Introduction:

We know that children who go missing are vulnerable to exploitation and a child missing can also an indicator of exploitation. Children in Care who go missing are particularly vulnerable to exploitation.

The Exploitation and Missing Hub is a partnership team which takes a contextual approach to protecting children and keeping them safe and free from exploitation with a coordinated and proactive response from prevention through to safeguarding and prosecution.

The Exploitation and Missing Hub works alongside colleagues in existing statutory and non- statutory provision, offering a range of services to both children in care and other children to reduce the risk of child exploitation and missing episodes.

Current position:

All Council buildings (aside from New Aston House) are currently closed. All BCT, NHS, Police and Voluntary organisations usually based within the Exploitation and Missing Hub are now working from home. New Aston House remains open to enable staff to access PPE.

Service Overview: 

• To identify and have full oversight of all children exploited and missing.
• To share information in relation to these children, review all screening tools and decide whether risk is high that a recommendation for a strategy discussion is required. Disruption planning will take place at strategy meetings.
• Recommendation for disruption planning meeting identified dependant on risk level (formulate disruption plans to assist the lead practitioner in disruption / diversion / intervention and support).
• To support, provide advice, guidance to practitioners and other agencies on children exploited or missing.
• To ensure that all children (as per missing procedure) are offered a return home interview to (understand contextual safeguarding and exploring reasoning) for going missing how to reduce further missing episodes and highlight any further risk associated with the missing  episode.
• For hub staff (and partners) to participate in strategy meetings in relation to children missing and exploited and ensure disruption plans are in place.
• Work closely with CASS to identify and respond to missing children and children exploited not known or closed to BCT.

What we are doing during COVID 19:

During this period the Exploitation and Missing Hub (inclusive of Business Support) will continue to:

• Remain operational.
• Attend virtual strategy discussions.
• Arrange and attend daily briefings and disruption planning meetings.
• Coordinate MASE meetings virtually (these will cease at the end of April 2020).

• Screen, triage all missing episodes (regardless of Police risk rating) and discuss and identify any high risk missing children during the daily briefing meeting that takes place every day and for any child that is deemed high risk; including looking at whether media attention is required.
• Ensure that any high-risk missing children are discussed within a strategy discussion ensuring that plans are in place on location of any child missing, looking at intervention and support and how to reduce missing episodes or support children to remain safe when and if they go missing.
• Ensure that all children who go missing (in line with our policy and procedure) are offered a return home interview.

• Complete Return Home Interviews which will take place virtually over the phone or via video call (where possible) in line with BCT policy.
• Offer and undertake face to face visits based on the vulnerability and risk of the child and following robust risk assessment overseen by the Team Manager.
• Undertaking face to face visits whilst ensuring staff safety and that of others making sure that Personal Protective Equipment is available and used; this can be collected from New Aston House.
• Support parents/carers and children by giving advice during this period on the risks associated with their child going missing associated with COVID -19.
• Advise parents about the Resource Hub that can be accessed through BCT providing resources for family.

Hub workforce update including BCT staff and Partner Agencies

• At the point of writing this statement all BCT Exploitation and Missing staff (inclusive of Exploitation and Missing Coordinators and Return Home support Workers) are currently working from home. We also have access to sessional workers to support with the Return Home interviews.
• Head of Service continues to update the Trust staffing spreadsheet as and when required.
• Police may redeploy staff to respond to the current needs brought about by COVID- 19 but have assured that they will continue to support. (Police Early Help officers are still in close contact with family support workers and are available for joint visits).
• Health (Exploitation Hub Nurses) are working remotely will continue to participate in strategy discussions.
• Umbrella services will be available Mon-Fri (9-5pm) including bank holidays. Email referrals can be sent to [email protected]. However, due to reduced staffing there may be a delay in response to email referrals (please note they will not be offering a weekend service).

• Redthread are running remotely but are still taking referrals from both Heartlands and Queen Elizabeth Hospitals. They will continue to deliver the same interventions virtually.
• Children Society and Barnardos will continue to provide support to children exploited via telephone consultation.
• Birmingham Space has made the decision that all children and young people waiting to be allocated will be contacted by a worker to check in on them by telephone. Referrers will be notified.

• Schools and educational establishments will continue to monitor vulnerable children during this time and are keeping in touch via social media platforms and by telephone.
• Youth Services are offering communication to children via telephone and online support.
• Housing will continue to support vulnerable tenants during this time by providing advice guidance and support.

Helpful Contacts:

[email protected]

[email protected]   0121 303 1888

EDT – 0121 675 4806 – EDT Business Support Manage CASS inbox outside of daytime working hours.