Safeguarding Partnership (SCSP), the local statutory group for ensuring that there are clear and concise multi-agency safeguarding arrangements underpinned by effective procedures and processes. These are applicable to all partners in Sandwell to safeguard children and young people from harm caused by exploitation from within their family or from individuals they come across in their day-to-day lives. The strategy will underpin and ensure consistency across current practice to ensure we collectively tackle exploitation.

Purpose

The overall purpose of the Child Exploitation Board (CEB) is to work in collaboration with partners to implement the SCSP Exploitation Strategy and its aspiration to make Sandwell a Borough which is an Exploitation free zone. This work aligns with the broader Prevention of Violence and Exploitation (PoVE) work carried out on behalf of the Safer Sandwell Partnership, Police and Crime Board (SSPPCB).

The CEB delivers on behalf of Sandwell’s Children Safeguarding Partnership (SCSP) and provides assurance to SSPPCB via PoVE.
The overall purpose of the CEB is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategic and operational multi-agency response to any form of exploitation involving children including:
- Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
- Missing from home, care or education
- Serious Youth Violence (SYV)
- Involvement with gangs
- Involvement with ‘County Lines’
- HSB (peer to peer exploitation)

CEB will be responsible for coordinating and ensuring delivery of all associated activities and progressions of the Child Exploitation work plan.

The Child Exploitation Board Role & Responsibilities

To listen to children
The CEB will deliver on the Exploitation Strategy and work plan on behalf of the SCSP and will regularly review the Strategy and work plan. This will also support the broader PoVE agenda and provide assurance to SSPPCB.
Ensure services approach to exploitation is of the highest standard.
Ensuring that current practice and interventions are informed by evidence based and linked and mapped to national policy and developments.
Ensure regular scrutiny and governance of policy, procedure and practice by the Child Exploitation Board.
Ensuring the focus is on prevention as well as response.
Ensure multi-agency practice is regularly reviewed and evaluated.
Ensuring that current and future multi-agency policies and procedures are appropriately designed to be responsive in meeting the demand of children and young people that are being exploited within the local community and when necessary develop new policies and procedures, for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Ensure that there is clear data and evidence supporting effective responses to the risk to children and young people of exploitation.
Ensure staff are adequately trained in how to identify and respond.
Ensure that the public receive key messages.
Ensure links/connectivity to other strategic groups and sub group is made
All members will be responsible for linking to their senior management teams in their agencies and disseminating information to their service area. There is also an expectation that they will take on pieces of work as appropriate to their role on behalf of the board.