Author: Kemp, Sarah

Liquid Logic User Guide
Contextual Safeguarding

This document contains a list of LCS pathway and standalone forms along with points which include the changes/additions to the forms to capture Contextual data and/or detail. The aim of this document is to highlight the changes/additions that have been made to assist children’s services staff to identify and record contextual concerns.

Contents

Integrated Front Door—Contact Record Page 3
Assessment and Intervention—Analysis Page Page 4
Assessment and Intervention—Assessment Triangle Page 5
Assessment and Intervention– Assessment Triangle Development Page 6
Assessment and Intervention—Analysis Change Page 7
Assessment and Intervention—Factors Identified Page 8
Strategy Discussion changes Page 9
Child Protection Page 10
Child Protection Conference Page 11
Child Protection Workers Report Page 12
Child Protection Conference Minutes Page 13
Child Protection Plan Page 14
Child In Need Review Page 15
Child Looked After Plan Page 16
Child Looked After Review Page 17
Homeless Assessment Page 18
Contextual Safeguarding Consultation Page 19

Contact Record (v4.25.0.1(1)

Contextual Safeguarding (Working Together, 2018)
As well as threats to the welfare of children from within their families, children may be vulnerable to abuse or exploitation from outside their families. Assessments of children in such cases should consider whether wider environmental factors are present in a child’s life and are a threat to their safety and/or welfare.
Children who may be alleged perpetrators should also be assessed to understand the impact of contextual issues on their safety and welfare.

Extra Familial Factors (Working Together, 2018)
These extra-familial threats might arise at school and other educational establishments, from within peer groups, or more widely from within the wider community and/or online.
These threats can take a variety of different forms and children can be vulnerable to multiple threats, including: exploitation by criminal gangs and organised crime groups such as county lines; trafficking, online abuse; sexual exploitation and the influences of extremism leading to radicalisation.

Peer on Peer Abuse and Violence (Keeping Children Safe in Education Guidance, 2018)
Peer-on-peer abuse can take various forms and include serious bullying, relationship abuse, domestic violence, child sexual exploitation, harmful sexual behaviour, and/or gender-based violence. ... It includes bullying, cyberbullying, sexual violence, harassment and sexting.

Here is a list of common indicators associated with extra familial harm for adolescents. It is not a tick list. Initially the presenting factor could be one of below, but as the case is worked could highlight contextual concerns.
Poor Mental Health (stressed, angry, depressed etc), concerns about CSE and or Hamrful Sexual Behaviour, Concerns about online behaviours/use of Social Media, Frequent Missing episides. Breakdown in relationship between child and caregiver, Learning difficulty or disability (either assessed or queried) which may increase vulnerability, young people connected to a place (e.g—park, residential, block, school) where there are concerns about safety, Concerns about individual or peer group offending/Involvement with Youth Offending Service/NEET, poor attendance record or repeat exclusions and school moves, Substance misuse, Concerns about gang involvement/gang coercion and criminal exploitation via ‘county lines’, Experience of abuse at home including witnessing domestic violence.

C & F Assessment (v1.1.18 & 1.1.19) UATChild: Contextual Assessment

Understanding the World of the Child guidance now includes
“Their family and environment – family make-up, bereavement, relationship extended family members, absent parents/unknown adults and breakdown, domestic or community violence, home conditions, employment. Contextual/Extra Familial factors- Peers, School, Community/Neighbourhood or Online.”

The Contextual Network have a number of tools which an assessing Social Worker (or person with valuable and meaningful relationship with child can utilise). Team Managers are asked to direct Social Workers to complete - ‘What’s happening tool’ - This tool helps practitioners gather information about a parent or carer’s understanding of the strengths and vulnerabilities of a young person across each of the identified contexts. The All around me tool—This tool is designed to help practitioners gather information from a young person to build a picture/understanding of the people and places that matter most to that young person in each of the identified contexts. Aside from the tool, professionals are encouraged to follow the SFEF prompts as directed. A link has been added to direct professionals to the Context Assessment Triangles. This document contains three newly developed assessment triangles that can be used to assess peers, neighbourhoods and schools. The following page displays the three triangles and contains the link to the prompt sheet developed by the University of Bedfordshire.

Traditionally approaches to child protection have focussed on children and their families. As such, the frameworks and methods used when assessing children have focussed predominantly on individual children and their families. In Working Together Child and Family assessments are supported with an assessment triangle which outlines three key elements of assessment: The Child’s Development Needs, Parenting Capacity and Family and Environmental Factors (Figure one below).

External factors impacting the Child’s developmental needs
Is the YP known to partner agencies including Response, HSIS
What is there education status? Is there an EHCP in place or SEND concerns?
Does the YP have a learning need, is this being addressed, how are we communicating with the young person, is the communication effective, what could improve?
What are the links to risky members

External Factors impacting Parental Capacity.
Are parents/carers aware of YP’s whereabouts. Unreported missing?
Are there signs and indicators of CE?
What is the relationship status?
Are parents aware of YP’s friends/acquaintances? Are they concerned about some friendships?
Does the young person associate with older adults?
Are parents able to instil positive boundaries in your professional
opinion.
Disguised Compliance (OCG/USG)

External Factors impacting the Family and Environmental Factors
Are the immediate family/wider family known to children’s services? Partner agencies?
Have there been systemic or generational concerns relating to abuse or anti-social behaviour within the home?
Is there a history of loss and bereavement whereby older siblings have taken on the role of main-giver?
What is there housing situation? Doe the family live beyond their means?

The below are included in the guide to highlight contextual concerns in specific places. The Contextual Safeguarding Network have developed three new assessment triangles: one for schools, peers and neighbourhoods. These triangles are aligned with the original assessment framework but include elements we recognise as important to assessing
Contexts. They have been included in order for assessing social workers to think outside the traditional norms of assessment and focus on the outside factors that could be impacting a child or peer group in a particular place.
https://csnetwork.org.uk/assets/documents/Context-Assessment-Triangles.pdf

Analysis Page – Red section includes guidance “Consider - Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (Eg CSE/CE, Crime, Peer, Community/Neighbourhood/School/Online factors)”

A further line has been added to the Analysis section of the assessment. It is in this part that we are able to provide a balanced view of the child’s current circumstances. Through the lens of contextual safeguarding it is continually imperative to constantly challenge ourselves to know.
What external factors are impacting the child’s daily lived experiences?
What are parent/carers true understanding of the situation and particularly the emotional impact, are they noting changes in behaviour.
Think about how we could disrupt the external forces. Focusing on the disruption of risky adults/specific places and spaces.
What would life be like for the child in the long term if things do not change?
Often we find that contextual concerns do not always meet the threshold for Level 4 intervention because it is often perceived that such factors are not resulting in comprised parenting. This is more prevalent when working with families involved in Urban Street Gang/ Organised Crime Groups. It is imperative to keep the welfare and focus on the imp

Analysis Page – continued—Factors Identified at the end of the assessment now includes “Contextual risk and harm: Concerns around Crime, Peer, Community/Neighbourhood/School/Online factors”. With an additional prompt if selected, to trigger a CE Episode.

Definition of Child Exploitation (Working Together, 2018)
All agencies across Merseyside are fully committed to safeguarding children and young people from being sexually or criminally exploited, whilst disrupting and prosecuting individuals who exploit or attempt to exploit them.
Child Exploitation, or CE is a term which encompasses all the ways by which children and young people can be exploited. It includes Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE) and also criminal exploitation. The criminal exploitation of children is an issue which is gaining more of a national focus and is closely related to County Lines, and other ways children and young people are drawn into drugs related criminal activity.
CE Checklist —https://www.wirralsafeguarding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/WSCB-CE1-1-1.docx
County lines locations with Wirral links: Professionals working with young people and families should be vigilant around links to these locations. Consider CE.
North Wales, Bangor, Rhyl, Crewe, Chester, Cumbria (Barrow in Furness), Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire (Peterhead), Inverness, Southampton, Devon.
Any information or mention of lines/locations/names— discussions around links/associations and peer-mapping— please link in with compass team via email.
compass@wirral.gov.uk

Record of Strategy Discussion (v2.5) UATChild: Contextual Strategy

Additional Y/N question under suspected or identified CE of “Contextual/Extra Familial Factors (Other than CSE/CE)?”.
If either question relating to CE or Contextual is selected as Yes, user is prompted to start a CE screening tool or CE episode.
Yes/No question added asking if the user would like to view alleged abuse category guidance. If Yes is selected guidance appears as:
Neglect may be a factor if the parenting is lacking/not reporting missing or not complying with agreed safeguarding tasks.
Physical may be relevant if there has been trafficking events/concealing drugs internally.
Sexual if any concerns/allegation or information relating to CSE.
Emotional may the most appropriate, in the absence of the other three factors in the assessment.

Revisiting the definition of Contextual Safeguarding
As well as threats to the welfare of children from within their families, children may be vulnerable to abuse or exploitation from outside their families. Assessments of children in such cases should consider whether wider environmental factors are present in a child’s life and are a threat to their safety and/or welfare.
Children who may be alleged perpetrators should also be assessed to understand the impact of contextual issues on their safety and welfare.

Child Protection

Initial Child Protection Conference Outcomes (v2.11(3) UATChild: Contextual ICPC
CP Factors/Outcomes
Additional CP Factor added to Recommendations “Contextual/Extra Familial factors- Peers, School, Community/Neighbourhood or Online.”

Initial Child Protection Conference Minutes (v4.3(2) Released to LIVE LCS
Y/N question added “Are there any Contextual Safeguarding Concerns”.
If Yes “Please detail the Environmental Risk(s) - Additional commentary relating to external factors affecting the vulnerability or risk to a child or young person. E.g Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online factors).”

Core Group Meeting Minutes (v2.6(3) UATChild: Contextual CP
Core Group agenda guidance now includes “Consider Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (Eg CSE/CE, Crime, Peer, Community/Neighbourhood/School/Online factors)”

Child Protection Review Conference Worker's Report (v4.1(4) Released to LIVE LCS
Y/N Question added to Impact “Are there any Contextual Safeguarding concerns?” If Yes “Please detail the environmental risks” Additional commentary relating to external factors affecting the vulnerability or risk to a child or young person. E.g Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online factors)’’

Review Child Protection Conference Outcomes (v2.14(4)
CP Outcomes Factor added “Contextual/Extra Familial factors - Peers, School, Community/Neighbourhood or Online”.

Guidance added to RAG sections of plan “Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (Eg CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online
factors).”

Review Child Protection Conference Minutes (v3.1(2) Released to LIVE LCS
Y/N question added “Are there any Contextual Safeguarding Concerns”.
If Yes “Please detail the Environmental Risk(s) - Additional commentary relating to external factors affecting the vulnerability or risk to a child or young person. E.g Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online factors)

Child Protection Plan (v2.1.1(1)
Guidance added to RAG sections of plan “Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (Eg CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online factors).”

Child in Need

Childs/Young Persons In Need Review Outcomes (v3.4(1)
CIN Review agenda guidance now includes “Consider Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (Eg CSE/CE, Crime, Peer, Community/Neighbourhood/School/Online factors)”.

Y/N question added “Are there any Contextual Safeguarding Concerns?”.
If Yes “Please detail the environmental risks” Additional commentary relating to external factors affecting the vulnerability or risk to a child or young person. E.g Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online factors)’’

Children Looked After (CLA) UATChild: Contextual CLA

Child Looked After/ Young Persons Care Plan (v4.3(2) & 4.4(6)
Guidance added to RAG sections of plan “Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (Eg CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online factors).”

Childs/young persons Looked After Review – Pre Meeting Report (v5.4(2)
Care plan page – Placement – Childs lived experience – guidance prompt added to this question to “Consider - Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (Eg CSE/CE, Crime, Peer, Community/Neighbourhood/School/Online factors)”.

Childs/young Persons Looked After Review – Outomes (v6.12)
Question added to CLA Checklist “Has the child been missing from the placement since the last review”.
Y/N question added “Are there any Contextual Safeguarding Concerns?”.
If Yes “Please detail the environmental risks” Additional commentary relating to external factors affecting the vulnerability or risk to a child or young person.
E.g Contextual risk/Extra Familial Harm (CSE/CE Crime, Peer, Community/ Neighbourhood/ School/ Online factors)’’

CLA Review minutes (x2 v4.4)
Question added to the minutes of the child looked after review “Consider Contextual risk/ Extra Familial Harm”.

Standalone Forms UATChild: Contextual CLA

Joint Homeless Assessment (v0.2)
Question added “Consider Contextual risk/ Extra Familial Harm” under background/ current situation.”
Additional field added to Risk Screening table for Contextual Risk/ Extra Familial Harm.

Contextual Consultation Form

This particular form has been designed by the contextual safeguarding team and the stand-alone form will be generated and completed by the team during the consultation
Arranging a consultation:
If you suspect there are contextual concerns with a young person, a peer group, a space (shopping centre/park) or school a case consultation can take place with the team and guidance and be given. The oversight remains with the Social Worker and the Team Manager.
The consultation process is open to all service areas (including fostering) and partners/ partner agencies.
Acting Team Manager—Amanda Jones
Social Worker—Sarah Kemp
Email—complexandcontextualsafeguardingteam@wirral.gov.uk

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