Sefton launches new team to strengthen Children's Services and safeguard young people

Professionals from across Sefton gathered last week to launch a new multi agency team aiming to protecting young people in Sefton from exploitation.

The launch saw a number of talks including one powerful story told by Kieron, a victim of child criminal exploitation, who was able to give insight from a young person’s perspective of how exploitation is often not seen that way from a child’s point of view. Practitioners came away with a renewed understanding of exploitation and a determination to tackle and disrupt perpetrators activities in way that is understood and supported by the children involved.

The My SPACE (Sefton Protection Against Child Exploitation) Team (named by our young people) will support young people from 11-18 who are classed as being at significant risk of harm by virtue of exploitation. Child Exploitation Intervention Workers will provide intensive interventions to these young people, with a focus on supporting the young people to develop a better understanding of exploitation as well as support the young person into more positive activities.

The team will provide an intensive intervention service to young people focusing on educating young people around the risk of exploitation and grooming. The aim will be to divert young people into positive activities and opportunities as well as disrupting exploitative relationships. The team will also work together across police, health and local authority to support prosecutions for perpetrators of Child Exploitation and ensure victims get justice.

The team is part of a wider drive to strengthen Children’s Services in Sefton and dedicate multi agency resource to specialist areas to better protect children and young people.

Dr Risthardh Hare, Director of Children’s Services said:

“The MySpace team are already doing some fantastic work with young people in Sefton, making connections and making an impact.

“The presence of so many professionals in the room is a testament to the attitude in Sefton that safeguarding is everybody’s concern and we all have a part to play in keeping children safe.

“The way different agencies are working together in this team is a prime example of true partnership working and I am excited to see this team go from strength to strength and achieve really positive outcomes for young people.”

Mhairi Doyle, Cabinet Member for Children’s Social Care said:

“The energy in the room at the launch was infectious and Kieron the guest speaker told his story in such a powerful way. We all came away feeling inspired and energised.

“The launch of this team marks an important step on our improvement journey to truly embed partnership working in everything we do for our children and young people.”