A Qualitative Study of the Practices and Experiences of Staff in Multidisciplinary Child Sexual Exploitation Partnerships in Three English Coastal Towns

TY - JOUR

T1 - A Qualitative Study of the Practices and Experiences of Staff in Multidisciplinary Child Sexual Exploitation Partnerships in Three English Coastal Towns

AU - Radcliffe, Polly

AU - Roy, Alistair

AU - Barter, Christine

AU - Tompkins, Charlotte

AU - Brookes, Matthew

PY - 2020/12

Y1 - 2020/12

N2 - This article presents findings from a qualitative study of the practices and experiences of people working in multidisciplinary child sexual exploitation (CSE) partnerships in three coastal towns in England. The study is based on focus groups conducted with 36 practitioners from a range of professional groups, including police, social work, substance misuse, education, specialist youth workers, sexual health, and statutory and non-statutory children's services. The article begins with an overview of the three towns and the structure of their responses to CSE. It goes on to explore a range of factors, which contribute to the local issues around CSE and which affect and direct multiagency working. These include practitioner perspectives on CSE vulnerability, the discrepancy between young peoples' and practitioners' views about “exploitation”, a discussion of how CSE perpetrators initiate and develop contact with young people and the role of incentives—including drugs and alcohol—as part of CSE exploitation. We finish by drawing out some general conclusions.

AB - This article presents findings from a qualitative study of the practices and experiences of people working in multidisciplinary child sexual exploitation (CSE) partnerships in three coastal towns in England. The study is based on focus groups conducted with 36 practitioners from a range of professional groups, including police, social work, substance misuse, education, specialist youth workers, sexual health, and statutory and non-statutory children's services. The article begins with an overview of the three towns and the structure of their responses to CSE. It goes on to explore a range of factors, which contribute to the local issues around CSE and which affect and direct multiagency working. These include practitioner perspectives on CSE vulnerability, the discrepancy between young peoples' and practitioners' views about “exploitation”, a discussion of how CSE perpetrators initiate and develop contact with young people and the role of incentives—including drugs and alcohol—as part of CSE exploitation. We finish by drawing out some general conclusions.

KW - child sexual exploitation

KW - coastal towns

KW - gangs

KW - risk

KW - substance use

KW - vulnerability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083454371&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/spol.12600

DO - 10.1111/spol.12600

M3 - Article

SN - 0144-5596

VL - 54

SP - 1215

EP - 1230

JO - Social Policy And Administration

JF - Social Policy And Administration

IS - 7

ER -