Working with Parents as Partners

The majority of children affected by child sexual exploitation (CSE) are living at home when the abuse starts. It is highly likely the parents will be among the first to realise something is wrong.

Parents Against Child Exploitation provide a Relational Safeguarding Model good practice guide

A calculated strategy of grooming, intimidation and coercion by the perpetrators strips parents of their ability to fulfil their parental responsibility. The perpetrators of child sexual exploitation deliberately seek to drive a wedge between the child and their family. This estrangement causes obvious strain at home, as trust between parents and child breaks down.

Barnardo’s provide resources to explore grooming & power & control.

The University of Bedfordshire provide a film clip and briefing paper introducing a social model of consent helping people to understand some of the constraints placed on young people’s in relation to consent.

Parents and carers need to be empowered to understand the intention or perpetrators of exploitation to control their child. This will help maximise the capacity of parents and carers to safeguard their children and contribute to the prevention of abuse and the disruption and conviction of perpetrators.