Project:
467
Description:
Older children and adolescents affected by exploitation are at risk of being blamed, disbelieved or treated as less visible victims than younger children.
Desired Outcome:
A safeguarding response that recognises adolescents as children at risk, without attributing responsibility for their own abuse.
What Could Go Wrong:
Victims may not be identified, disclosures may be dismissed, and abuse may continue longer before intervention.
Current Situation:
The Casey audit reported continuing difficulty in acknowledging child sexual abuse, noted that society remains more likely to apportion blame to older children, and found extra-familial abuse more common among older children.
Action Strategy:
Embed adolescent-specific safeguarding practice, improve training, review language used in casework and track missed-opportunity indicators.
Analysis: Not available
No snapshots found.