Journal of Children s Services

Firmin, Carlene; Hickle, Kristine; Rayment-McHugh, Susan

2022 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/jcs-09-2022-087

Barlow, Craig; Kidd, Alicia; Green, Simon T.; Darby, Bethany

2022 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/jcs-04-2021-0016

Child criminal exploitation (CCE) emerges from the complex interplay between potential targets, motivated perpetrators and conducive environments. Drawing on contextual safeguarding and rational choice theory. The purpose of this paper is to explain the relational dynamics that lead to CCE in terms of complex systems.Design/methodology/approachThis paper reviews the existing criminological and public health perspectives on CCE and compare against current assessment protocols used to identify child victims of exploitation.FindingsFindings demonstrate a conceptual and empirical flaw in existing practice. This flaw can be understood in terms of a failure to include both environmental conditions and the perpetrator’s motivation when trying to prevent CCE.Research limitations/implicationsTo correct this, this paper develops an original systemic model called circles of analysis. This model builds on contextual safeguarding to overcome this identified flaw by also including perpetrator motivation to develop a Systemic Investigation, Protection and Prosecution Strategy.Practical implicationsIt is worth considering as to whether our model can be scaled up to look at trafficking of children and adults for modern slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour in different contexts and jurisdictions. Alongside this, is there capacity to build perpetrator behaviours into the contextual safeguarding model?Social implicationsThe potential for further development and alignment with the principles of contextual safeguarding is tantalising, and it is hoped that the contribution to this important special edition will open up new avenues for collaboration with both academics and practitioners who are concerned with protecting children and combatting CCE.Originality/valueThis strategy is uniquely designed to improve how police and social workers identify and investigate CCE and safeguard potential victims and survivors.

Nyathi, Nhlanganiso

2022 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/jcs-02-2022-0008

This paper aims to argue that contextual safeguarding complements existing theoretical models and approaches. Its successful integration with dominant thinking and practice in safeguarding potentially offers new insights to improve system-wide practice.Design/methodology/approachA theory synthesis design was used to purposively identify, summarise and compare selected safeguarding theoretical models and approaches to establish both convergence and divergence.FindingsThe arguments provided in this paper suggest that synthesising theory offers a confluence of perspectives that promise to develop a more eclectic and holistic approach to safeguarding practice. The paper demonstrates how contextual safeguarding can be integrated with existing theoretical models and approaches.Research limitations/implicationsThis is a conceptual paper and therefore is not based on empirical data.Practical implicationsThis paper's conceptual insights include that integrating contextual safeguarding with existing theoretical models and approaches can broaden the knowledge base to whole system-wide safeguarding practice in the UK. The paper also confirms that the methodology used is feasible, although more work is required to test its efficacy on a larger scale. The conceptual paper argues for synthesis of contextual safeguarding and commonly used child safeguarding theoretical models and approaches to deal with both intra and extra familial forms of risk of harm to children effectively.Social implicationsThe neglect and abuse of children is a topical issue; hence, this paper has social implications regarding understanding of how the issue child abuse and neglect in the UK and globally should be dealt with.Originality/valueThere is a dearth of studies that have gone beyond binary comparisons of contextual safeguarding and other theoretical models and approaches, which leaves a significant knowledge gap that has prompted the purpose of this paper.

Rayment-McHugh, Susan; Adams, Dimity; McKillop, Nadine

2022 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/jcs-06-2021-0024

Intervention for young people engaging in harmful sexual behaviour has been largely based on individual-level conceptualisations and assessment. Prevention efforts reflect this individual-focus, relying primarily on offender management and justice responses. Risk of sexual abuse, however, is often situated outside the individual, within the broader social and physical systems in which young people are embedded. Lack of recognition for how contextual factors contribute to sexual abuse narrows the focus of prevention and intervention, overlooking the very contexts and circumstances in which this behaviour occurs. This paper aims to demonstrate the utility of contextual practice with young people who sexually harm, and implications for prevention.Design/methodology/approachAn Australian case study is used to showcase the “why”, “what” and “how” of a contextual approach to assessment and treatment of young people who sexually harm.FindingsContextual approaches extend the focus of clinical practice beyond the individual to include the physical and social contexts that may contribute to risk. Adding a contextual lens broadens the approach to assessment, affording new opportunities to tailor the intervention to local contextual dynamics, and identifying new targets for primary and secondary prevention.Originality/valueThis is the first known attempt to extend understanding of contextual approaches to clinical assessment and intervention for young people who sexually harm, using a case study method. The case study showcases contextual assessment and intervention processes that challenge traditional thinking and practice in this field. Importantly, the case study also reveals new opportunities for primary and secondary prevention that emerge through this contextual clinical practice.

Rafter, Jennifer

2022 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/jcs-04-2021-0015

Recently, there have been renewed calls to place social workers in schools. Although these are not unchartered waters, contextual understandings of safeguarding have reaffirmed the centrality of schools in the lives of young people and keeping them safe. Yet, schools can only do so much to support young people. Safeguarding practice reviews continue to highlight the shortcomings of contextless assessment. This paper aims to make the case for a broader approach to safeguarding practice by placing social workers in schools.Design/methodology/approachA scoping review was undertaken to elicit social workers in schools (SWIS) literature from the UK, as well as international examples. Keyword searches revealed a lack of consensus on shared/agreement terminology for SWIS. The literature was organised thematically, as a mechanism to open up the extent, range and nature of research activity in relation to SWIS.FindingsFindings are presented in three themes: misunderstandings of SWIS – what do they actually do?; micro versus macro interventions; and the concept of reach.Research limitations/implicationsThe main implications of this study are to sharpen the focus on the centrality of schools in the lives of children and young people; to expand school-based initiatives as a way to reach young people at risk; to re-centre practice to local, community orientation with an emphasis on early help; and to bring together pockets of good practice and learn from successful partnership models.Originality/valueLittle attempt has been made to contemplate the past and present and rethread school-based initiatives. There is an absence of attention afforded to the theoretical foundations of SWIS. This paper identifies a gap in interest from the early iterations of SWIS, with a recent upsurgence in attention.

Wilson, Nathaniel; Diaz, Clive; Usubillaga, Juan

2022 Journal of Children s Services

doi: 10.1108/jcs-10-2021-0043

This study aims to explore how local authority child and family practitioners understood and implement the contextual safeguarding approach focusing, in particular, on what practitioners felt supported and hindered implementation.Design/methodology/approachThis qualitative study drew upon semi-structured interviews and focus groups to explore the perspectives of 18 frontline workers, team managers and senior managers in a London authority. The transcribed accounts were analysed using thematic analysis.FindingsParticipants reported that the strain on services because of sustained budget cuts was overwhelming, even without the additional challenge of implementing this new approach. Further challenges in relation to implementation included parental-capacity focused legislation and conflicting perspectives between stakeholders. This study recommends that proper funding must be committed to safeguarding partnerships if contextual safeguarding is to be successfully implemented. Additionally, child protection practitioners should aim to develop a collaborative and child-welfare focused network of community agencies and organisations if young people are to be safeguarded in their communities.Research limitations/implicationsAs the sample required specialist knowledge to participate in this study, this study cannot claim that the findings are generalisable to all social workers.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first external evaluation of the implementation of the contextual safeguarding approach in a local authority independent of the contextual safeguarding team at the University of Bedfordshire since the evaluation of Hackney.